Yep, Love Potions Are Real — Here Are 5 You Can Make At Home

You'd be forgiven if the phrase "love potion" makes you turn your head away in skepticism or conjures up images of a Harry Potter plotline gone wrong. After all, the traditional sense of a love potion as a flowery concoction to ensnare the object of your affection might seem like an idea best left in the medieval era.

But as licensed holistic esthetician, certified aromatherapist, and gardener Stephanie Tourles says, that's not what love potions are all about.

"A fulfilling, loving, joyful, intimate relationship between two people — whether or not it involves sexual relations — is one of the most potent and powerful healing forces in the universe," she tells Refinery29.

However, as day-to-day stress piles up, we don't always make enough time to take care of those relationships — or ourselves — as much as we should. That's where Making Love Potions comes in.

Tourles' new book, available in bookstores now, focuses on DIY recipes that will help you nourish a relationship, whether it's your connection with a significant other, your platonic friendship, or your relationship with yourself. The concoctions inside are a delight for the senses, too: from comforting tea recipes to bath milks that take relaxation to a whole other level.

And as Tourles tells us, her recipes specialize in pampering and nourishing the body — so if you're just looking for a few ways to treat yourself after a pretty garbage year, this book is for you, too.

Ahead, we've picked out five recipes that you can make at home, whether you're looking to share a night in with someone special, or you just want some much-needed solo TLC.