The Definitive Guide to Gifting
Melt: Massage for Couples

Learning to massage is the perfect gift that keeps on giving. After all, the more you practice the better you get and soon you will be able to look forward to many nights of awesome back rubs, once you know where to put your hands and what to do with them. The lifetime memberships to our Melt: Massage for Couples tutorial videos make for amazing, romantic presents all on their own. But for a really incredible gift, we recommend you package them with some of the following inclusions as a special present for your partner, or for any couple that could do with a little more massage in their lives (let’s face it; who doesn’t?) You needn’t spend a lot of money on each item, but I do suggest picking one of these inclusions to be a standout while the others all play a supporting role. Here’s what we usually suggest: melt-massage-gift-voucher I’ve listed both some cost-effective and some more luxurious options here, along with prices and links on where you can buy them online. All the items are readily available at your local store in some form or another. It’s a simple way to make a big impact – in other words, a perfect gift. And if you’ve already signed up for our lifetime membership, perhaps replenishing and upgrading your massage essentials kit will inspire some romantic nights ahead.

1. Scented Votive Candle

Providing mood lighting and a gorgeous aroma all at once, you can’t go past a decadent scented votive candle to really add ambiance to your massage, and because it’s the kind of thing people don’t generally buy for themselves, that puts it in the excellent gift category. For a luxurious choice with beautiful packaging, try this one in Moroccan Amber by Nest ($34) or Tocca in Cleopatra ($38) from Sephora. nest-candle Tocca also makes a smaller size “candelina” ($20). This Colette fragrance of sandalwood and vanilla is a favourite combination here at Melt. tocca-colette-candelina For a gorgeous, low-cost alternative then try these beautiful quality soy candles in simple jars from Mrs Meyer’s Clean Day ($9.99) mrs-meyers-clean-day For a bit of French flair, these Jolie Paris ($20) hand-poured soy wax candles are trés chic with their their beautifully boxed packaging, available through Amazon. jolie-paris-candle In Australia, I’m a fan of Ecoya for their beautiful packaging and their delicious scents. Try their flagship Madison Jar ($39.95) in any fragrance (we love Lotus Flower) or the Metro Jar ($29.95) for a cheaper but still very classy option. Then there’s the supercute Mini Metro Jar ($19.95) punching above its weight with 18 hours of burn time. ecoya-madison

2. Massage Oil

A good quality massage oil is easy to find – you can pick it up at the drugstore or the grocery store. We’re a fan of plain carrier oils at Melt, though there are also some beautiful blended oils out there. Just be careful that neither you nor your partner have sensitive skin that will react with blended essential oils, or any aversion at all to certain essential oils (some aren’t suitable for pregnancy, for example). Do your research first. If you’re not sure about sensitivities or contraindications, you’re best to stick to plain sweet almond or grapeseed oil. Don’t worry, there are still some wonderful options. Carrier Oils hugos-massage-oil From Amazon, there’s the Kusala Life Sweet Almond Oil with its earthy, upmarket packaging and a great product to boot, with a little hint of Vitamin E in there for extra skin nourishing. It’s sourced from Non-GMO Almond kernels and it’s sub-$20. Here’s a slightly more masculine packaging with the Primitive Sweet Almond Oil – a great choice if you’re gifting Melt to the man in your life. Also all natural, also under $20. This Beauty Aura 100% Pure Grapeseed Oil is a good lower cost alternative at the $11 mark – again, all natural with no nasties and great for sensitive skins. I also really love the Hugo Naturals brand with their all-natural ingredients in both a plain carrier oil and also some exotic scent combinations. Blended Oils shunga-massage-oil If you’re looking for a seriously sexy massage blend, the guys at Shunga do an amazing job of quality, natural massage oils. Try the one in Exotic Fruits ($13.81) for a high octane dose of aphrodisiac. Or for something deeply romantic try the Now Foods Tranquil Massage Oil ($9.37) for its rose scent and healing properties

3. Hand Towel

Any soft hand towel or even small face washer will go beautifully with this gift – personally, I love a printed one that you can keep and use just for your massages and that feels soft on the skin during the wipe off of oil. I’ve listed my top picks here for something just that little bit special, but of course you can just pick up a block colour facewasher from your local department store: Any of the printed hand towels by Missoni Home ($26) available from Amazon. missoni-home-towel   Or the classically striped hand towels in a variety of colours from Kassatex Linea Collection ($16.99) also on Amazon. kassalex-towels   Have you got your own ideas about what to package with Melt as a gorgeous gift? I’d love for you to comment and tell me about them so I can go and source some more fantastic suggestions for our readers!

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“The Melt Set Up” Will Change the Way You Give Back Rubs Forever

There’s one particular thing we do at Melt: Massage for Couples that is very different to what every other couples massage therapist in the world will teach you.

I call it The Melt Set Up and it has been a crucial part of the way I teach massage for the better part of a decade.

If you follow my advice when you’re massaging your partner, I can promise you your massage will last longer and – most importantly – you won’t injure or strain yourself while giving these back rubs.

The One Massage Mistake Everyone Makes (Probably You, Too)

People are usually surprised when they walk into my live massage workshops and see that there are no massage tables. Most couples expect to learn the same way I teach professional massage therapists – on a massage table, lying face down… this is not the best way for couples.

In the decade I’ve been teaching couples how to massage I’ve only met a handful that own a massage table. Laying your partner out on the kitchen bench doesn’t work, and massaging on the bed is even worse! That’ll hurt the both of you.

You know, we taught thousands of couples before we were ready to film our massage routines. I wanted to make sure that we got it right; I wanted it to be perfect. Every massage video on YouTube will teach you to massage your partner facedown – but not me. I started by looking at the best way to position yourself with your partner first, and then built the massage techniques around that. It’s so much better and we call it “the Melt Set Up”

 

If you’re massaging each other face down and on the bed – you need to stop right away. Here’s why:

 

1. You’re Going to Hurt Your Own Back
The bed is a soft surface, no matter how you try and do this, the two of you on the bed at the same time is going to cause you both pain. Giving a massage when on the bed is hard work – your weight is constantly shifting around while your body does it’s best to keep you upright. It’s an ergonomic nightmare, plain and simple, it’s horrible. Stop massaging on the bed.

2. The Good Bits of Your Partner’s Body are Blocked Off
Let’s try something different… Put your device down and follow along for 20 seconds. Put both your hand on your neck, with all your fingers either side of your spine (there should be a 2 inch gap between your fingers) now with a circular motion massage your own neck, vary the pressure till it feels good – trust me, this will feel awesome.

Now, turn your head completely to the left and keep massaging… terrible, huh. This is the same position your partners head is going to be in when they’re laying front down + all the fun bits are gone too. Forget about neck massage and giving a great head massage. And the floor is totally cock-blocking you from massaging their chest. Basically anything that’s intimate and fun is lost.

3. It’s Just Not Romantic
The bedroom is a romantic place, for sure – but when it comes to massage, pfft. The Melt Set Up should be your go to move. Act like a massage therapist and you’re always going to be at arm’s length distance from your partner. There’s no intimacy in that at all.

Your job isn’t to be a massage therapist. It’s to give your partner a massage unlike any other massage therapist can do. Something that’s sweet, loving and intimate too. The Melt Set Up gets you up close and personal.

I’ve tried it all. Experimented and tested different ways of setting things up and The Melt Set Up is the perfect combination of intimacy, practicality and ergonomics. The only other things that came close were variations of the Melt Set Up.

 

I’ve been massaging for a while now and have quite the collection of massage tables at home, more than one practitioner needs. When I want to give my wife Emma, a massage – the table stays put. I’d much rather use The Melt Set Up for that.

 

So What Is The Melt Set Up?

The Melt Set Up will change the way you massage forever. It’s deeply romantic, incredibly intimate and, in fact, believe me when I tell you it will make your massage instantly feel better for your partner – even if you’re an absolute beginner!

The inspiration for The Melt Set Up came from the movie Ghost – you know the scene where Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore are getting all hot and heavy with the pottery? That is exactly what we’re going for here.

Denis Merkas' Melt Set Up - The Most Romantic Way to Massage Your Partner

Denis Merkas’ Melt Set Up – The Most Romantic Way to Massage Your Partner

Sit your partner on the floor in front of you, cross-legged. You’re going to take a sturdy cushion or a small beanbag or footstool and kneel behind your partner, propping yourself up under your butt as you do so.

The cushion/footstool acts as support to take strain off your knees. Couch cushions are also great, or if you’re going to take pillows off your bed be sure and take them all – over the course of a 20 minute massage, they’ll compress down so you’ll need more than you think you do. Melt now makes our own footstools for sale via Amazon.com

Click here to find out more about our purpose-designed foot stools, along with three other home brew options that won’t cost you a cent.

Okay, so from this position we notice a few things right away:

1. You’re Very Close to Your Partner
Your torso/their back. Your mouth/their neck. Your hands/their body. It’s all in very close proximity. Much closer than your traditional massage table, where massager and massagee are placed at arm’s length. Here, you almost have full body contact. You can wrap yourself right around your partner if you like, and they’ll love it!

2. You Have Full Access to Important Massage Bits
In this position, you have unrestricted access to their shoulders, neck, head, arms, entire back and upper chest – all excellent places that are begging to be massaged.

3. You Are Comfortable
Your back is straight and not hunched, your partner doesn’t have their neck crooked off to one side, no one is falling into the other – The Melt Set Up is comfortable, and should remain so for at least the next 30 minutes, provided you’ve given yourself enough support under the butt.

It’s about a bajillion times easier to massage your partner using The Melt Set Up than it is putting them on the bed. Just give it a go tonight in front of the TV and see the difference.

Here’s what other couples have to say about using The Melt Set Up for their massages:

“Before watching these videos, my husband and I always attempted back rubs on the bed, and they were never quite right”

“I was hooked from one of the first videos when Denis talks about why he structures his massages from the sitting position instead of lying on the bed.
Before watching these videos, my husband and I always attempted back rubs on the bed, and they were never quite right, for exactly all the reasons Denis stated, I just didn’t know it then.”

“I always thought massages should be done on the bed”

“I always thought massages should be done on the bed, but glad that the reasoning for sitting was thoroughly explained. I love the beanbag idea; it works like a charm and makes giving massages seem nearly effortless.”

“My wife loves the occasional massage, and I’ve been pretty poor about offering. A big part of that has been due to hand fatigue”

“My wife loves the occasional massage, and I’ve been pretty poor about offering. A big part of that has been due to hand fatigue and (I now know) physical setup. The videos have been great. They very clearly offer advice on setup (the pouffe is so much better than just sitting on my knees) and the technique – I have much less hand fatigue.”

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We Experimented With a Blindfold, and This is What We Found

There’s no denying it, being blindfolded is a seriously sexy experience.

That’s because when you compromise one of your five senses, all the others heighten to compensate. Your ears prick, your taste buds sharpen and your skin quickens to the touch.

For this very reason, incorporating a blindfold into your romantic massage routine is something we wholeheartedly recommend at Melt.

Your partner may be a little tentative or shy at first, but if you can reassure them that you’ll take care of everything for them once they give up some control then using a blindfold can also become a gorgeous exercise in building trust for you both.

We’ve experimented with blindfolds since our early days of massaging each other. If you are forced to close your eyes and relax, it’s amazing how much more you can get out of your massage.

Your brain will focus that much more intently on every caress, every touch, every breath across your neck… your skin will tingle deliciously under your partner’s hands and – regardless of their level of massage expertise – we can guarantee it will feel amazing. It’s actually a great little hack for beginner massagers.

Over the course of our little blindfold trial, we found a few things that worked and a few things that didn’t. Here are our top tips for incorporating a blindfold into your next couples massage, for maximum effect:

1. Find the right blindfold

We love a silky satin sash. Thin scarves in soft fabric work too, or eye masks from your last airplane trip. If you want to go all out as a sexy gift, find something special, such as this gorgeous handcrafted leather and silk chiffon one with lace detail from Porte a Vie.

porte-a-vie-blindfold

 

2. Use the element of surprise

One of our favourite moves is the surprise massage. Distract your partner by doing something utterly lovely for them first; for instance, try running a bubble bath for them to soak in.

While your sweetie is relaxing in their bathroom sanctuary (preferably complete with candles, soft music, wine, and a good book), run around and set up your massage space. You can use our romantic massage checklist to make sure you have everything you need on hand.

Go to collect them from the bathroom with your blindfold in hand. Let them dry off, then explain you have a little surprise for them and slip the fabric over their eyes.

3. Gain their trust and don’t break it

Once you’ve got your partner, take them carefully to the massage room. Don’t let them bump into walls, or trip over things and do not under any circumstances leave them alone with the blindfold on! Be gentle, talk them through what you’re doing and stay very close to them at all times. They’ll likely be giggling and nervous, your job is to make them relaxed.

By all means, start with some food and wine – feed them strawberries and chocolate, treat them to sips of wine, all while blindfolded. It’s a beautiful, sensual way to start your teasing seduction.

4. Stop while you’re ahead

Begin your massage with your partner blindfolded. They’ll love it, and should become very relaxed right off the bat. Once you feel like they’re really enjoying themselves (the clues are in the body language – if they’re slumped back into you, docile and jelly-like, you’re on the right track!) then you can slide the blindfold off and let them see the romantic massage space you’ve created. If you indeed followed our checklist, they should find themselves in a candlelit haven of pillows, towels and dim lights. And they will be all the more blown away for it.

The blindfold is a great starter gimmick to enhance your massage, but you don’t need to let it go on too long, there’s a lot to be said for changing things up halfway through and letting them drink in the rest of the experience with their eyes too.

 

Before You Buy Massage Oil, Read This

Massage oil. Do you really need it for a good massage? The short answer is: yes, you do.

Oil is what will make your massage exceptional.

With the right consistency oil will help make your hands feel delicious, allowing you to effortlessly contour along your partners muscles helping you find knots and areas of tension using long flowing strokes. Massage oil will make your massage exceptional – the way professional practitioners make it feel so good!

Incorporating massage oil into your back rubs feels amazing for both massagee and massager.

Not to mention, it’s nourishing and conditions your skin. Used correctly it’ll will help foster a deep connection between the two of you.

Here’s everything you need to know before you buy a massage oil.

Oil, Not Lotion.

We use massage oil because lotion absorbs too quickly into the skin. A high grade massage oil, on the other hand, will take longer to sink into your partner’s skin, meaning more hands-on time with them and less mucking around with going back to the bottle.

Lotion is a good option for a small area of the body – for example a hand massage or foot massage are great areas to use a lovely lotion if you have no oil around.

And don’t even think about getting that lube-meets massage oil hybrid that you see on the drugstore shelves. It feels terrible leaving a dry sticky residue on your skin and does nothing for your massage techniques. Ick, ick, ick. Just nope.

Which Massage Oils to Buy

Sweet Almond is Denis’ favourite (the creator of Melt Massage for Couples – read about us). Cold pressed is a must, do not buy if its not cold pressed – this method of extraction retains the nutrients within the oil. Your skin absorbs oil, we want all those nutrients.

Oil is so important to us here at Melt, that Denis has created his own. View Melt’s Naked Oil Here.

We call it our Naked Oil – nothing but 100% Sweet Almond Oil, and ya – it’s cold pressed, no preservatives and no additives.

Denis’ Oil comes with a Free Massage Course – read more about his “Fix Your Massage Mistakes” course here. The beginning of your massage is so important to establish a connection with your partner, it will literally make or break your experience. There’s no need to get it wrong – sign up to his free course to learn how to get it right on your first time.

If You’re Allergic to Nuts

Sweet almond oil shouldn’t irritate the skin, and can be used on all parts of the body. But for some people with nut allergies, it’s recommended to use an alternative.

In this case, we recommend a cold pressed grapeseed oil or apricot oil. This may be a bit harder to find, but again your health food store should have it.

Where to Buy

It’s on Amazon, with over 723 reviews!
Our oil bottle is a MASSIVE 16oz, and it’s cheaper than most 8oz bottle on Amazon

RRP 16oz: $18.95 – sometimes we run a sale:
click here to check if we’re on sale

Included in the price:

  • Bonus 4oz bottle – this is empty. Fill this little guy up and take him with you on your cheeky weekends away. Or at home. Store the big bottle in the fridge for extra shelf life! You’ll need it, 16oz is a lot for couples and will take over a year for you to consume.
  • 3 caps – options. We all need options… A pump, quick access, and no leak travel cap.
  • Fix Your Massage Mistakes Course… This is where all the value is – it’s free. It’s totally important.

Essential Oils

Sweet Almond Oil is a carrier oil. A neutral base to use on any skin, with no added scents or essential oils.

Some companies sell pre-blended massage oils, which are essentially a carrier oil – or a combination of a few carrier oils – with a few drops of essential oil thrown in there. Read the bottle, many of these have preservatives and additives that you don’t want on your body.

Essential oils are wonderful additions to massage oils, each with their own unique properties.

You can make your own scented oil by adding a few drops of any pure essential oil to your bottle of carrier oil. Be careful, pure essential oils are potent and can irritate some skins. The smell can also either attract or repulse you, depending on personal preferences.

Make sure both you and your partner are happy with the smell before you start mixing it or massaging with it. Also patch test some of your finalised blend on your skin to make sure it doesn’t irritate.

Quite honestly, we prefer non-scented oils when we’re massaging each other. Plus, that way there’s no essential oils to get in the way if your massage turns into a little somethin’-somethin’ later on (wink, wink)

Some ideal scents for getting you in a romantic massage mood are: sandalwood (woody, exotic, soothing), rose (the quintessential romance fragrance), vanilla (smells good enough to eat, is an aphrodisiac to boot) or ylang ylang (used a lot due to it’s strong aphrodisiac properties but I personally find it really cloying. Thought I’d include it anyway).

How to Store Massage Oil

Your massage oil will last a long time if stored correctly – store in a cool, dark place away from direct light or heat. Dark or opaque containers are also a great idea for storing massage oils.

You’ll know when your oil has gone off – you can smell it immediately. Fresh base / carrier oil has almost no smell.

If you buy Melt’s 16oz Oils – fill up the baby bottle and store the large 16oz bottle in the fridge for longer shelf life. Top up the baby bottle as needed. Clever huh! The best of both worlds – the convenience of a small bottle with the value of bulk oil.

Buy it on Amazon here

Dry Massage

It’s doable, on small surface areas. Such as specific knots, or a head massage.

You wont be able to do long sweeping strokes that feel amazingly relaxing. It takes a lot of practice to make dry massages work in a pleasing way. Denis will only ever do a dry massage if he’s treating a problem for a very short amount of time. 99.9% of his practice incorporates oil.

Massage through clothes follows the dry massage principle. It’s better than nothing, but it will strip away any intimacy and fun that comes with an oil based massage.

The Most Important Massage Tip I’ll Ever Teach You

If you were to ask me “Steve, what is the secret to the perfect back rub?” My answer would be:

1. “Actually, my name is Denis.” and

2. “Contour your hands to your partner’s body.”

I’m an Australian massage therapist, and I specialise in teaching couples how to give amazing back rubs.

Over the last decade, I’ve taught over 20,000 couples in more than 50 countries using my methods how to give a great massage at home, so they can last longer than five minutes and not end up with sore hands at the end.

If I could give you only one tip to a better back rub, it would be contouring. This is the #1 technique couples should start with to make their hands feel more professional.

Check the GIF below out…

The MOST important massage tip I’ll ever teach you

Couples Massage Tips

Take a closer look at my hands in this clip – watch how they contour to my wife’s body… notice how relaxed she is… notice how each finger moulds to her curves, palms are down too.

Looks good, huh?

Best of all, this doesn’t hurt my hands, nor do my thumbs want to pop off and run away.

I could literally do this for hours without putting any stress on my hands and it feels simply amazing!

Most couples go in too deep, too early – making their back rubs feel amateurish. Worst of all, as soon as your hands begin to hurt, you give up and your partner has a very unsatisfying massage experience that lasts just a few minutes.

I want you to do it the way professional massage therapists do.

Always warm the muscles up first. I call this “romancing the body.”

The easiest way for you to do this, is… you guessed it! To contour your hands.

Start by moulding your hands to your partner’s body – follow along to how I do it in the GIF above.

Your goal is to see if we can relax our partner, make their shoulders drop and sink back into us. We need to start here before we can move on to teaching you knots and deep tissue work.

The single most important massage tip I’ll ever teach you. Mould your hands to your partner’s body: “Keep your palms down & fingertips down.”

Want to learn how to do this properly?

Join our FREE online mini massage course. I’ll show you:

  • Where to sit for the most intimate back rubs at home
  • The 4 most common mistakes couples make
  • We talk more about contouring
  • AND I take you through two amazing massage techniques (that you don’t even need any massage oil for)

Click the link below to sign up:

 

 

SIGN ME UP FOR FREE

 

Sign up free. No spam. We will never share your address. Just good massage tips and exclusive content.

Why I Will Never Teach This Style of Massage

“We’re coming to your live couples massage course this weekend. We were hoping you could include some tips on lymphatic drainage massage for us?”

Every now and then I receive questions like this from a couple, asking for specialised tuition on how to treat their partner at home.

It’s important that we understand the roles that we play with our partner when massaging. The most important distinction to make is that your partner is not your massage therapist, nor should you be theirs.

Your partner is your lover, your best friend, your husband, your wife, your boyfriend, your girlfriend. They are not there to fix your high level muscular issues.

Registered massage therapists, even at entry-level, spend many, many, many hours over months and years learning their craft.

And massage school isn’t even the important part. What makes a good practitioner is the hours of practice they put in after their schooling is over.

When I finished massage school back in the year 2000, I took every chance to get my hands on everyone I knew. When I wasn’t treating at the clinic, I was giving away free massages to anyone who i could get my hands on. The complicated the presenting condition was, the higher I would jump to get a chance to see if I could rectify the issue.

 

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My girlfriend (back then), who was also a massage therapist, and I would spend hours every day, month after month working on each other’s muscles, going through the process of clinical assessments, mapping out muscles and perfecting our techniques.

Do you see what I’m trying to say? Massage for me was not a hobby – I took it very seriously. If you want to treat your partner as a massage therapist, you need to do the education first and then most importantly spend the hours practicing, preferably on as many different people as possible to build your experience!

A two-hour workshop with me will never get you to this level. I do not teach people how to become massage therapists. I teach couples how to massage each other.

My goal is to teach couples how to give a massage, within their existing relationship. I teach people to massage the way they would at home for closeness, intimacy and a deeper connection. This is a world away from the way a massage therapist treats you on a massage table. They are two separate concepts.

It works both ways. There is no way I would ever treat a random patient using the system I’ve created in MELT: Massage for Couples – its far too intimate and personal, by design.

My techniques are not designed to teach you to “fix” your partner or treat specific problems; they are created to make your partner fall in love with your hands, to have them say “mmm” and “ahh” and so you can give them an experience unlike any you’ve had before. Most importantly, Melt is for healthy bodies.

When my wife Emma first massaged me using the techniques I had written, I was blown away. In all my years of professional massaging, I’d never had a massage like that before. It wasn’t about the techniques, or having her be perfect at the massage she was giving me… it was about a shared experience, a deeper connection.

Don’t try to be something that you’re not, and don’t expect your partner to suddenly be a massage guru. It will only result in disappointment. If your partner has a specific muscular complaint that you don’t know how to deal with, or a recent injury, or chronic pain, or wants a lymphatic drainage massage, I recommend you book them in to see a reputable, registered massage therapist. This simple act of kindness will be enough to blow your partner away.

 

 

5 Unbelievable Ways Learning How to Massage Will Make You a Better Lover

It’s no coincidence that most people raise their eyebrows at us when we tell them we teach couples how to massage each other. The mere thought of all that oil, flesh and rubbing… it’s inherently sexy, no?

While Den and I consciously and deliberately make sure our products and our seminars are clean, sophisticated and massage-focused, it’s also hard to ignore the fact that massage is a whole heap of hot when it’s done effectively between two people who are attracted to one another.

We’ve always said we just provide the massage toolkit, what happens later behind closed doors is completely up to you.

But here’s the thing. Learning to give your partner an amazing romantic massage can make you a better lover.

Think I’m joking? I’d never kid about being better in bed. In fact, when we surveyed our live course participants a few years back, 50% of them agreed that learning how to massage had improved their sex lives!(We can only assume that the other half already had it going on when it came to the boudoir!)

Here are five ways the skills you develop when learning how to massage can crossover into your boudoir:

The Art of the Tease

Whether it’s a professional massage between a therapist and patient or a romantic massage between a couple, the concept here is the same: when you’re massaging, you want to take your massagee on a journey.

Much of any massage is made up of repetition. We repeat strokes again and again to lull people into a comfortable, relaxed state. The best part about this repetition? Anticipation, baby.

Consider this: You’re nailing an awesome massage stroke, hitting just the right sore spots in your partner’s shoulders as you go… You hear your partner moan just a little bit when you work on that spot you know is there. Instead of going hammer-and-tong on the sore bit (no pinchy-pinchy, people!), you carefully note where it is and leisurely take your time coming back to it.

You hit that sore spot again – another moan. They like it. You continue the rest of the stroke, then return toward that little spot of gold you know is waiting there.

Right this second, your partner is thinking “… Do you think he’s going to hit that spot again? I think he is… yep, I’m pretty sure he’s going to do – Ohhhhhh wowwwwww (cue drooling).”

Learn the art of the tease in your massage and you’ll have a captivated audience for life. Apply the same art of the tease to your seduction in the bedroom and watch your partner melt happily into a pile of blissed-out goo.

Rhythm and Flow

The best massage therapists add a natural rhythm and flow to their massage routines. These two crucial elements help relax your massagee with gentle rocking, swaying and no unexpected surprises.

When we say flow, we mean each stroke should fluidly merge into the next one, flowing in an unbroken dance over the skin. The best way to do this is to make sure each of your massage techniques can link to the next seamlessly, and to make sure you finish every stroke right to the end.

Don’t bail out halfway through a massage technique to hurriedly jump to the next one – that’s amateur.

When we say rhythm, we mean building up a repetitive and comforting rhythm to add interest. If we think of the rhythm just like music, you don’t have to do your entire massage to a 4/4 beat. You can change the rhythm, add a highlight every few “bars” or so. The easiest way to introduce rhythm to your massage is to work with the music you have on in the background.

And when it comes to lovemaking? Well, I shouldn’t have to tell you that getting a good rhythm and flow between the sheets is infinitely preferable to random thrusting. Learn to use your body in a sensual and rhythmical way to really up the ante with your lover.

Get in Tune with Your Partner

One of the most important parts of learning how to massage is listening for feedback cues to see if you’re doing it right. This is especially crucial when you first start out learning to massage, so that you can keep becoming better.

What you want to look for are both verbal and non-verbal cues from your partner that you’re hitting the right spots. Because you’re usually sitting behind them to massage, you can’t read the facial expressions you usually would.

Soft moans, head dropping back and goosebumps on the skin are all excellent signs you’re headed in the right direction.

On the other hand, hunched shoulders, pulling away and your partner sitting up straight as a pole while you massage should be cues that you’re not quite hitting the mark.

Learning to read your partner’s body like this has many benefits in the bedroom as well, before long you’ll instinctively know exactly what your sweetie is thinking without having to ask.

Ambiance, Ambiance, Ambiance

We’ve tried massaging under fluorescent lights. In cold rooms. On hard floorboards with no rug. With the TV on. None of it is good.

Whether it’s sex or a massage, the principles of a romantic ambiance are exactly the same: flattering lighting, a comfortable temperature, some moody music and maybe even some wine and a fruit plate. It’s all classic seduction and man, is it melt-worthy.

Spend some time perfecting your ambiant mood-setting techniques and you can turn an entire night around with the flick of a light switch. For a massage, for love… for whatever you like.

The Ultimate Pre-Foreplay Foreplay

Foreplay is the perfect way to take any lovemaking session from good to great. It’s fun, you can play and experiment, it stretches out the whole encounter to make it a truly delicious experience. After all, the actual sex part usually lasts an average of 5 minutes (true fact) so anything we can do to draw that out is a Very Good Thing.

Consider massage as your pre-foreplay foreplay. It will help get you in the mood for the foreplay that will get you in the mood for sex. It will extend your seduction by another forty-five minutes, done right.

Use your romantic massage to build anticipation further, to help your partner wind down and relax from a stressful day before you transition to something more, to make sure your sweetie feels loved and appreciated and as a great way to get your hands on them for a little bit longer.

Your massage might not always lead to sex – of course, you need to respect your partner’s feelings on this. But if the lag between the pre-foreplay foreplay and the actual foreplay is a few weeks, the effects won’t wane in between. It will only serve to build more anticipation for your future bedroom frolic.

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Your Complete Checklist for a Romantic Massage at Home

Here’s a little secret for you: you don’t have to be great at massage to give your partner an amazing, romantic massage experience.

Your massage should only be part of the equation. The best experiences include music, ambiance and anticipation.

Ideally, by the time you get your hands on your partner, they should already be bowled over by your efforts to connect and make them melt. It’s easy to make this happen…

Here’s some ideas you can do to make your massage experience unlike anything anyone has even created for your partner before:

The Ambiance
Soft music, flickering candles and even some seductive foods make for the perfect setting.

  • Dim the lights
  • Clean and tidy your space
  • Heat the room to comfort level
  • Make use of tea light or votive candles
  • Your partner’s favourite music (chilled / soft recommended, although most genres work)
  • Switch devices off (no distractions)
  • Privacy is highly recommended

The Massage Equipment
It’s important to have everything you need to massage your partner close by. The best massages are ones that flow, from beginning to end, without distractitions. Once your hands touch your partner aim to keep your hands on them until the massage ends. Make your partner the most important person in the world to you at that moment.

  • Towels or a soft blanket for the floor (you don’t want massage oil in your carpet)
  • Hand towel on standby for wiping off oil later
  • Small footstool or sturdy pillows
  • Your favourite massage oil
  • Large towel or sarong to wrap around your partner while massaging them
  • Hair tie for your partner if they have long hair
  • TV, laptop or iPad if you’re streaming the Melt: Massage for Couples video courses

The Romantic Massage Optional Extras
If you want to take your romantic massage night up a notch, here are some decadent additions you can consider for an ultimate seduction.

  • Fruit and cheese platter
  • Bottle of wine
  • Blindfold (cut off one sense, all the others heighten… this will make your massage feel even better!)
  • Scenery (romantic getaway – think hotel or log cabin)

Here’s just one example of setting up an intimate expereince. Book your partner in for a “special date night” ahead of time, and then lets get organised.

On the night, draw your partner a relaxing bath (assuming your place has a bathtub – if not skip this paragraph). Set up the bathroom with candles and music, perhaps hand them a cup of tea or a glass of wine on their way into the bathroom, let them know you’d like them to relax and you’ll be back to get them in a little while.

As they’re soaking in the tub, you’ll set up your massage space using the checklist above. Then, head back to the bathroom with blindfold in hand. Collect your partner and have them leave their towel on, or pop on a robe.

Slip the blindfold around their eyes and carefully lead them to the massage space. Settle them in their spot, hand them a glass of wine while you get yourself set up.

Settle in behind, hands on their shoulders and gently annouce they’re about to receive a massage. Follow-along to one of our curated massage routines. Ideally, you will have already practiced the techniques ahead of time with your partner. This is just taking your practical knowledge from good to amazing, knee-weakening, classic romance.

And watch them Melt in your hands…

Common Things That Ruin A Massage
Watch out for these.

  • Distractions – not being present
  • Interruptions – massage stops often
    • Breaking the flow of the massage is a Melt sin. Frequent stop/starts are a mood killer.
  • Pain / Uncomfortable
    • As soon as one person is uncomfortable or in pain the massage ends
    • This could be due to posture, seated arrangement
    • Poor massage technique
  • Cold room / Messy Room
  • Cold hands
  • Poor preparation
    • Run out of oil
    • Forgetting your wipe off towel
    • Music too loud
  • Attitude / emotions
  • Messy room
  • Harsh lighting
  • Uninspiring music
  • Boring massage – not being present.
  • Poor technique
  • The bed (soft surfaces are difficult to massage on)