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Seaweed is the new black.
By Pleasure Mechanics — Written on Apr 08, 2022
Curious about nuru massage? You are not alone! Nuru massage is one of the fastest-growing erotic massage trends.
As sex experts who focus on couples massage, we've been getting a ton of questions about how to give nuru massages, so we put together this guide on what they are and how to enjoy giving and receiving them at home.
What is a nuru massage?
A nuru massage is a full body-to-body erotic massage using a special, ultra-slippery gel usually made out of seaweed. It's colorless, odorless, and tasteless, meaning that it's absolutely safe to use. Often, a special inflatable mattress or drop cloth is used to contain the mess of the gel.
One person simply relaxes while the other slips and slides all over their body, rubbing sensual areas to create intimacy between two people.
It practically invokes the sensation of sex without actively engaging in intercourse. The body contact quickly raises the tingling sensations most feel during sex.
The massage is intimate and helps establish a connection, while also having an interesting erotic experience for both. The full-body contact is relaxing and arousing at the same time, so a nuru massage is usually offered in an erotic context rather than a therapeutic massage setting.
Purported benefits of nuru massage include stress relief, relaxation of muscles, moisturized skin, and release of toxins from the body.
Where did the nuru massage originate?
This form of massage's history is quite sparse and not a lot of information is known about how it evolved.
It is, however, a Japanese erotic massage tradition that originated in Kawasaki, Japan, though it is unclear how long this sensual technique has been practiced. Thankfully, that hasn't stopped many couples from trying this sensual massage.
What is the nuru massage technique?
The nuru massage technique is really just body-on-body touching and rubbing.
Nuru is the Japanese word for paint, which is fitting. This is where you "paint" oil or gel on each other to create intense heat, and then one person lays on their back while the other slides their body from below to the top, massaging erogenous zones (like the butt and breasts) as they go. This may also mean rubbing breasts on butts, or hands down arms.
The combinations are endless, which makes the nuru massage a great creative exercise for couples.
It works best if one person holds onto a bedpost or headboard to stop from wiggling around like worms in a bait bucket. Have one person try to stay stationary to counter all the slippery oil involved.
You can enjoy the erotic pleasures of nuru massage at home with your lover, but this is not an everyday activity — it takes a little bit of preparation and time. But if you want a sensual, erotic, romantic idea for a luxurious date night in, you might want to try it.
If you are ready to experience the pleasure of nuru massage at home without all the mess, read for 8 easy tips on how to give a super-sexy, erotic nuru massage.
How to Give a Nuru Massage
1. Grab some seaweed massage oil or a close substitute.
You can buy an at-home nuru massage kit, but that can be a bit out of people's price range. You don't need a special expensive gel to experience the full-body glide of a nuru massage.
We recommend using all-natural seaweed oil. If you can't find seaweed oil or gel anywhere you can also try coconut oil (the smell will transport you to the tropics!) or almond oil. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature but quickly warms up into a smooth glistening oil that is excellent for your skin.
If your partner is allergic and you want to keep within the Japanese culture, other good oils to use are Son Bahyu by Yakushido, Jojoba Oil by Muji, and Spa Hinoki Organic Argan Oil by Nanzen.
Essential oils like lavender, rosemary, and ginger can also be useful to add a relaxing atmosphere to your hot and heavy activity.
Overall, oils provide enough glide to create the pleasure of full body-to-body massage without being as messy and squishy as nuru gel. However, there is a website that sells authentic nuru gel that has 98 percent organic ingredients in its product.
However to have an authentic nuru massage, definitely try to stick to the seaweed massage oil.
We highly do not recommend using lube, as most become sticky after a few minutes.
2. Use a dedicated sheet.
Don’t ruin your good sheets with the oil from your at-home nuru massage! Instead, buy a cheap sheet that you use exclusively for massage.
A thick flannel sheet works well to hold extra oil. If you are going to use a ton of oil, put down a mattress protector first, then your flannel sheet on top of it and you'll minimize any mess.
3. Set the mood.
This massage is an erotic experience in itself, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't help it out by setting a romantic and sensual mood. You can grab some candles, put on some relaxing music, and dim those lights to make your experience even better.
The more you do the higher the sensuality of your environment adds to the tantalizing tension between you and your partner during the massage.
4. Use your whole body.
The art of nuru massage comes down to your ability to glide your whole body along your lover's skin. This sensation of full body-to-body contact is the heart of nuru.
Start with your lover face down and glide your chest, belly, and legs along their back. Use your hands to support your weight as you slide and glide up and down their skin. Try long glides up and down their body, circular motions, and wave-like undulations.
Just have fun! Don't take this seriously. Just go for what feels good to you. We can guarantee you that your lover is enjoying the sensation of your body gliding along their skin, no matter what you are doing.
5. Flip your partner over.
Once you have enjoyed gliding up and down your lover's back, invite them to flip over. This is where the massage gets incredibly arousing!
Gently glide your body over their front side, gliding right over their most sensitive parts while maintaining as much full-body contact as you can. This will be a huge tease, and you'll feel your lover's arousal build.
Again, pay special attention to dragging your nipples over their skin. They'll love it!
6. After your body, use your hands.
After you have enjoyed gliding and sliding over your lover's entire body, start touching their most sensitive parts with your hands.
Keep them relaxed and transfixed under your touch as you start to use your hands to stimulate them and transition into making love. They'll be spellbound under your touch, so enjoy lavishing them with pleasure!
Using your hands can be a great way to finish this massage if you don't want to take a shower before using condoms — just pleasure your lover with your hands instead and finish your massage with a happy, slippery, sexy ending.
Also, remember that another benefit of coconut or almond oil is that these oils are totally edible. So, feel free to use your mouth to pleasure your lover.
7. Take turns.
Both men and women can enjoy the slippery pleasures of nuru massage, so take turns. And while a classic nuru massage involves one person relaxing while the other glides over their body, you can also get playful and just enjoy oiling up your entire body, experimenting with slipping and sliding over one another.
Keep it fun — sex is meant to be pleasurable and playful, after all!
8. Keep it safe.
Oil is not compatible with latex. So, if you rely on condoms for safe sex, take a shower together after your massage before moving on to sex.
If you don't use latex protection, you can allow the massage to blend seamlessly into making love.
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The Pleasure Mechanics are a team of sex educators and touch experts dedicated to providing people around the world with the tools and strategies they need to experience maximum sexual pleasure. Their books and videos offer time-tested strategies based on human anatomy, psychology and an understanding of the social nature of human sexuality.