Giorgio Armani Beauty Rose Alexandrie - Les Eaux Armani Privé

I went to a lot of trouble to get Rose Alexandrie, and it was worth it! Months ago, Loyd Cassler at Saks had tempted me to buy it; he knows I love rose fragrances. He had a tester, but no product to sell. He checked the Saks computer system - none to be found. Then I went online at Armani Beauty. Sold out. I entered my e-mail address to be notified when it was back in stock and got notice within days that it was available. I hopped online quickly and found it sold out - still. How could that be? So, I called. The lovely lady who took my call told me that they only had a few available, but that she would enter my order and try to nab one for me. That's how I came to own Rose Alexandrie. It was worth the effort - it's a lovely rose eau de toilette.

One of three Les Eaux Armani Privé collection fragrances, Rose Alexandrie ($115) evokes the legendary gardens in Alexandria, Egypt at the time of the Pharaohs. The gardens’ originality stemmed from bringing together plant varieties from far-away lands - plants whose paths had never before crossed in nature. Rose Alexandrie links Rose of May, a fine and clear rose that grows only in the south of France, with Italian mandarin and ginger, according to the Armani beauty bible. I've read on other blogs that the notes include bergamot, tangerine, Italian neroli petals, and mimosa - even vanilla and benzoin as base notes, although I don't smell them. All of the notes play supporting roles to rose, lending some depth with fruit, but never overpowering the Rose of May. Rose Alexandrie maintains its floral character as it fades from the scene, which I appreciate.

This is a very clean, light fragrance, perfect for summer spritzes. It is not long-lasting, nor was it intended to be ("fragile-strength," a descriptor used by Armani, conveys eau de toilette to me, not the fragility of the blossoms used to create the scent). It's the kind of fragrance you can keep cool and then spray with abandon. The treat is as much for you as for your admirers.

As you might expect with anything Armani, the bottle is luxuriously simple and elegant. The bottle and its cap nestle in your hand like they were meant to be there. I like looking at it! This one stands out in the jumble of fragrances on my dresser. Even the heavy box it comes in is elegant.

There are two other fragrances in Les Eaux Armani Privé collection: Vétiver Babylone, featuring vetiver as the privileged note to reflect the richness of the Babylon gardens, and Oranger Alhambra, named after a Persian garden, featuring jasmine, tender garlands of rose, and fragrant foliage of orange tree and rosemary. I would have loved Oranger Alhambra had Mr. Armani not thrown in patchouli. Rose Alexandrie is my clear favorite.

It may take some persistence, but you can find this fragrance at Saks, the Armani Beauty Web site, and, I hear from Tina, at the Armani boutique at Bellagio Las Vegas.

Photo courtesy of Armani Beauty