Massage kit for college?

[PROFESSOR SCIENCE]

Hi Everyone,

Just received my kit list for the massage course i am about to start. The list includes:

Massage oil (Unscented)
Massage cream (Unscented)
Talc (Unscented)

I am planning on going to a local salon supplies outlet at the weekend, but i'm just wondering........are base oils classed as 'unscented'? I'veused different base oils in the past and none of them have a fragrance. For example, would i be able to use Grapeseed or Almond base oils? Would they be classed as 'unscented'? I don't want to turn up to college next weekwith the wrong things!!

Thanks

Kate x

 

[LAKEESHA]

Sorry, forgot to add:

What will the talc be used for?
I really hate the feel of it and can't imagine using it as a medium throughout the whole massage!!!!! Do people sometimes use talc instead of oils? I know some Reflexologists use talc, but i'm not sure for body massage?

Can anyone shed any light on this for me?

kate x

 

[MilitaryPolicemen]

I am sure that a base oil, such as grapeseed would be classed as unscented. I would avoid sweet almond in case of anyone with nut allergies.

As for talc, you will probably never use it, but when I did the VTCT massage course, we had to use a range of mediums and talc was one of them.

Lesley

 

[slinky man]

Hi Lesley,

Thanks for your post. I am also doing VTCT, so you are right, its probably just so that we can try using different mediums.

Thnaks for your advice.

Kate x

 

[legalsteroids]

Hi Kate

Talc can be used on people who are very hairy and also for people that sweat a lot. I only used it on the feet at college, and found it to be a smooth texture, whereas oil like grapeseed is more slippery. I suppose with Talc too, you can use more pressure i.e. frictionas your hands aren't sliding around too much with the oil.

Hope that helps

Tracy

 

[Melorious]

There was an earlier discussion of the use of talc on the thread [link=http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=263603]SWEDISH MASSAGE?[/link]

There was also a brief discussion of the use of talc in the thread [link=http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=300092]First Assessment[/link]: I agree with Gaz’s comment that



Alan

 

[fyou6382]

I just started the VTCT too, Kate.Our instructor saysthe course requires usto use talc at some point to prove we can work in all three mediums. Shesays fine talc is easier to work than baby talc, by the way.

David

 

[BiLlLoVeR4EvEr]

Hi Kate I get loads of my stuff from IPM and they do a body massage starter kit that includes:
250ml each of Sweet Almond and Grapeseed
100ml of Massage Cream
100gm of Pure Talc
100ml of Surgical Spirit
2pkts of Cotton Wool
1 Box of Tissues
12 Spatulas
1 Glass Bowl
and 1 Towelling Headband
Also includes a Free Mixing Bowl!

For £30 including postage, I find them a really good supplier - there web addy is [link=http://www.injuryprevention.org.uk]www.injuryprevention.org.uk[/link]
Hope it helps

 

[OceandaRede]

Wow, thats a great tip Coop. I am gonna have a look at the website straight away.

Thanks again

kate x

 

[Meltar]

I have lots of time on my hands this morning so i am being really sad and anal!! Ive done a quick add up of the products above and I know if i wanted to put more time into it i could find the stuff cheaper. To the original poster...........I find being successfull financially from being a therpaist is by keeping costs to a minimum and doing lots of free and cheap advertising. You wont use half the goods mentioned above for £30 and if you did you can find them for much cheaper if you wanted. I get mine a lot cheaper than stated above.

250ml each of Sweet Almond and Grapeseed £3.49 www.massagewarehouse.co.uk
100ml of Massage Cream £5.95 for 45gm http://shop.ugosport.co.uk/category2280495.html
100gm of Pure Talc £1.95 for 250g http://www.auravita.com/products/AURA/ACHB12223.asp
100ml of Surgical Spirit £1.50 from any chemist
2pkts of Cotton Wool £1.69 from www.Boots.com
1 Box of Tissues £1.50 Tesco
12 Spatulas Cant find any online
1 Glass Bowl £1.00 Tesco
and 1 Towelling Headband £2.00
Total £19.49

And you think £30 is a good deal for this?


Coop: What do you use spatulas for? Never come across them before except for

 

[Abercrombie0hugsU]

Hello Lucky G,

Thanks for your post. Most of us are aware that if we shop around we can get all of the stuff we need much cheaper, however, most people do not have the time to search the net all day looking for little items. You also need to think about postage costs. Ordering from an online company, there will be postage added to each item. If you buy each item from a different company, this will soon add up, so will probably find that it doesn't work out very much cheaper afterall. I would much rather buy all of the stuff from one place and pay a few extra quid to save me the hassle of shopping around.

Spatulas are used by massage therapists when they use a massage cream. It is unhygenic and a risk to health to use your hands to take cream from the pot each time you have a different client. So, they use spatulas to scoop the cream from the tub to apply to their client.

Hope i have cleared that up for you.

 

[Shirley]

Thanks for clearing the spatula thing up for me. Only use oils myself and never used creams when training in college!

Regarding the order, most of it can be gotten while doing your weekly shop at tesco etc as they also have chemists with white spirits. The postage of the things orderable online above costs £1.99. so still a huge saving.

People dont have the time to shop online all day but once you spend 30 minutes doing it once, then you dont ever have to do it again because you know who to go back to for the best value.

What ever happened to being frugal?! lol

I guess we will agree to disagree!!

 

[J. K]

Agree to disagree it is then.

I am quite lazy at times, so i will do anything to avoid having to shop around for stuff (my husband usually does this for us as he is great at bartering and almost never has to pay full price for something!!)

I am in Newcastle tomorrow so i am going to a salon supply unit to see what their stuff is like-i think their prices are quite reasonable (or so i have been told!).

Kate x

 

[ygelphoh]

Just caught up on reading this thread, how very bizarre

Cross contamination drives me insane, people who do not take proper care for themselves and other clients are down right sloppy and unprofessional and I find it quite unbelievable you have never come across this before it was drilled in to us at college and we had to use all different mediums ( I detest talc for massage because ofthe mess but for some clients it is better for them than oil/cream and i prefer it for reflex). I offer my clients a huge range of mediums I think it gives them a greater option and makes you look to cater for everyones needs. I have standards I keep to and my customers come back as they value my work and the choices they recieveand havenever need to advertise.

I do myself like to bag a bargain (especially shoes lol) but all from one storeI hate checking out it takes forever and the time I would waste at £40 per hourto save a few pennies is simply not worth the time or the effort am am frankly to busy. But if you have the time LuckyG please give us a a few tips LOL

Good luck with your course Kate if you need any help we are all here. I have just embarked on my sports therapy massage diploma I know what its like!
Love Coop

 

[Alireza]

Im probably an old-timer, we didnt use cream when I studied! I'm good enough that I only need my hands and oil. No fancy EXPENSIVE creams!!

If you have time to browse this forum you have time to shop online.!

 

[soisitok]

It isn't about that you are good enough just to use oil and not "fancy creams" it is about that for a VTCT qualification you need to use more than one massage medium, each which is suitable for a different skin type.

So if you can adapt by using a different medium so the massage is specific to your client I think that qualifies as being more experienced.

The creams are extremly good for those clients with very dry skin as the cream is absorbed better than the oil as depending on the oil it tends to sit on the skin rather than get absorbed. This is more the case if using a mineral oil..

 

[KROQFAN]

I know talc isn't many people's first choice, but I haveto say I was really surprised when I used it on my VTCT course. Beforehand, I couldn't see how it would work - but it did! It actually gave a very smooth massage.
From my feeble memory, I remember one other reason suggested for using talc (apart from hairiness) was for massaging people involved in contact sports, who might not want a slippery skin. Not sure how many people have a massage before going out to play rugby, though!

 

[Jaylisto]

i'd just like to point out that on the ITEC holistic massage course cream and talc isn't used. We're told about it but don't have to use it to get the qualification.
I've found that with VTCT because its majority assessment based they do test you on your ability to carry out the treatment using different methods.

Its good that this thread is here though cause I wouldn't know about spatulas. We may cover it but haven't yet.