Quality of the Materials

Quality costs money, and the quality of the materials, environment and therapist you get will usually* reflect what you pay for. When you walk into the space where you will be receiving a massage, it is worth noting the quality of your environment. What is your first impression? Do you feel comfortable? Do you feel safe? Do you want to be in the room?

It is the small, almost imperceptible details that matter. It is the cleanliness of the room, the clutter in the space, the smell and the sounds of the surroundings. If the place is dark to hide the dirt, noisy with neighbors or traffic, or if it smells of something unpleasant like mold or animal excrement, you will probably want to leave. You should. The energy of the space speaks volumes about the quality of the therapist; if the therapist can not make the space inviting, chances are the massage will not be soothing.

If you enter a calm, clean space with soothing music, soft flannel sheets, and candles or soft lighting, you would expect a quality massage, and you will probably receive one. There is a reason that the cheap massage places and therapists use disposable face covers and have clinical environments; you are getting what you pay for. If you are paying very little, that is exactly what you will receive in both massage skills and comfort.

*Except when you pay for a massage in a spa which pays the therapist only 15-50% of what they charge you.