International Journal of
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Research Article Volume 19 Issue 4
Aroma of ChillTM essential oil blend mitigates psychological and physiological responses to experimentally induced acute stress
Mark Moss, Gemma Longmuir, Gavin Cowper, Samantha Bowerbank, Emmi Leetham, Yalda Yaqoobi, Mark Wetherell
Received: July 12, 2026 | Published: July 28, 2026
Citation: Moss M, Longmuir G, Cowper G, et al. Aroma of ChillTM essential oil blend mitigates psychological and physiological responses to experimentally induced acute stress. Int J Complement Alt Med. 2026;19(4):178-189. DOI: 10.15406/ijcam.2026.19.00783
Abstract
Objectives This study investigated the potential for the aroma of an essential oil blend to mitigate psychological, physiological and biological responses to an acute stressor. The blend (Chill™) was created based on evidence of psychological benefits for the component oils, coupled with aromatic hedonics. The potential for stress-buffering effects was compared in a double-blind design to a positive control (pure lavender) and a no aroma control condition. Methods Stress was induced using a valid and reliable multitasking paradigm. Ninety participants were randomly allocated to one of the three aroma conditions. Psychological and physiological measures were taken at multiple timepoints and saliva samples collected at the end of the testing period. Results As predicted, the multitasking stressor increased heart rate and blood pressure in the control condition. Importantly, the Chill™ blend mitigated these increases and did so to a greater extent than pure lavender. Similarly, psychological measures of stress, mood, and positive and negative affect benefited preferentially from the presence of Chill™ aroma. No differences were found for levels of chromogranin A following the stressor but levels of immunoglobulin A were significantly lower in the Chill™ condition. Conclusions These findings demonstrate the benefit of blended essential oils over pure lavender for the mitigation of responses to acute stress and support the argument that essential oil aromatherapy could make a valuable contribution to personal wellbeing and integrated healthcare.
Keywords: essential oils, aroma, stress, multitasking, mood
©2026 Moss, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.