§1What this business is
Massage oils are oils for the skin, made from carrier oils such as almond, sesame, coconut or olive, often blended with essential oils. The report's unit extracts oil by steam distillation, blends it and fills it into bottles with an automatic filling, capping and labelling machine. Buyers are spas, massage centres, Ayurveda clinics, chemists and cosmetic shops.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone with a cosmetics, Ayurveda or spa background who can build a brand and supply salons and spas.
Who it is not for
Someone who wants a product that sells without branding or regulatory paperwork.
Advantages
- Growing use of body and massage oils in spas and homes
- Small power load (5 KW) and small space
- Many oil types allow a wide product range
- Packed, branded product can earn a better price
Drawbacks
- Needs a cosmetics manufacturing licence before you start
- Packaging and selling costs are high in the report
- Big Ayurveda and cosmetic brands dominate shop shelves
- Essential oils are costly and need careful storage
Skills you need
- Oil blending and formulation
- Quality checks and record keeping for the licence
- Bottling and labelling rules
- Selling to spas, salons and chemists
Why difficulty 3/5: The machines are simple, but the cosmetics licence and brand building take effort.
§3Market
Who buys
- Spas, massage centres and salons
- Ayurveda and wellness clinics
- Households, through chemists and cosmetic shops
How it sells
- Direct supply to spas and salons
- Distributors and retail shops
- Online marketplaces
Good to know
- The report notes rising sales of oil-based toiletries within the cosmetics trade.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Boiler | 1 | ₹1,25,000 |
| Steam distillation unit | 1 | ₹1,50,000 |
| Bottle filling machine with capping and labelling | 1 | ₹9,35,000 |
| Transfer pump | 1 | ₹45,000 |
| Storage tank | 1 | ₹1,10,000 |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Massage Oil (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Plant material: leaves, seeds, fruits, flowers, wood, stems, gums and rootsnamed in the report as the major raw materials
- Carrier oils such as almond, sesame, coconut, olive and grapeseedthe report describes these as common massage oils
- Bottles, caps and labelsfor filling and dispatch
From: PMEGP sample project report — Massage Oil (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
§5Licences & registration
- Cosmetics manufacturing licence under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (the report names Form 31)
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- Trade licence from the local body
- Pollution control board NOC
- Trademark for your brand
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
PMEGP (the report is a PMEGP sample), CGTMSE for loans without collateral, and Stand-Up India for SC/ST and women founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Report: plant & machinery ₹16.11 lakh, furniture ₹0.50 lakh, other assets ₹0.25 lakh, working capital ₹7.78 lakh = ₹24.64 lakh. Land and building owned or leased (not costed).
Working capital: Working capital ₹7.78 lakh, of which working capital loan ₹7.00 lakh.
Year not printed on the report — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: CHEMEXCIL
- Confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
- Oils sold as Ayurvedic medicines may fall under a different heading; confirm before shipping.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Skin reactions and product complaints
- Licence or labelling non-compliance
- Rising prices of carrier and essential oils
- Competition from established brands
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working massage oil unit unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Cosmetics manufacturing licence under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (the report names Form 31), Udyam registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Massage Oil Unit?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.