I'm not a huge lavendar fan, like so many others. But there are other essential oils that can help with stress relief. Just always remember that the only two essential oils that can be applied neat to the skin are lavendar or tea tree. All other pure essential oils should be mixed with a carrier oil, cream or in a bath.
If you need a stress reliever that will also relax you, probably orange or chamomile would do the trick. Lemon and peppermint are definitely more stimulating. I like mixing the two of them and putting them into a burner when I've got something I've got to concentrate on (bills, taxes, homework for kids etc)
Jasmine is also really nice and helps with muscle tension, it's supposed to be an aphrodesiac too!