AYURVEDIC BODY MASSAGE OIL
Mahamasha Thailam
Mahamasha Thailam, a classical black-gram oil of Ayurveda, a sesame base carrying black gram (Masha) and the Dashamoola roots, for body massage.
Mahamasha Thailam is a classical Ayurvedic massage oil named for its signature ingredient, Masha (black gram). Art of Vedas prepares it as a classical herbal oil: a sesame oil base carrying black gram, the ten Dashamoola roots and a blend of classical herbs, cooked by the classical Sneha Paka method. This page sets out what the oil is, the classical tradition it belongs to, and the heavy-metal and microbiological test results recorded for every batch.
What Mahamasha Thailam is
Mahamasha Thailam is a classical Ayurvedic herbal oil, prepared by Art of Vedas as a body massage oil. It is anhydrous, meaning it contains no added water: a sesame oil base carrying black gram and a classical blend of herbs, with no preservative needed. It is not vegan, as it contains Shellac (a natural resin of the lac insect), made in India under Good Manufacturing Practice following ISO 22716 principles, and not tested on animals. It carries a period after opening of 12 months and is offered in 100 ml and 200 ml sizes.
It takes its name from Masha (Vigna mungo, black gram), the nourishing pulse at the heart of the formula, which is combined with the classical Dashamoola roots and supporting herbs in a sesame base. The complete ordered ingredient list, with the declared fragrance allergens, is given further down this page.
Mahamasha Thailam in classical Ayurveda
Mahamasha Thailam belongs to the classical body oils of Ayurveda and is documented in the Sahasrayogam, one of the authoritative classical texts of Ayurveda. The name joins Maha (great) with Masha (black gram), the pulse that gives the oil its character.
It is prepared by the classical Sneha Paka method, in which the herbs and black gram are cooked slowly into a sesame oil base. In the tradition the oil is used for Abhyanga, the practice of slow, even self-massage: a small amount of the warmed oil is worked into the body, left for a time, and followed by a warm bath.
Art of Vedas presents the oil within that classical frame, describing the practice rather than any outcome. It is offered as a classical preparation of Mahamasha Thailam, kept faithful to the herbal tradition and tested with every batch.
Quality and testing
Tested with every batch
Every production batch of Mahamasha Thailam is tested before it is released for sale. Two things are checked: heavy metals, by a laboratory method called ICP-MS, and microbiological safety, against the international standard ISO 17516:2014. The figures below are representative results; every batch is retested before release.
Heavy metals
Five heavy metals were tested by ICP-MS. Each one was within the permitted limit for products used on the skin. The right-hand column shows the maximum level allowed under German BfR guidance, so you can see the limit each result sits within.
| Metal | Result | Permitted maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Lead (Pb) | Within the permitted limit | max 2 mg/kg |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Within the permitted limit | max 0.1 mg/kg |
| Mercury (Hg) | Within the permitted limit | max 0.1 mg/kg |
| Arsenic (As) | Within the permitted limit | max 0.5 mg/kg |
| Nickel (Ni) | Within the permitted limit | max 5 mg/kg |
ICP-MS stands for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, a standard laboratory method for detecting metals. The limits shown are the German BfR guidance values, in milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg). This formula is made only from herbs, with no mineral or metallic ingredients.
Microbiological safety
Microbiological safety is tested against ISO 17516:2014. The overall counts of microbes stay within the limits, and the specific organisms that must not be present were each absent.
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Total Aerobic Microbial Count | Within the EU limit |
| Total Yeast and Mould Count | Within the EU limit |
| Escherichia coli (E. coli) | Absent (not found) |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Absent (not found) |
| Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) | Absent (not found) |
| Candida albicans | Absent (not found) |
ISO 17516:2014 sets the microbiological limits for cosmetic products.
Further assurances
- Contains Shellac (Lac), a resin of natural (insect) origin, so it is not vegan.
- An anhydrous, water-free oil, so it needs no added preservatives.
- Made in India under Good Manufacturing Practice, following ISO 22716 principles; not tested on animals.
Full ingredients
The complete INCI list, given in order. The base is sesame oil, carrying black gram, the Dashamoola roots and supporting herbs; the naturally occurring fragrance allergens are declared at the end:
Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Vigna Mungo (Black Gram) Seed Extract, Aegle Marmelos (Bael) Root Extract, Premna Serratifolia (Agnimantha) Root Extract, Oroxylum Indicum (Indian Trumpet) Root Extract, Gmelina Arborea (Gambhari) Root Extract, Stereospermum Suaveolens (Patala) Root Extract, Desmodium Gangeticum (Shalaparni) Extract, Uraria Picta (Prishnaparni) Root Extract, Solanum Indicum (Brihati) Extract, Solanum Xanthocarpum (Kantakari) Extract, Tribulus Terrestris (Gokshura) Extract, Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) Seed Extract, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Root Extract, Alpinia Galanga (Galangal) Root Extract, Cedrus Deodara (Deodar Cedar) Wood Extract, Rubia Cordifolia (Manjistha) Root Extract, Withania Somnifera (Ashwagandha) Root Extract, Tinospora Cordifolia (Guduchi) Stem Extract, Hedychium Spicatum (Spiked Ginger Lily) Rhizome Extract, Piper Retrofractum (Java Long Pepper) Fruit Extract, Plumbago Zeylanica (Chitrak) Root Extract, Myrica Esculenta (Box Myrtle) Fruit Extract, Anethum Graveolens (Dill) Seed Extract, Piper Nigrum (Black Pepper) Fruit Extract, Piper Longum (Long Pepper) Fruit Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Asparagus Racemosus (Shatavari) Root Extract, Leptadenia Reticulata (Jivanti) Extract, Sodium Chloride, Shellac
The EU-listed fragrance allergens present above the labelling threshold, occur naturally in the herbs (chiefly dill, ginger and galangal) and are declared at the end of the ingredient list. The oil contains Shellac, a resin of natural (insect) origin, so it is not vegan. It is not tested on animals.
Product details
- Net content: 100 ml and 200 ml.
- Period after opening: 12 months.
- Made in India.
Precautions
- For external use only. Do not use internally.
- Do a patch test before first use; if irritation occurs, discontinue use.
- Avoid contact with the eyes. Do not apply to broken or irritated skin.
- Keep out of reach of children.
- Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Mahamasha Thailam: questions on quality, testing and use
- What is Mahamasha Thailam?
- Mahamasha Thailam is a classical Ayurvedic herbal oil named for Masha (black gram). Art of Vedas prepares it as an anhydrous body massage oil: a sesame oil base carrying black gram, the ten Dashamoola roots and a blend of classical herbs, cooked by the classical Sneha Paka method, in 100 ml and 200 ml sizes. It is massaged into the body in the manner of a traditional Abhyanga oil.
- Is Mahamasha Thailam vegan?
- No. The oil contains Shellac, a natural resin of the lac insect (Laccifer lacca) used in the classical formula, so it is not vegan. It is, however, not tested on animals.
- Is Mahamasha Thailam tested for heavy metals?
- Yes. Every batch is tested for five heavy metals by ICP-MS. Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Arsenic and Nickel were each within the permitted limit, benchmarked against German BfR guidance: Lead max 2, Cadmium max 0.1, Mercury max 0.1, Arsenic max 0.5 and Nickel max 5 mg/kg. The formula is made only from herbs, with no mineral or metallic ingredients.
- Is Mahamasha Thailam tested for microbiological safety?
- Yes. Microbiological safety is tested to ISO 17516:2014. Total Aerobic Microbial Count and Total Yeast and Mould Count stay within the limits, and Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans are each absent. The product is also made under ISO 22716 Good Manufacturing Practice principles.
- What is Masha, and why is the oil named after it?
- Masha is the Sanskrit name for black gram (Vigna mungo), a nourishing pulse. It is the signature ingredient of the formula, which is why the oil is called Mahamasha, the great black-gram oil. It is combined with the classical Dashamoola roots and supporting herbs in a sesame base.
- What are the ingredients in Mahamasha Thailam?
- A sesame oil base carrying black gram, the ten Dashamoola roots and supporting herbs such as ginger, long pepper, dill, galangal and Guduchi. The full ordered INCI list is given above; the naturally occurring fragrance allergens Limonene, Carvone and Eugenol are declared at the end.
- Does Mahamasha Thailam contain a preservative?
- No. The oil is anhydrous, meaning it contains no added water, so no preservative is needed or added.
- Is Mahamasha Thailam tested on animals?
- No. Mahamasha Thailam is not tested on animals.
ART OF VEDAS
Bring Mahamasha Thailam into your ritual
The classical black-gram oil of Ayurveda, prepared as a classical body oil and tested with every batch. See the sizes, the full details and availability.
Shop Mahamasha ThailamResponsible Person and distribution
Responsible Person (EU): Svedica B.V., Herengracht 449A, 1017BR Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
EU Distributor: Authentic Ayurveda d.o.o., Slavka Krautzeka 51, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
Mahamasha Thailam by Art of Vedas: the classical black-gram oil of Ayurveda, prepared as a classical body oil and tested for heavy metals and microbiological safety with every batch.
