What Is Aura Maxxing? How the Internet Is Trying to Max Out Its Aura

First came aura. Then came aura points. Then everyone started aura farming. Naturally, the internet eventually decided that wasn't enough. Now we're aura maxxing.

What Does Aura Maxxing Mean?

Aura maxxing means intentionally improving the qualities that increase your perceived aura. That could mean improving your confidence, personal style, composure, social presence or simply learning how to stop trying so hard.

The term combines aura with the internet suffix "-maxxing," which essentially means trying to optimize or maximize something. Aura + maxxing = maximizing your aura. You'll also see the term written as auramaxxing or aura-maxxing.

What Is Aura?

In internet slang, someone's aura is their perceived coolness, confidence, charisma and presence. It's the intangible quality that makes someone command attention without necessarily asking for it.

You don't need millions of followers to have aura. You don't need to be conventionally attractive. And you definitely don't need to be the loudest person in the room. In fact, trying desperately to convince everyone that you have aura is often the fastest way to lose it. That's the paradox.

Aura Maxxing vs. Aura Farming

They're related, but they're not exactly the same thing.

Aura farming is deliberately doing something that makes you appear cool, confident, mysterious or impressive.

Aura maxxing is the broader attempt to maximize your overall aura.

Aura farming = the move. Aura points = the score. Aura maxxing = the strategy.

Someone might aura farm by casually doing something impressive when they know people are watching. Someone who's aura maxxing is trying to improve the entire package: confidence, style, presence, composure and how they carry themselves.

Want the deeper origin story? Read our guide to What Is Aura Farming?.

How Do You Aura Maxx?

There is no official aura maxxing manual. That would probably be negative aura anyway.

Stop looking for approval. Nothing drains aura faster than obviously needing everyone to know you have aura. Confidence tends to look effortless.

Stay calm. Losing your mind while everyone else is watching? Risky. Remaining completely composed when chaos breaks out? Potential aura jackpot.

Develop your own style. Aura isn't necessarily about wearing the most expensive thing. It's about looking like whatever you're wearing belongs to you.

Become very good at something. Competence has ridiculous aura. Sports. Music. Art. Business. Cooking. Skateboarding. Doesn't really matter. Making something difficult look easy has been generating imaginary aura points since long before anyone invented the phrase.

Know when to say nothing. Sometimes the highest-aura response is no response. The internet loves mystery.

Can You Actually Increase Your Aura?

In internet terms? Absolutely.

Aura isn't treated as permanent. A single cultural moment can completely change how someone is perceived. An incredible performance can create aura. An iconic entrance can create aura. A perfectly delivered line can create aura. A viral disaster can destroy it.

This constant movement is one of the ideas behind The Aura 100. Instead of assuming someone's aura is fixed, the ranking evolves as people continuously vote on one question: Who has more aura?

What Are Aura Points?

Aura points are the imaginary scoring system the internet uses to describe gaining and losing aura.

Pull off something incredibly cool? +10,000 aura points. Completely ruin an otherwise flawless entrance by walking into a glass door? We regret to inform you that the algorithm has spoken.

Read What Are Aura Points? for our complete explanation of how the internet's imaginary coolness currency works.

Is Aura Maxxing Cringe?

This depends on one extremely important variable: Did anyone notice you were trying?

That's essentially the joke at the center of the entire aura phenomenon. Aura is supposed to feel effortless. Trying incredibly hard to look effortless creates a paradox where attempting to gain aura can actually cost you aura.

It's why the line between aura maxxing and aura farming can be very thin. The internet is usually the judge. And the internet is not known for mercy.

Who Has Maxxed Out Their Aura?

That's subjective. Which is exactly why The Aura 100 exists.

The Aura 100 lets people vote between cultural figures in head-to-head battles to determine who the public believes has more aura. Those votes contribute to an evolving Aura Score and Aura Ranking, creating a live leaderboard of cultural presence.

So who has successfully maxxed out their aura? Check the live Aura 100 rankings and decide for yourself.