Aromatherapy News and Research

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A 10-minute evening skincare massage may help women sleep better and feel less anxious

Four weeks of a 10-minute evening cosmetic routine with self-massage improved self-reported sleep quality, state anxiety, mental health, and vitality in women with sleep complaints compared with usual routines. Exploratory wearable data showed longer total and deep sleep on rest days, but the non-randomized design and absence of wearable controls limit causal conclusions.

13 Jul 2026

Study finds most YouTube advice on morning sickness lacks scientific evidence and some may pose risks

Researchers analysed highly viewed YouTube videos on nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and found most recommendations lacked strong scientific evidence. Some advice appeared potentially unsafe, highlighting the need for clearer evidence-based guidance for pregnant women online.

23 Feb 2026

Lavender oil could speed recovery after brain surgery

Lavender essential oil aromatherapy improves sleep quality and reduces postoperative delirium in brain surgery patients, offering a natural aid for recovery.

12 Aug 2025

Scented wax melts emit harmful nanoparticles

Scented wax melts release a similar level of polluting nanoparticles to burning candles and even diesel engines.

26 Feb 2025

Research shows the unseen danger of air fresheners and cleaning products

When you walk through a pine forest, the crisp, fresh scent is one of the first things you notice.

17 Feb 2025

Itchy skin? Possible atopic dermatitis? Lavender essential oil might be just what you're looking for

Researchers demonstrate that lavender essential oils, particularly linalyl acetate, effectively suppress atopic dermatitis without skin sensitization, offering a natural, accessible treatment option.

8 Jan 2024

Peppermint oil may be new option for pain relief after open heart surgery

The use of essential peppermint oil aromatherapy may ease pain severity after open heart surgery and enhance sleep quality as well, suggest the results of a small comparative clinical trial, published online in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care.

3 Aug 2023

Assisted living facilities pressed to address growing needs of older, sicker residents

Assisted living communities too often fail to meet the needs of older adults and should focus more on residents' medical and mental health concerns, according to a recent report by a diverse panel of experts.

5 Dec 2022

CDC identifies bacteria that cause rare melioidosis in domestic environmental samples

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified for the first time in domestic environmental samples the bacteria that causes a rare and serious disease called melioidosis.

8 Aug 2022

Aromatherapy can help control pain and reduce opioid consumption, preliminary study suggests

Aromatherapy reduces post-surgical opioid use by half in hip replacement patients anxious before their operation, according to a new preliminary study being presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) in Milan, Italy (4-6 June).

2 Jun 2022

"Serenity Lounges" reduce stress, anxiety and burnout among nurses, study shows

A new Cedars-Sinai study shows that "Serenity Lounges"–break rooms equipped with massage chairs and other relaxation tools–reduced feelings of stress, anxiety and burnout among nurses.

10 May 2022

Roswell Park's nursing teams share research at 47th Annual Congress of the Oncology Nursing Society

Several nursing teams from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center were invited to share their research at the 47th Annual Congress of the Oncology Nursing Society, which is underway in Anaheim, California, and continues through May 1, 2022.

29 Apr 2022

CDC: Cause of melioidosis outbreak confirmed

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today confirmed that bacteria in a Better Homes & Gardens aromatherapy spray in a Georgia melioidosis patient's home genetically matches the bacterial strains in the patient, and three other patients in Kansas, Minnesota, and Texas infected since March.

30 Oct 2021

CDC lab testing identifies deadly bacteria in an aromatherapy spray

Laboratory testing at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei in an aromatherapy spray - the same type of bacteria that sickened four people in the United States earlier this year.

22 Oct 2021

Monash researchers uncover why essential oils can benefit mood

New research from Monash University scientists has uncovered why certain essential oils can benefit mood.

11 Aug 2021

‘I couldn’t let her be alone’: A peaceful death amid the COVID scourge

As her mother lay dying in a Southern California hospital in early May, Elishia Breed was home in Oregon, 800 miles away, separated not only by the distance, but also by the cruelty of the coronavirus.

6 Jul 2020

Aromatherapy may alleviate nurses’ on-the-job stress, study suggests

Even under normal circumstances, nursing can be a stressful profession. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbates it.

3 May 2020

Researchers uncover novel neurotransmitter system in the brain

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit signals between neurons or from neurons to other cells. They interact with specific receptors found in the brain of humans and animals, controlling a variety of biological processes, e.g. fear, anger, pleasure, memory, energy, appetite and sleep.

5 Mar 2020

IU scientists discover that beta-carophyllene improves wound healing

Indiana University researchers have discovered that a chemical compound found in essential oils improves the healing process in mice when it is topically applied to a skin wound -- a finding that could lead to improved treatments for skin injuries in humans.

18 Dec 2019

Mint-flavored vapes and the trouble with pulegone

Even while the recent outbreak of acute serious lung disease in vapers is challenging the skill and technology of the medical field, a new report published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine on September 16, 2019, says that a natural plant oil called pulegone, which is used to impart a minty flavor to e-cigarettes, could quite possibly be carcinogenic at the levels found in these devices.

18 Sep 2019