Almond seed oil versus versus grapeseed.

Hi all,

(sorry for repeating the "versus", but I can't seem to edit it!).

I'm a newbie who just started her massage classes.:)

My local beauty store sells both oils (whole sale). So before I get stuck with a 2 litter bottle of one of them I would like to ask the seasoned "pro's" in the forum which one you would recommend and why. I have tried grapeseed and worked really nice (a bit thick and sticky). I've also noticed that almond seed is cheaper so I was thinking in trying it just to reduce costs.

Yesterday I went for a deep tissue at my local Chinese herbal store (there's this old lady who does wonders on my back) and I noticed she used Johnson baby oil (which is even cheaper than Almond & grapeseed, as it's 99 cent the 250 ml bottle!). Is baby oil any good for massage?

thanks!

Hi ana11!

If your grape seed oil is sticky and thick, it could be the quality - I got my last batch from a new supplier and whilst the old supply was ok, this is like massaging with liquid silk!

Also, check your prices and quantity as almond is usually more expensive.

I use grape seed as opposed to almond simply because it means I don't have to worry about anyone with a nut allergy!

As for Johnson's baby oil, check what else is in it apart from natural oil - I wouldn't have anyone use it on me!

Hi Ana,

I agree with Derek. My preference is for grapeseed as I actually find it to be a light oil that is nicely absorbed, also ideal for hairy skins and people with allergies. I do have/use almond oil but usually with those with dry/very dry skins where the the skin would absorb other oils like a sponge. I love jojoba as well but don't often use it as it is expensive. Personally I wouldn't touch baby oil with a barge pole. Believe it or not there are places (I used to work at one) that used cooking oil to massage 😮 it didn't absorb in the skin and my uniform used to smell like a chip shop. :dft005:

Baby oils contain mineral oil, from petroleum. It prevents essential oils being absorbed and can clog pores - quite apart from being a fossil fuel. I'd use grapeseed as a default, unless there were a reason to use another organic, cold-pressed vegetable oil.

Hi

Baby oil - yuk - big no NO!

Almond or grapeseed is often just personal choice-ish, but of course almond may not be suitable for nut allergies/intolerances.

I use a "rule of thumb", if it is good enough to eat then it's good enough for the skin. Check out the prices of vegetable oils in food shops to those of a massage supplier.

Why not ana11 try out sweet almond and other types and see what you like and see what effects are on different skin types.

My personal favourites are cold-pressed coconut oil and unrefined (and untoasted) sesame oil 😎 And they have better shelf life being saturated/monounsaturated, unlike almond and grapeseed which are polyunsaturated and go rancid much quicker. Better to go for smaller qualities of oil at first, then you can gauge future needs

Best wishes

RP

I was taught to always use almond oil unless the client had a nut allergy. Now I use grapeseed most of the time so no need to worry about allergies. I wouldn't go anywhere near baby oil. My daughter's baby came out in a terrible rash when she used it on him.

Im training in massage at the moment and im trying out lots of smaller sized bottles of oils so i can feel the difference between them. I find Grapeseed seems to be the best at the moment as its light and absorbs well if i happen to put too much on. I have tried peach kernel oil which i found thicker but found it better on people with dry skin as it didnt absorb so quickly. We use sweet almond oil in class which feels nice.
I was told that baby oil is a total no no and should never be used for massage because of its petroleum qualities.
I shall try a few more then decide which i like the most and buy a bigger quantity.

RE:-

I agree with you.