Aura

My husband has been playing a little game wih me in the months approaching Christmas. He is sweet enough to not only care about my passion for collecting fragrances, but to spend hours researching notes and compositions he knows I will like, and to try to find lovelies from my "want" list and obtain them for me. I am a lucky girl... Last night (December 20th), when i emerged from the shower, he asked if I would like a spritz of something he had bought for me for Christmas- a blind pre-smell. :) I happen to LOVE surprises and usually don't want to find out ahead of time, so I closed my eyes as he spritzed. My open-minded first impression(having NO idea what I was smelling) was sharply acidic, but pleasantly so-- citrus, but the kind I can wear, so maybe mandarin or tangerine or something. Then, a rather familiar cleaned-up patchouli, but very mellow, and THEN... I was absolutely certain I was smelling honeyed white flowers... orange flower (my favorite!) maybe honeysuckle... mingling with the part of jasmine my skin likes, which is the tingly, airy, fluffy "pink" part- nothing indolic at all. I definitely smelled rose, and wasn't surprised, as he knows it is just about my favorite note. The whole composition felt peach-to-gold-to-orange, and I think I even said that aloud, which made his brow furrow, but anyway. The feeling was of a sun-dappled, breezy garden on a comfortably warm day, the kind of day where you can close your eyes and still see bright sunlight through your eyelids, and the sun feels wonderful on your face. We played about 300 questions... "NO orange flower???" I replied in shock... "NO citrus?" No honey, no honeysuckle... WHAT then??? Then it became the game that if I guessed it I could have it, so I began narrowing it down with things like, "It's modern. I know it's not old. I know it's not cheap... is it expensive? Like, Dior/ Chanel expensive? (not quite)... is it on my want list? (maybe)... is it even on my radar? (yes, we have talked about it) I have NO idea how I managed to narrow it down to this one, knowing the note pyramid beforehand and smelling so much orange flower and citrus and honey instead... and I am a girl who *adores* and owns quite a few fragrances in the pink-to-purple-to black rose/peony/musk/pink pepper category. But there you have it. I guessed it, I got it. I love it!

I am surprised by the negative reviews, and can't help but think that some of this results from a general suspicion of perfumes released by a company not known for fragrance. A lot of "pretty bottle, bad fragrance" comments. Well, the bottle is okay, but the fragrance is what motivated me to buy a backup bottle. To my nose, this has Olivier Cresp's prints all over it. A truly outstanding use of the litchee note, by someone that clearly understands how to best use this fascinating fruit. Aura is all about the litchee, playing expertly with the characteristics unique to this fruit. Litchee is a rosy honey floral smelling fruit, light, soft and delicate, very pink in nature. Aura opens with litchee and rose, creating a vanilla tinged rosy floral that does not seem fruity in the usual sense. A delicate, aqueous note that reminds me of lotus or waterlily, not because of a similar note, but a shared watery aspect. The pink pepper opens the heart fresh and spicy, but quickly turns rosy. This rosy-spicy pepper tickles the nose with a soft rose and vanilla burst, then merges with the rose and litchee. The tuberose here is amazingly moderated, I am not sure how this was accomplished. Tuberose is so potent, and litchee so delicate, but somehow, the litchee-rose note wins this bout. The tuberose strengthens the vanillic quality of the litchee, at the same time that the pink pepper reinforces the rose and adds a zesty pop. Zing! This acquous, spicy, rosy, vanillic floral, with a little fruity edge, lingers right into the drydown. The litchee remains clearly discernible long after the top notes should have disappeared from the scene. The musk, amber and benzoin give it that floriental drydown, but are very discreet, especially the musk. A creamy white musk, not heavy or musty. Unabashedly feminine, sweet, pretty and pink, Aura is great in spring and summer, has good longevity and silage, and garners compliments regularly. I have both the EDT and the EDP, and unlike many, I prefer the EDP, the original Aura.

If i based my perfume buying decisions entirely on first whiffs, I would have bought Aura. It starts off with a sparkle of litchi which is delicious, yet soft. The rose and musk come through much later in the fragrance, with the litchi fading, but still there. It reminds me somewhat of Kate by Kate Moss, though the musk shows far sooner in Kate. When I spray both on different wrists, I can see the difference and yet the sense of their being similar stays with me. The similarity comes from the pepper and musk notes I'm sure. Aura is long lasting as far as I can tell and I can smell the perfume on me, as I go abt the day, even with just one spritz. The only reason I wouldn't buy (have a sample) is because it does smell like Kate. But I think it's a very elegant fruity floral. Very feminine. Understated, not outstanding perhaps, but very apt for many special occasions when you want to smell really nice but you don't want the perfume to take over your own personality. It has a sparkling quality that might make me reconsider my decision to not buy...

Given, it's not terribly unique, and similar to other scents out there, but I actually love this! At first I was overwhelmed by the pink pepper and thought it was too strong for me. But I gave it another try. As soon as I spritz it on it smells like sharp floral (my husband told me it smelled like Cutter bug spray, but he doesn't know anything! LoL!) I don't get so much litchi in it though personally. But it dries down pretty quickly to a nice tuberose, which is a note that I personally love. Some of the reviews have compared it to YSL Parisienne. I personally don't find it to be as chemical smelling as Parisienne. YSLP gave me a headache and made me nauseous, whereas this one does't. It's a nice everyday scent, but I find I need to reapply every 4 hours or so.

I cannot believe the bad rap this perfume is getting, IMO this perfume is absolutley beautiful, I came across this beauty on holiday, at first I thought, ugh! I placed the sample card in my bag and went on my merry way forgetting all about it. I had purchased a sleeping mask and used it that night I kept thinking "what is that devine smell?" (on my sleeping mask) the next morning I discovered it was Aura! I purchased a bottle the following day. Everytime I spray this I'm in heaven!!! sooo nice, so girly, so floral and rosy!!!

The most beautiful packaging I have ever ever ever ever seen, so exactly what I would expect from swarovski. The liquid inside also just beautiful, It went on crisp and a little sweet. The rose and lichi very apparent so clean, dried to a beautiful sweet musky amber body. I look forward to getting this. Lasted about 4 hours so it is expensive for what you are getting. I anticipate after a few months this will significantly reduce in price. I will wait, this seems a nice spring/summer frag and its winter here anyway..

I love this fragrance but sadly I had to use it up as a room spray. It seems that the quality of the perfume is below average. The top notes turned within a year after I first opened the bottle. It's gone bad before its expiration date! I wore it like five times, tops. What a waste of money. Of course, I could ignore the "toxic" opening and keep wearing the perfume. And I did so for a while, but it just didn't feel right. Oh well, at least my home smells nice now :D

This isn't an oriental floral, but a modern chypre (in the same vein as Coco Mademoiselle and Miss Dior Cherie). I can smell clean patchouli, although it isn't mentioned in the pyramid. The patchouli and pink pepper notes add the sparkling quality to the fragrance, so, the familiar rose+lychee+musk composition doesn't smell boring. P.S. I have the EDP. The EDP and EDT are two entirely different fragrances.

The pink pepper & litchi are really quite lovely in this. The sweet litchi seems to somehow balance out the pink pepper. There is something powdery and almost citrusy or green about this as well. Lasts quite a while on my skin. If you are not a fan of heavy pink pepper or litchi scents I would steer clear of this but if you are a fan, this is a great scent for you. I really enjoy this alot.

I'd give so much to get my hands on this one again! I loved this scent so much. I bought it some 7-10 years ago, it was amazing. It does not turn sweet on me, the litchi is fresh and not sweet, you get a nice spiciness by the pink pepper. I found it intriguing and fruity but not at all sweet. Just right for me.

How amazing! I'm not a big fun of rose or litchi(fruits generally don't seat well with me. Maybe cause the tip of my tongue is irritated, all it's too sweet now)But Aura is extraordinary :is warming, unique, intense...

I absolutely love this one. It is feminine and sexy. I don't think it is for everyday use though, Aura is more for special occasions - dates, anniversaries... makes me feel beautiful and desirable.

I got a tiny sample bottle of aura (4ml i think!) and judging by the price i won't be getting any more! it smells quite floral but isn't too overpowering or intense.

Beautiful scent! When I felt it for the 1st time I fell in love with this perfume and definitelly it became my personal perfume for the spring 2012.

An absolutely stunning,feminine,mature perfume.Love it,smells gorgeous.

Aura is a pleasant, linear, musky rose fragrance captured in what is one of the most beautifully crafted bottles I have ever seen. It looks really elegant and expensive, and just for that reason, it is a definite must-have for any collector. As for the scent itself, Aura is a lovely, simple composition based around soft floral and musky accords, with a delicious, fruity twist.The opening is a little messy – there is a very distinctive, sharp and slightly screechy pink pepper note, which makes this fragrance quite irritating at first. The pink pepper smells as if it wasn't very well blended with the other notes, and as if the composition was missing something to balance out the overwhelming spiciness. I agree with another reviewer that this opening is quite similar to that of Si Lolita, which is a sharp, spicy, and very, very peppery opener. Fortunately, Aura really evolves over time, and from a loud, spicy opening, it develops into a mature, feminine, rose-based fragrance. The pink pepper note disappears entirely, and the composition dries down to a delicate and sweet, fruity aroma. To me, these final stages of Aura strongly resemble the smell of a luxurious, litchi and rose-scented soap. The litchi is delicious and fresh, and smells a little bit like a really juicy, ripe strawberry. The rose is soft and elegant, and there is something quite watery about it. I like this fragrance, although it doesn't wow me, and there is nothing particularly special about it. The projection is light, and the longevity is average – it lasts for maybe up to four or five hours. The bottle is amazing, and looks a lot more expensive than what this scent actually smells like. Don't get me wrong, it is still a very pleasant, good quality perfume, but you wouldn't think of it as something luxurious and upper-class (which is what I associate with a jewellery brand like Swarovski) It's just a sweet, feminine and light fragrance, very nice and refreshing for the summer. I think it's worth having just for the bottle. :) ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

This is a nice perfume that gives you the wrong first impressions. This needs time to mature - and it improves with age. This perfume is true to it's description - but not until it has settled down. Here's the blurb on this: Through crystal Swarovski creates an AURA of Light.. a luminescent fragrance. The starting point: the crystal, cut and faceted with Swarovski’s exclusive know-how, captures light, diffracts it and sheds it in a thousand and one luminous vibrations. The signature scent of Aura by Swarovski is directly inspired by this magic. At the heart of the fragrance is a prism of energy, a fusion of amber, benzoin, and white musk. Three pure and noble olfactory vibrations become charged with energy, transforming into more intense, luminous rays of clear light. - Okay, so that out of the way, I have to say that the times I've worn this, those natural senses do take over for me - they are hard to describe, but are clearly there. I have been complimented EVERY time I've worn it. The bottle is also as fabulous as it looks in the pictures. It would make a great gift for a lady that is a perfume person. It's not for the lady that doesn't like trying things - not for the safe and sound. However, with the perfume running in all directions - ie, not just floral, not just musk, not fruity - but with a sense of all of these, I think this is a sure winner as a gift and would be a really interesting blind buy. Its definitely not a sport fragrance but yet it makes me think of natural country or rocks and water in the sense. It's like fresh air perfumed with all the best that nature could give you, if that was possible in one comfortable and cosy element. Grown up, but not old. It's office or evening. More cool, spring or autumn or warm but not hot sweaty summer weather. It's not easily recognised, which is a good thing. It is feminine but earthy. I would buy this as a Christmas stocking filler for a woman under 40 - but I don't think I'll buy it for myself again for a few years. Then I'd try again.

Summary Review of the ff: Price: Since it's Swarovski the price itself is still quite expensive. I bought the set with the lotion and clutch. Package: The perfume and lotion were placed inside a clutch; and was placed inside a box...The perfume's container was quite heavy and I think it was made to place near your vanity cabinet as a decoration; since there is a Swarovski Crystal on top of the bottle....Lotion was shaped like a tube to get the product easily Quality: Perfume itself was a lot and its spritzer was able to give out without any struggle from pressing the nozzle...the lotion's consistency was not too dense and it had tiny Swarovski particle crystals in them. (cool, right!) Scent: Litchi and Rose: I did not smell it as much as I wanted Tuberose: It's definitely there Musk: Surprisingly not too strong (For me... I think if they put more of litchi...it wouldn't overpower the tuberose so much)....Musk is not a problem here Overall: I might not purchase it again for it's scent but I do love it's lotion and bottle

I just got this, and being an Olivier Cresp (one of my favorite parfumeurs) creation, I had high hopes for it. Aura did meet my expectations, and I really like it. I'm surprised by all the negative reviews for this perfume. The rose and litchi are a beautiful summery combination that reminds me of picnics in the park and evening walks in the gardens. The sharp fruity note and the soft floral note and very well executed. I love the dry down as the tuberose emerges and eventually the amber and musk leave it soft and delicate. This is a very feminine fragrance. It has great sillage and I received several compliments while wearing it. The lasting power wasn't fantastic...4-5 hours...but that's average on my skin. Honestly, this is a scent that isn't defined by age, and can be worn by any age group. The bottle is simply stunning, and a beautiful addition to any collection based on aesthetics alone. Lovely scent, lovely packaging...perfect for the warm weather...8/10

Contrary to most people here I liked the perfume more than the bottle, and the opening notes more than the dry down. The heavy loads of pepper and the litchi instantly reminded me of Mont Blanc Femme Individuelle, which I like a lot. I also detected orange blossom, fortunately not too sweet. Aura could definitely pass for a unisex frag. The later development of Aura...hmm well I didn't like it that much. The perfume lightens up a bit and becomes more floral, tuberose is hardly detectable, and a bit detergent-like. It's still pleasant, but I was expecting more of the lovely benzoin and musc to stand out. The longevity and sillage are decent. Even if I liked the scent, the bottle put me off completely. I don't mind the swarovski stone, but the overall look of the bottle is not precious at all to me, rather kitsch-y and untrue to the ad photos. I'd go any time for Femme Individuelle over Aura, it has more intriguing base notes.