1. Massage Oil:

Massage oil is a very common type of medium used in the industry. The main reason for this is because it is simple to use and the texture is a happy medium between lotion and wax.

Advantages:

• It’s easy to re-fill – you can re-fill bottles by using a pump which makes it easy to avoid mess and also saves therapists from wasting any of the product.
• It has a smooth texture – provides more of a range of techniques to be used in massage treatments.
• It has good absorption – therapists don’t need to keep reapplying the product because the skin doesn’t absorb it too quickly.

2. Lotions

Lotions are more commonly used in high friction treatments, such as facial and foot massages.

Advantages:

• Better protection for clients who have a lot of body hair – lotion can reduce hair pulling during a massage making it a more comfortable experience.
• Dries out quickly – clients won’t feel sticky after the treatment because there is no greasy residue. 
• Hydrating – can be used almost a conditioner for our skin during treatment, which is especially moisturizing for dry feet.

3. Wax

Wax is a relatively new product used in professional massage treatments. It provides firmer grip and it suits remedial massage treatments very well.

Advantages:

• Firmer grip – therapists can work easier on the target muscles using several types of strong techniques.
• Easy to clean – only a peanut size amount of wax is needed for most areas of the body, therefore it doesn’t take much time to clean.
• Friendly to skin- massage wax is a combination of bee’s wax and natural oil so there is a low risk for allergic reactions.

I hope the information I’ve shared has given you a better understanding of how each product works. Having been an experienced remedial massage therapist for several years now, I have experimented with many types of mediums, but my personal preference is wax. I still use other products, but this is my go-to because most of my clients have sports or postural injuries and wax gives them the best results.