Aromatherapy Massage at Home in London
Aromatherapy massage at home is a slow, gentle full-body massage given with a body oil that contains plant essential oils, so the scent becomes part of the treatment. A qualified, DBS-checked therapist brings it to your home or hotel anywhere in London, day or night, using Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Massage & Body Oil. Book 60, 90 or 120 minutes from £99, travel included, through our outcall massage service in London.
- Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
- Qualified, DBS-checked therapists
- Travel across London included
Aromatherapy massage in brief
- The oil
- Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Massage & Body Oil
- Scent
- Fresh and herbal: lavender, rosemary and ginger with cajuput, juniper and pine
- Pressure
- Light to medium
- Pace
- Slow and unhurried
- Lengths
- 60, 90 or 120 minutes
- Price
- £99, £149 or £199, travel included
- Check first
- Pregnancy, epilepsy, high blood pressure, asthma, sensitive skin or allergies
- Hours
- Any time, every day
What Is Aromatherapy Massage?
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils, the concentrated aromatic compounds distilled or pressed from flowers, leaves, roots, bark and peel. An aromatherapy massage applies them to the skin diluted in a carrier oil, with long, rhythmic strokes, while you breathe in their scent throughout the session.
Two things happen at once: the touch of the massage, and the smell of the oil. Smell is processed by the olfactory system, which connects closely with the parts of the brain involved in emotion and memory. That is why a familiar scent can change your mood quickly, and why many people find a scented massage more absorbing than an unscented one.
A Short History
1937
The French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé coined the word aromathérapie in a book of that name, after studying the properties of essential oils, including lavender.
1950s–1960s
The Austrian biochemist Marguerite Maury brought essential oils into massage, blending them individually for each client. Her approach shaped aromatherapy massage as it is practised in Britain today.
1977
Robert Tisserand’s The Art of Aromatherapy introduced the subject to a wide English-speaking readership; his later work on essential oil safety remains a standard reference.
1985
Aromatherapy Associates, the London brand whose oil we use, was founded.
The Oil We Use
Every aromatherapy massage uses Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Massage & Body Oil, a ready-made blend from the London aromatherapy specialist.
| Component | What is in it | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Essential oils | Lavender, rosemary, ginger, cajuput, juniper and pine | Give the blend its fresh, herbal, slightly warming scent |
| Plant extract | Arnica flower | A traditional ingredient in muscle-care products |
| Carrier oils | Coconut, peach kernel and jojoba | Dilute the essential oils and let the strokes glide |
The Six Essential Oils in the Blend
| Essential oil | Plant | Scent character |
|---|---|---|
| Lavender | Flowering tops of the lavender plant | Soft, floral and herbal; the best-known aromatherapy oil |
| Rosemary | Salvia rosmarinus, from the leaves | Sharp, green and camphor-like |
| Ginger | Zingiber officinale, from the root | Warm and slightly spicy |
| Cajuput | Melaleuca cajuputi, a relative of tea tree | Fresh and medicinal, close to eucalyptus |
| Juniper | Juniperus communis, from the berries | Clean, woody and slightly peppery |
| Pine | Pine needles | Fresh, resinous, like a forest walk |
Together they give a scent that is more herbal and fresh than sweet or floral. If you prefer perfume-like fragrances, smell the oil at the start and decide then.
The essential oils are already diluted, as they must be for use on the skin; undiluted essential oils can irritate or sensitise skin. Using one professionally made blend means every massage is consistent, the ingredients are known in advance, and you can check them before you book.
If the scent is not for you, or a health condition rules out essential oils, your therapist switches to a body oil or cream without the blend, and the treatment becomes a Swedish massage at home.
What the Research Says
Aromatherapy massage is popular, but the research behind it is thinner than its marketing suggests.
Anxiety in palliative care
A 2019 systematic review in Medicine pooled three randomised trials with 160 patients. Aromatherapy massage did not produce a statistically significant improvement in anxiety compared with control groups (Hsu et al., 2019).
The wider picture
A 2020 review in Palliative Medicine, led by researchers at University College London, examined 22 trials of aromatherapy, massage and reflexology with 1,956 participants. The evidence on anxiety and quality of life was inconclusive, and the authors said no new clinical recommendations could be made (Candy et al., 2020).
So we make no health claims for aromatherapy. We offer it because many people simply enjoy a calm, scented massage, and enjoying something is reason enough to book it.
How Your Aromatherapy Massage Works
Booking
Message +44 7460 672100 on WhatsApp at any hour, pick a session length, say whether you would like a male or female therapist, then pay to confirm the slot. Mention any health conditions so we can check the oil is suitable.
Scent check
Your therapist lets you smell the oil before starting. If you do not like it, you can switch to an unscented treatment there and then.
Consultation
Questions about allergies, skin, medication, pregnancy and where you hold tension.
Set-up
Your therapist prepares the table with fresh linen and towels.
The massage
Long, slow strokes over the back, legs, arms, neck and shoulders, with the pace kept deliberately calm.
Finish
Your therapist packs away quietly so you can stay where you are.
Who It Suits
Aromatherapy massage is a natural choice if:
- you find scent helps you switch off, or you love the smell of lavender and herbs;
- you want a gentle massage at the end of the day, perhaps before bed;
- you are new to massage and want something soft and predictable;
- you are in a hotel after travelling and want the room to feel calmer.
It is not the right choice if you want firm pressure. For that, book deep tissue massage at home.
Essential Oil Safety
Essential oils are concentrated plant chemicals. Used diluted in a professional blend they are well tolerated by most adults, but some people should avoid them or check with a doctor first. Guidance from the International Federation of Aromatherapists (IFA) lists rosemary, one of the oils in our blend, among the oils to avoid in pregnancy, and certain types of rosemary oil in epilepsy and high blood pressure.
Tell us before booking if you:
- are pregnant or breastfeeding;
- have epilepsy or have ever had a seizure;
- have high blood pressure or heart disease;
- have asthma or a respiratory condition that scent can trigger;
- have eczema, very sensitive or broken skin, or have reacted to skin products before;
- have an allergy to any ingredient listed above, including coconut;
- are taking regular medication or having medical treatment.
In any of these cases, your therapist can give you the same massage with an oil or cream that contains no essential oils.
Our blend contains no citrus oils, the group most linked to skin reactions in sunlight, so there is no need to avoid the sun afterwards.
Aftercare
Leave the oil on
Leave the oil on for a few hours if you like the feel; it is a body oil and leaves the skin soft.
Shower whenever you want
A quick rinse removes most of the scent if you are heading out.
Mind the bath and shower floor
Oily feet slip; take care getting in and out.
Wash bedding normally
Wash bedding normally if you go straight to bed. Our therapists use their own linen during the massage, so your sheets only meet whatever oil is still on your skin.
Session Length
| Length | What you get | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 60 minutes | A complete full-body aromatherapy massage | An evening wind-down |
| 90 minutes | The full body at a slower pace, with extra time on back, neck and shoulders | Most clients |
| 120 minutes | An unhurried treatment with time for every area | A birthday, an anniversary or a deliberately slow evening |
Aromatherapy Compared With Other Oil Massages
| Aromatherapy | Swedish | Hot oil | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | Essential-oil blend | Chanel body oil or a cream | Warmed body oil |
| Scent | Strong, herbal | Light | Light |
| Pressure | Light to medium | Light to medium | Gentle to firm |
| Stand-out feature | Scent throughout | Classic technique | Warmth |
| Not for you if | You dislike strong scents or need to avoid essential oils | You want firm pressure | Heat does not suit you |
For warmth instead of scent, try a hot oil massage at home.
Prices for Aromatherapy Massage at Home
| Session | Price |
|---|---|
| 60 minutes | £99 |
| 90 minutes | £149 |
| 120 minutes | £199 |
Everything is included: travel to any London address, the table, the Aromatherapy Associates oil, linen and towels. Pay by Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Full payment secures your booking, and you can cancel or reschedule free of charge up to 12 hours before your appointment (cancellation policy).
Where We Bring Aromatherapy Massage
We bring aromatherapy massage to homes, hotels and serviced apartments in every London borough. For local details, see our guides to mobile massage in Central London, North London, East London, South East London, South West London and West London.
Aromatherapy Massage FAQs
Can I choose a different essential oil blend?
Not at present. We use one professionally made blend so the ingredients are always known and checked in advance. If it does not suit you, we offer the same massage without essential oils.
Will the scent linger in my home?
A little, for an hour or two, much like a scented candle. Opening a window afterwards clears it quickly.
Is aromatherapy massage safe if I have a cold?
If you have a fever or feel unwell, it is better to reschedule. A mild, stuffy nose is usually fine, but you may not enjoy the scent as much.
Can I have an aromatherapy massage for a couple?
Yes. Book a couples massage at home and one or both of you can choose aromatherapy. If only one of you does, the scent will still fill the room, so check you are both happy with it.
Is it different from using a diffuser at home?
Yes. A diffuser gives you the scent alone. In an aromatherapy massage, the oil is part of every stroke, so you get the scent together with an hour or more of hands-on massage.
Do I need to do anything to the room?
Dim the lights, turn off notifications and keep the room comfortably warm. Avoid lighting your own scented candles or diffusers, so the two scents do not compete.
Related Treatments
The same gentle pace, without essential oils.
Warmed oil instead of scent.
Share a scented massage side by side.
Browse all seven treatments on the massage services and prices page.
Book an Aromatherapy Massage
Message +44 7460 672100 on WhatsApp at any hour and tell us about any health conditions so we can confirm the oil is right for you, or contact us first if you would like to ask anything.