Essence USA – August 2019

THE NIGHTSTAND

Set the mood. Make it a red-light-special kind of night

with the swipe of a finger by using ilumi A19 Color LED

Smart bulbs ($50, ilumi.co). Set them to soft or cool

whites by day, then change up the color (with sultrier

neon hues, please!) to kick off the moment by night.

Slide into something more comfortable. Ensure things

go, ahem, smoothly tonight by ditching your usual bed

threads in favor of a buttery set of luxe silk sheets—go

for rich purple or soft blush tones. For great quality and

a variety of shades, check out the Lilysilk 19 Momme silk

sheets set (starting at $394, lilysilk.com).

Step into your sexy. Wearing next to nothing not your

thing? Rihanna gets you, boo. There’s a hot lingerie

look for every body in her Savage x Fenty collection

(savagex.com). Whether you are the bold cupless-bra

type or feel sexier twirling in a chiffon baby doll gown,

the personality quiz on the brand’s website has the

right pick for you.

Accessorize. You can’t get into character without a few

handy props. For fantasy-play beginners, the Lelo Dare

Me Pleasure Set ($199, lelo.com), complete with silk

cuffs and a suede whip, is the perfect starter kit.

Be mysterious. You don’t need an invite to a masquer-

ade ball to have a little mystique in the bedroom. Wear

a seductive mask in bed and your partner will be

instantly turned on. At the HigginsCreek Etsy shop,

you’ll have a slew of choices (starting at $11, etsy.com/

shop/HigginsCreek).

Get lit. One candle is hardly enough to set the mood,

but placing tea lights or votives all over your bedroom

will make you feel as if you’re back in a college dorm.

Level up your candle game with CB2’s Stretto Multi

Pillar Candle Holder ($50, cb2.com).

Charli Penn is ESSENCE’s

resident love guru and relationships

and wellness director.

Create the

Fantasy

Toe-curling romance isn’t just reserved

for Hollywood films or your dreams—it

can be part of your reality too. This month

transform your bedroom mojo in six steps.

Here’s how to bring your wildest fantasies to

BY CHARLI PENN

Lelo kit

HigginsCreek

mask

CB2

candleholder

Savage

x Fenty

lingerie

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ESSENCE.COM I 145 I SEPTEMBER 2019