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Easy Ways to Improve the Results of Your Massage

April Heath

06/07/2024

Image Credit: © Taskinceyhan | Dreamstime.com

Have you ever suffered through a massage that you didn’t enjoy?

Nothing is wrong with the massage per se. There’s just something missing, and you can’t quite put your finger on it. That’s why I rolled out a service menu that’s not only easy for consumers to understand, it’s also fully customizable with add-ons!

A little backstory

I’ve been blessed to do work that I feel connected to. It wasn’t always like that. I worked on trading floors for a few years, and it was exciting and stressful, but only financially rewarding. Massage is also stressful in certain ways, but it’s rewarding to help you unwind and feel at home in your body again. That’s priceless.

February 2025 marks sixteen years since I got my massage therapy license. Every spa I’ve ever worked at dubbed me the Add-On Queen

I started earning that title by accident. Back in 2010 at my first day spa job, two people brought in a voucher for a couples massage with a pineapple enzyme back exfoliation.

The other massage therapist and I were caught off guard. The spa didn’t have such a service on the menu, so we had no idea what to do. As it turned out, we had to hand mix cream, essential oil, and bromelain powder for the exfoliation.

We winged it and made it happen. Several trial-and-errors later, we had it down to an art, and the guests absolutely loved it. I suggested to our manager that we add the exfoliation to the menu as an add-on for a modest upcharge. Over the next two years, I experimented with how best to present the back exfoliation until I had it down to a science.

The nickname “Add-On Queen” stuck, and I was proud of it.

In my private practice and in luxury spas, I made it a point to become knowledgeable about the add-ons. Every add-on has at least one benefit. Either you’ll accept or decline the offer. It’s perfectly OK either way, because the results of the massage are for your benefit.

All that brings me to the easy way to improve the results of a massage. As you can probably guess by now, it’s by choosing an add-on to enhance the benefits and results. 

What does relaxation mean to you?

The majority of clients are looking to relax, but that means different things to different people. During consultation, I probe ever so gently to uncover what your specific goal is for the treatment. That’s when we choose the right add-on for you.

Add-on 1: Biofreeze

If the obstacle to your relaxation is tension in your neck, shoulders, lower back, or hips, then an application of Professional Strength Biofreeze would benefit you most.

Add-on 2: CBD Oil

Chronic pain affects almost 21% of the population (1). If you’re included in that percentage, I know it’s hard for you to relax. You’re not a statistic. Broad spectrum CBD oil is great for chronic pain. Plus it calms anxiety and conditions skin (2). I use GoGreen Hemp’s organic, broad spectrum CBD oil for its superior quality.

Add-on 3: ESS Detox oil

A blend of essential oils provides several benefits:

  • antioxidant
  • anti-inflammatory
  • antiseptic
  • diuretic
  • antibacterial
  • increases circulation
  • detoxifies the respiratory system
  • clears mucus
Gallon jug of ESS detox oil
ESS detox oil

Add-on 4: Foot Scrub

If you want your feet pampered and worshiped, then you’ll love a foot scrub with Brooklyn Botany’s utterly perfect Peach and Honey sugar scrub. Over the years, I’ve used dozens of scrubs, and for the price, Brooklyn Botany’s is the best. The texture, scent, suspension, long shelf life, and results just blow me away. It’s a joy using this product.

Add-on 5: Warmed shea butter moisture for feet

A lot of people are familiar with paraffin. It’s great for softening hands and feet. It’s also good for relieving arthritis. My problem with paraffin is it’s petroleum-based. Instead, I use Eco-Fin shea butter cubes as an eco-friendly alternative. You won’t notice the difference in how it feels, but we both know we’re doing the environment a favor. This pairs well with the foot scrub.

Add-on 6: Sugar scrub back exfoliation

I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t offer a back exfoliation. I use Brooklyn Botany’s Peach and Honey sugar scrub, which I described above in #3. Another benefit you’ll appreciate is that the honey suspension keeps the product from flying off your body into your hair. It’s neat and tidy and does a beautiful job of removing lifeless skin, leaving younger, smoother skin at the surface. I finish with a silky body butter. It’s truly divine.

These are some of the add-ons I offer so you can custom-tailor your massage. Maybe you’ll pick the same choices every appointment. Maybe you’ll mix it up. But always, we discuss together so you can make an informed decision.

Add-on 7: Face masks

I have several to choose from. Whether your skin is dry and needs HYDRATION, or a dose of VITAMINS C&E, or BRIGHTENING, or craves NOURISHING, it adds a nice touch.

Add-on 8: Célor Colloidal gold under-eye masks

If you don’t want tired eyes after traveling or a long day, these are perfect. They brighten dark circles, calm puffiness, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.


There you have it. A simple, ingenious way to improve the results of your massage. Choose an add-on or two. They’re like toppings on a sundae, but with health benefits!

www.joyfulrisingspa.com

Inside Beautification & Co.

5400 South University Drive | Bldg. J, Suite 402

Davie, FL 33328

Email: april@joyfulrisingspa.com

Instagram: @joyful_rising

  1. Rikard SM, Strahan AE, Schmit KM, Guy GP Jr.. Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States, 2019–2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:379–385. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7215a1
  2. https://gogreenhemp.com/cbd-oil-guide

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