Why Massage Therapists Should Make Their Own Herbal Products

(What’s Really in “Massage Cream”)

Massage therapists are exposed to body products in a way most people aren’t.

If you receive a massage once a month, your skin encounters a small amount of lotion or oil occasionally. But for massage therapists, those same products are used daily, repeatedly, and in large quantities—often up to the elbows, session after session, year after year.

That difference matters.

Many commercial massage products contain preservatives, emulsifiers, synthetic fragrances, and stabilizers designed to extend shelf life or improve texture. While these ingredients may be considered acceptable for occasional use, long-term, high-frequency exposure raises different questions—especially when it comes to endocrine-disrupting compounds that can interfere with the body’s hormonal systems.

This is one of the reasons herbalist Becki has spent years teaching massage therapists how to make their own products.

The Case for Clean, Self-Made Products

Making your own salves, oils, and lotions isn’t about perfection or fear—it’s about choice and awareness.

When you make your own products, you:

• Know exactly what’s going on your skin

• Avoid unnecessary additives and fillers

• Choose herbs intentionally for therapeutic benefit

• Adjust formulas for your own body and your clients’ needs

For many practitioners, the shift from store-bought to handmade products becomes a turning point. It creates a deeper sense of confidence, autonomy, and alignment with the care they offer.

As Becki often shares, there is something deeply empowering about knowing how to make what you use.

A Science-Based, Herbal Approach

Becki’s background is in environmental science and biology, and she also taught high school biology earlier in her career. That foundation informs how she teaches herbal product-making today.

Her classes aren’t guesswork or “folk-only” instruction—they include:

• Proper extraction methods

• Understanding solvent ratios

• Choosing herbs for both safety and effectiveness

• Learning when simple formulas are better than complex ones

At the same time, her work honors the holistic intelligence of plants—recognizing herbs as master chemists that create complex compounds to protect, adapt, and thrive.

Rather than isolating one ingredient or chasing trends, her approach emphasizes balance, whole-plant wisdom, and thoughtful formulation.

Why This Matters for Practitioners

Massage therapists already understand how much the body absorbs through the skin. Creating your own herbal products allows that awareness to extend into your tools—supporting not only your clients’ well-being, but your own long-term health as a practitioner.

Whether you’re interested in learning to make a simple massage oil or developing a full line of clean, herbal body products for your practice, education is the key.

Becki offers hands-on herbal product classes and individual consultations for therapists and healers who want safer, more intentional options for client care.