To celebrate St Valentine's Day, Neal's Yard Remedies has put together some top tips for giving a great massage: 1. Create the right ambience - light some candles and make sure the room is warm.

2. Using massage oil will allow you to slide your hands smoothly over your partner's body. The rule is less is more, you can always apply more but it is harder to remove!

3. For a really luxurious feel to your massage, warm the towels on the radiator and place the bottle of massage oil in a cup of warm water.

4. Massage your partner on towels on the floor, or a futon. A bed is actually not ideal.

5. Before you begin, ask your partner which areas of their body they would like you to work on.

6. Start by using long, sweeping strokes of your hands over your partner's back, this will get you both used to the sense and rhythm of touch.

7. Varying the speed and pressure of strokes will make your massage more effective. A brisk pace will invigorate and energise, slower movements will relax and de-stress.

8. Use the warm towels to cover the areas of the body you are not working on, keeping warm is really important.

9. Remember to have the oil within easy reach - there is nothing worse than breaking the touch connection with your partner when they are feeling relaxed.

10. Finish your massage with a series of slower, lighter strokes that gradually stop. Then let your partner wake up gently and ensure they drink plenty of water.

Neal's Yard Remedies has produced a Message in a Bottle gift box specially for Valentine's Day. It includes massage oil, a vetiver candle to create the right mood, and a beautiful miniature blue bottle with scroll, for writing your own secret message of love.

Vanilla and vetiver have been selected for their sensual and aphrodisiac properties. Vetiver is the oil of tranquillity. It has a sensual aroma and gently builds confidence and energy, while vanilla is an aphrodisiac particularly popular with men.

These have been blended with spicy pink pepper, beautiful rose, exotic ylang ylang and uplifting geranium to stimulate the senses.

We have five Message in a Bottle gift boxes, each worth £20, to give away. Just send your name, address and daytime telephone number on a postcard to: Valentines Neal's Yard Competition, Promotions Department, Newsquest Oxfordshire, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 0EJ, to arrive no later than Friday,February 22, 2008. Normal competition rules apply and the editor's decision is final.