You’ve made up your mind — you’re starting a pinch-and-roll massage routine! You’re ready to try this popular massage technique, but there’s just one snag: you’re not quite sure how to go about it and, above all, you’re wondering which oil to choose for your massage…
A closer look at the pinch-and-roll technique
The pinch-and-roll massage is a traditional massage technique. Energising, stimulating, toning and soothing, it is widely appreciated, and its best-known use is for massaging areas prone to cellulite. By pinching and rolling the skin, the pinch-and-roll technique can help to:
- Make the skin feel more supple and smooth the appearance of areas prone to orange-peel skin
- Awaken the skin with an invigorating movement that creates a pleasant feeling of warmth, leaving it softer to the touch
- Offer a pleasant feeling of lightness after the massage
The pinch-and-roll massage can be performed manually or mechanically, at a physiotherapy clinic, a beauty salon, or at home. If you enjoy home-care routines, using a massage cup (such as our Cellublue Cup!) can help you perform the movement comfortably. Applying a massage oil is also essential to help your hands or the cup glide smoothly over the skin.
The oil that visibly smooths the look of your skin
- Complete formula: 4 powerful actives for a targeted massage of cellulite-prone areas
- Smoother-looking skin: actives designed to complement the palper-rouler technique
- Sensorial massage : rich texture and Monoï scent for a gentle, feel-good ritual
What makes a good massage oil?
The oil plays a key role in the quality of your pinch-and-roll massage, allowing your hands or the cup to glide effortlessly across the skin. Depending on its properties, the oil can also:
- Nourish the skin
- Help keep the skin comfortable
- Leave it feeling more supple and soft
- Leave the skin feeling firmer
- Soothe sensitive skin
A good massage oil should be a natural, virgin, pure vegetable oil, obtained through manual or cold mechanical extraction. Before choosing your oil, make sure it is not a refined oil extracted using solvents, as this type of extraction may not be the most suitable choice for skincare.
When choosing a massage oil, there are a few key criteria to consider:
- Scent: choose an oil whose fragrance you enjoy and that makes you want to massage. If you do not like the smell of your massage oil, you are less likely to stick with your routine.
- Texture: the oil should be neither too runny nor too thick, with enough slip to make the massage comfortable.
- Absorption rate: when using the Cellublue cup for pinch-and-roll massage, it is important that the oil absorbs fairly quickly. We recommend massaging each targeted area for 3 minutes.
The best vegetable oils for pinch-and-roll massage
Each oil has its own unique properties — and when it comes to pinch-and-roll massage, it is important to choose one that feels pleasant and comfortable to use, such as:
- Avocado: a vitamin-rich oil that helps leave the skin feeling supple and soft.
- Borage: a popular vegetable oil with a comfortable texture for massage. It can also be used when massaging areas affected by water-retention cellulite.
- Calendula: this is an oil macerate (calendula is a flower!), appreciated for its soothing properties when massaging areas affected by fibrous cellulite.
- Wheat germ: a very gentle oil that helps keep the skin feeling comfortable and soft.
- Macadamia: when used in massage, this oil offers good slip and leaves the skin feeling soft.
- Sesame: its fluidity and lightness make it one of the finest massage oils available. Perfect for a smooth, effortless pinch-and-roll massage.
For your pinch-and-roll massage, you can add a few drops of essential oil to your natural vegetable oil, for application to the skin only. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, most essential oils are not recommended: ask a doctor or pharmacist for advice. Essential oils that can be added to your massage oil include Samphire, Virginia Cedarwood, Grapefruit, Sweet Fennel or Juniper.
How to make your own massage oil for pinch-and-roll massage
To make your own oil, combine one of the vegetable oils mentioned above with a few drops of one of the essential oils listed. For example, you could choose lightweight sesame oil to help the cup glide smoothly, gentle wheat germ oil, or avocado oil to nourish the skin.
Our massage oil, specially formulated for pinch-and-roll massage, combines grapefruit and ivy to care for areas prone to orange-peel skin. Its monoi fragrance delicately scents the skin for a pleasant massage moment. To complement your routine, you can opt for the complete Anti-Cellulite Pack, which brings together our key treatments.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do a pinch-and-roll massage without oil?
It is best not to. Without oil, your hands or the cup will not glide as easily, and the massage will feel less pleasant and be harder to perform.
Why should the oil absorb fairly quickly?
An oil that absorbs fairly quickly suits the pace of a cup massage and makes moving from one area to the next more pleasant.
Related articles
- How to practise the pinch-and-roll massage on your thighs?
- Is anti-cellulite massage really effective?
Useful categories: Anti-Cellulite Massages.
