Scents for Summer Nights

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Donna Macdonald, GoLocalProv Beauty Contributor

There are flowers that only open under the night sky, fragrances that only release their power after dark.  Waterlilies and moonflowers are two gorgeous tropical evening blooms that close when the sunlight touches their petals.  Perhaps you are like that too in the summer, when the air is warm and lush and the Rhode Island nightlife beckons you. Consider the summer scents inspired by our own fragrant evenings (all scents are available at department stores and specialty retailers like Sephora).

WaterFire is a stunningly beautiful event that occurs in Providence regularly during the summer.  The river heats up with crackling fire as night music plays with our emotions.  The perfect scent to wear for Waterfire nights is Annick Goutal Nuit Étoilée - “ Starry Night” in a reference to Van Gogh’s masterpiece – which is so alluring in its composition that you will feel shut out from the real world. The woodsy-earthy scent mirrors the warmth from the fires underneath the velvet sky and its sparkling constellations.

No summer evening in the Ocean State is complete without a walk on one of our many sandy beaches.  The moon rising over Narragansett Bay as the sea turns a unique midnight blue will make you glad you are wearing Chanel's Cristalle, an opulent floral with night jasmine as its base.  It can be revitalizing on a sultry evening but also heady as you hold hands with your sweetheart for that long moonlit stroll on the sand.

The ornate and brash Casablanca lily hides her wares during the day but at night this tropical beauty is all about showing off. Antica Farmacista Casablanca Lily blends ylang ylang with lily for an everlasting and captivating scent that is perfect for dancing the night away in one of Providence's hypnotic night spots.   

For those quieter candlelit meals at one of Rhode Island's wonderful seaside restaurants, you will want a lighter, crisper scent.  Elizabeth Arden's Eau Fraiche is a classic summer fragrance, perfect when you dine at Wickford’s marvelous Seaside Tavern.  The cooling breeze will tantalize your date with alluring wisps of your perfume as you enjoy a meal under the twinkling stars.  This fragrance is best kept in the fridge for those humid nights when you will crave a cooling spritz of its refreshing jasmine and hyacinth.

Even though our Rhode Island summer doesn't last forever, there is a magical metamorphosis that takes place when our beautiful night blooming flowers open up to the season's possibilities.  And so, perhaps should you!

Donna Macdonald is a freelance writer who enjoys covering topics of interest to women. Her special passion is fragrance reviews as she is a confirmed perfume fanatic, especially new releases.  She has written marketing material for a comforting womens book that hit the New York Times Bestseller list and netted her an up close and personal discussion on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Donna currently writes her own personal blog, alovelyinconsequence.blogspot.com, where she discusses issues close to a woman's heart and soul. Donna believes that when a woman finds beauty in the world, she will find it in herself too.

Related Articles

• The LOOK: 3 Steps to Summer Style
• The LOOK: Blonde Is Beautiful
• Best Fragrances for Summer, Rhode Island Style

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.