For as long as weÕve been falling in love, weÕve been making potions to induce that feeling in others. We called them philtres. These, when drunk, would cause the recipient to fall madly in love with the giver. Such was the story of Tristan and Isolde, and the fate that befalls Titania in A Midsummer NightÕs Dream.

Perfumes are our modern-day love potionsÑpotent and bewitching, with the ability to change moods instantly. This is my version. No unicorn dust or dragonÕs blood, just the worldÕs most beautiful flowers, spices, and resins, built around the flower of love: carnation. Use it carefully.