What is a body to body massage?

A simple definition

A body to body massage, also written body-body or body 2 body, is a massage in which the masseuse uses her whole body as a massage tool. She begins with her hands, as in any massage, then spreads warm oil over your skin and over her own, and glides along your back, legs and arms with her forearms, stomach and thighs.

The idea is simple: more surface, more warmth, more continuity. Where hands press on one point at a time, a body glides over a whole area at once. The result is a pressure that is both broad and gentle, and a feeling of being entirely enveloped.

Where does it come from?

Body to body massage is closely associated with South-East Asia, and with Thailand in particular, where massage is part of everyday life. Traditional Thai massage, recognised by UNESCO as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2019, already uses the masseur’s forearms, knees and feet, not only the hands. Body to body pushes this logic further: the whole body becomes the instrument.

Over the years, the technique has travelled to Europe and taken root in cities like Paris, often in small salons run by Thai masseuses. It has also inspired variations such as the Japanese-inspired nuru massage and the foamy Thai soapy massage.

How a session unfolds

Every salon has its own rhythm, but a body to body massage generally follows the same arc.

The shower

Everything begins with water. A hot shower washes away the day and prepares the skin for the oil. It is also a question of hygiene and respect, for you and for the masseuse. In some variations, the masseuse joins you under the water: this is the shower body to body massage.

The warm-up

Lying face down, you receive a classic oil massage with the hands: pressure on the shoulders, along the spine, on the calves. At our salon, the masseuses use techniques from traditional Thai massage to find the knots and loosen them. This part matters: the muscles must be relaxed for the glide to feel right.

The glide

Then the real body to body begins. The masseuse oils her own body and glides slowly from your lower back to your shoulders, along your legs, in long circles. The movements are unhurried, continuous, rhythmic. You then turn over, and the massage continues on the front of the body, always in the same slowness.

The return to calm

A few moments of stillness, a last shower to remove the oil, a glass of water or tea. Most people leave with a pleasant heaviness in the limbs and a very quiet mind.

How does it feel?

This is the question people rarely dare to ask. The honest answer: warm, enveloping, surprising the first time. The skin-to-skin contact is intimate, and the continuous glide has an almost hypnotic effect. Many guests describe a feeling of floating, or of their thoughts simply switching off.

Physiologically, it makes sense. Warmth relaxes the muscles. Broad, slow pressure calms the nervous system. And research on touch suggests that gentle, warm skin contact is linked to the release of oxytocin, often called the bonding or well-being hormone. It is a sensual experience in the fullest sense of the word: it wakes up the senses.

Oil, gel or foam: the family of body to body massages

Variant	What changes	Feeling
Classic body to body	Warm massage oil	Enveloping, warm, slow
Nuru	Colourless seaweed-based gel	Ultra-slippery, fluid, intense
Soapy	Foam under the shower, then oil	Light, playful, then warm
Tantric	Breath and feather-light touch	Meditative, deep letting go
Four hands	Two masseuses at once	Total immersion

Our salon offers all of them except nuru, for which we suggest the oil body to body instead. To discover them, see the page on body to body massage in Paris, our signature treatment.

What body to body massage is not

Let us be very clear, because the term is sometimes misused. A body to body massage is a sensual wellness massage, performed by trained masseuses by the book. A serious salon never presents it as anything else.

At our salon, the framework is simple: an indecent request or inappropriate behaviour, or simply the masseuse’s feeling that it is time to stop, ends the session immediately, without refund. This rule is not a formality: it is what allows the masseuse to give herself fully to the massage, and the guest to relax without ambiguity.

Who is it for?

• People under stress who struggle to switch off with a classic massage.
• Travellers after a long flight or a day of walking through Paris.
• The curious who want to discover a different kind of touch, sensual yet respectful.
• Anyone who loves warmth: this is, above all, a massage of heat and slowness.

If it is your first time, our article on your first body to body massage will answer your practical questions, from what to bring to how long to book. And if you wonder how it compares with other Asian traditions, read Thai vs Chinese vs Japanese massage.

In short

A body to body massage is a full-body oil massage performed with the whole body: warm, slow, enveloping and sensual, and always professional. At our salon in Paris 9th, between Pigalle and Place de Clichy, it is given by Thai masseuses every day from 11am to 8pm, from €100 for 30 minutes, shower included.