Created by : Daphne Bugey, Amandine Clerc-Marie, Christophe Raynaud, Marie Salamagne
Date : 2017
Genre : Infragreen floral
Concentration : eau de parfum
Do you remember your physics course back in college… particularly the one that dealt with optics? You do? Actually, I don’t. But somehow I remembered the words infrared and ultraviolet and both were terms that refer to a form of light that we can’t see with human eyes.
So… what is the connection with Aura? I think if Aura was a colour, it would be infragreen. You see, Aura has a “supra” green vibe to it notably through the notes, rhubarb leaf coupled with wintergreen, which some people describe as medicinal. At first, it’s a little jarring but it’s not THAT different from the indolic note that we find (and love) in so many jasmine perfumes. Yes… wintergreen gives you that camphorous vibe but I got used to it easily enough.
But, Aura is odd. It’s from a parallel universe, hence the infragreen reference. It’s not easy to love. I wore it for 4 days over a 2-week period and I kept wanting to love it but I couldn’t… it’s very standoffish… cool, distant, aloof. If I was dating someone and I was hoping to take it to the next level, I wouldn’t wear Aura. If I wanted to make an impression at work… I might wear it but I would wear it very sparingly.
Although I may never buy a bottle, I’m extremely happy that an important house like Mugler is putting money and brainpower into innovation. If we had to rely on Guerlain (think, Mon Guerlain) or Chanel (I’m looking at you, Gabrielle) we’d all be wearing the same old perfumes until the cows came home! If nothing else Aura is a forward-thinking, push into new territory. Other bloggers have referred to it as a pillar and so I’m wondering what the Mugler people will do with it. No doubt they are looking for a new accord on which to build. Perhaps they will add patchouli notes… or oud… or leather!
I think everyone who loves perfume should run out and try Aura, particularly if you are a fan of green florals (Mugler lists orange blossom as a heartnote). Yes, it’s from another planet but you just might like it.
P.S. The first time I saw the bottle of Aura I thought “how beautiful”… but I also thought of the great Belgian surrealist, René Magritte. I was half expecting the tagline to say, “Ceci n’est pas un coeur.” I mean, a green heart. It just seems so surreal!
Back next week… so until then, enjoy!
The Treachery of Images (1929) by René Magritte
The Perfume Chronicles 
FiveoaksBouquet
/ February 24, 2018Normand, I’ve read a few reviews of Aura, mostly dismissive, and it seems to me some reviewers are negative—in the sense of a photographic negative—concentrating on what Aura is not rather than what it is.
That may be because as you point out, Aura is different, very different, and strange to the nose. From my own experience with Aura, which I have worn a few times, very tentatively, I feel you nailed its otherworldly essence. Bravo! I can’t seem to love it (yet) either but it has my interest and curiosity..
Normand Cardella
/ February 24, 2018There may a missing link out there… or Mugler will launch one in the future.
I think it was the most difficult perfume review I have ever written because it was hard to refer back to any of the milestones that we all use as reference points. I look forward to seeing what they do with Aura in the future. I know they offer the “lait de douche”… I’d love to try that!
Maybe I’ll get a sample (if they have any) the next time I go to the Mugler counter.
Oddly, the Mugler marketing material refers to “fraîcheur végétale” but I didn’t pick up anything particularly vegetable.
Thanks for writing!
Nathalie Boivin
/ February 26, 2018Bonjour Normand,
Pour ma part, j’adore Aura. J’aime beaucoup la note amère et un peu médicinale qui perdure jusqu’aux notes de fonds. Comme toi, j’applaudis la constante audace de la maison Mugler. Qu’on aime ou n’aime pas, un ”Mugler” c’est jamais banal. Porter un Mugler c’est un peu un statement.
Normand Cardella
/ February 26, 2018Oui, absolument! C’est jamais banal! D’ailleurs, pour Aura, la conseillère Mugler m’a dit soit qu’on aime ou on n’aime pas.
Merci pour le commentaire.
Anonymous
/ March 11, 2018J’ai tendance à aimer les parfums qui ne font pas l’unanimité comme Cuir venenum de Pierre Guillaume/Parfumerie générale. Est-ce que tu le connais. On dit de ses parfums qu’ils sont audacieux puisque qu’il propose des accords inédits et qu’il excelle dans le type gourmand. C’est pourquoi il me fait penser à Mugler.
Normand Cardella
/ March 11, 2018Je le connais de nom seulement. Je ne l’ai jamais senti.
Nathalie Boivin
/ March 12, 2018Re Bonjour Normand, J’ai oublié de mettre mon nom dans mon dernier commentaire. Tu te doutais sûrement que c’était moi puisque c’est écrit en français. Les Pierre Guillaume sont disponible à New York chez Osswald. J’irai dans un mois et j’achèterai Cuir Venenum.
Normand Cardella
/ March 12, 2018Oui… j’ai bien pensé que le commentaire venait de toi. Merci!