Why nuru feels different: it's geometry

30 September 2026

Nuru’s innovation is not erotic, it’s geometric: the more contact surface, the more sensation and the more pleasure.

The word nuru means “slippery”. It has no mystical connotation nor any etymological relation to pleasure.

It is not a centuries-old technique perfected by Japanese geishas — sorry to strip away the mysticism — but it does have a clear use in massage.

If this has made you want to try it: The nuru massage.

A traditional massage is with two hands, or even four hands if there are two masseuses, but the contact surface cannot be compared to body-to-body.

In a nuru massage, body to body, the forearms, torso and legs are all worked at once. By multiplying the massage surface, the number of fibres activated at once is multiplied, and the pleasure is multiplied.

Our fibres respond much better to constant contact, to smooth, sustained gliding, not to isolated touch. This is where the gel makes the difference, because it allows the masseuse to increase the contact surface in a constant manner.

The masseuse’s expertise is crucial, for if she makes isolated touches or overly strong or violent friction, all the benefits of nuru will be lost. It’s essential to have a masseuse who is expert at moving, aware of her body and able to glide smoothly and harmoniously over your entire body.

It is very advantageous if the masseuse is smaller and lighter than the client, as this will allow her to apply the right pressure and move her body harmoniously.

Actually, this is something that has not been studied. Just as we do know about the importance of speed and gel composition, we have no studies validating the increase in pleasure in a nuru massage.

We do have many testimonials from clients who prefer it and state that it is their favourite massage, although, in truth, there are also clients who prefer a massage with the hands and some occasional body contact.