Choosing the perfect paint is more than just picking a color; it’s about investing in the longevity, beauty, and feel of your space. Benjamin Moore, a name synonymous with quality, offers several exceptional paint lines. Among their most lauded are Aura and Regal Select. Both are premium products, but they cater to different needs and project goals. This guide will delve deep into their characteristics, helping you decide which will be the secret ingredient to your perfect paint finish.

The Foundation: Why Paint Finish and Technology Matter

Before we pit Aura against Regal Select, it’s crucial to understand that the paint’s finish (or sheen) and underlying technology significantly impact the final look and performance. A paint’s sheen affects not only its appearance—from no shine (flat) to high shine (gloss)—but also its durability, resistance to stains, and ability to hide imperfections. Benjamin Moore’s innovative Gennex® Color Technology, present in both Aura and Regal Select, ensures colors are vibrant, true, and long-lasting, without the addition of unnecessary chemicals that can weaken paint over time.

Introducing the Contenders: Aura and Regal Select

Benjamin Moore Aura®: The Pinnacle of Performance

Aura is Benjamin Moore’s ultra-premium, top-tier paint line. It’s engineered for those who seek the absolute best in terms of color depth, durability, and longevity. Aura incorporates proprietary Color Lock® Technology, which encapsulates pigment particles to create exceptionally rich, fade-resistant colors that stand the test of time, even in high-UV environments or areas subjected to frequent cleaning.

Benjamin Moore Regal® Select: The Trusted Workhorse

Regal Select is a long-standing premium paint line, celebrated for its reliability, excellent coverage, and ease of application. While also utilizing Gennex® Color Technology, it’s positioned as a high-performance paint that offers a fantastic balance of quality and value. It’s a favorite among both homeowners and professional painters for a wide array of projects.

Deep Dive: Aura vs. Regal Select – Feature by Feature

Let’s dissect the critical differences that will guide your choice between these two exceptional paints.

Durability, Washability, and Color Retention

Aura’s Unmatched Resilience

When it comes to standing up to life’s messes, Aura is in a class of its own. Its advanced formula provides superior scrub and stain resistance, meaning walls can be cleaned repeatedly without color rub-off or burnishing. The Color Lock® Technology is a game-changer, ensuring that the vibrant, rich color you choose remains true and fade-resistant for years, even in sunny rooms or high-traffic zones like hallways, kitchens, and children’s rooms. Aura’s matte finish, for example, is notably more washable than many competitors’ eggshell or satin finishes.

Regal Select’s Reliable Strength

Regal Select offers excellent durability and washability, making it a robust choice for most residential applications. It incorporates stain-release technology, which helps in cleaning common household stains. While very durable, it may not withstand the most aggressive scrubbing quite as well as Aura. For color retention, Regal Select performs admirably due to the Gennex® colorants, but Aura’s Color Lock® gives it an edge in long-term fade resistance, especially for deeper, more saturated colors.

Coverage, Application, and Drying Time

Coverage Rates

Regal Select generally boasts a slightly better coverage rate, typically around 400-450 square feet per gallon for finishes like matte. Aura covers approximately 350-400 square feet per gallon. However, Aura’s thicker consistency and higher volume solids often allow it to achieve full hide in fewer coats, sometimes even one, especially when painting over similar colors or properly primed surfaces. This can offset the difference in stated coverage.

Application Experience

Regal Select is often praised for its ease of application. It has a slightly thinner consistency that flows well, levels smoothly, and is less prone to splattering, making it a favorite for DIY painters. It also generally has a faster drying time to recoat (around 2-4 hours, though always check the can).
Aura, being a thicker paint, requires a bit more finesse. It has excellent self-leveling properties, which helps to eliminate brush and roller marks for a beautiful, smooth finish. However, it sets up quickly, so maintaining a wet edge is crucial. Its recoat time is typically 1-2 hours, allowing for quicker project completion if applied skillfully.

Available Finishes and Sheen Levels

Both lines offer a range of sheens, allowing you to tailor the look and functionality to each room.

Aura Interior Finishes: Matte, Eggshell, Satin, and Semi-Gloss. Notably, the Aura Bath & Spa line offers a specific matte finish designed for high-humidity environments like bathrooms and spas.
Regal Select Interior Finishes: Flat, Matte, Eggshell, Pearl, and Semi-Gloss. This wider array, particularly the inclusion of Flat and Pearl, offers more subtle gradations in sheen.

The choice of finish impacts durability and aesthetics. Lower sheens (Flat, Matte) are excellent at hiding minor surface imperfections and are often used for ceilings and low-traffic walls. Higher sheens (Satin, Semi-Gloss) offer greater washability and are ideal for trim, doors, kitchens, and bathrooms. Aura’s formulation ensures high washability even in its lower sheens like Matte.

Cost Considerations

There’s a noticeable price difference between the two lines. Aura is Benjamin Moore’s ultra-premium offering, and its price reflects its advanced technology and performance. Expect to pay roughly $85-$100 per gallon for Aura. Regal Select, while still a premium paint, is more moderately priced, typically falling in the $60-$78 per gallon range. This makes Regal Select a more budget-friendly option, especially for larger projects, without a significant compromise on quality for most common applications.

VOCs and Environmental Profile

Both Aura and Regal Select are water-based paints with low to zero VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), depending on the specific sheen and tint. This means they have minimal odor during and after application and are more environmentally friendly choices compared to traditional solvent-based paints. Regal Select often boasts slightly lower VOC levels in some of its finishes.

Key Differences Summarized

Here’s a table highlighting the main distinctions at a glance:

Feature	Benjamin Moore Aura	Benjamin Moore Regal Select
Primary Technology	Gennex® Color Technology with Color Lock®	Gennex® Color Technology with Stain Release
Durability/Scrubbability	Superior, exceptional for high-traffic	Excellent, very good for most areas
Color Retention/Fade Resistance	Industry-leading due to Color Lock®	Very good, excellent color fidelity
Coverage per Gallon	Approx. 350-400 sq. ft. (often fewer coats needed)	Approx. 400-450 sq. ft. (matte)
Ease of Application	Good, self-leveling but sets quickly (requires some skill)	Excellent, smoother flow, less splatter, faster drying
Available Interior Finishes	Matte, Eggshell, Satin, Semi-Gloss (also Bath & Spa Matte)	Flat, Matte, Eggshell, Pearl, Semi-Gloss
Price per Gallon (Approx.)	$85 – $100	$60 – $78
VOC Level	Low to Zero VOC	Low to Zero VOC (often slightly lower)
Ideal Use Cases	High-traffic areas, kitchens, bathrooms, sunlit rooms, when ultimate color and longevity are paramount.	General living areas, bedrooms, ceilings, DIY projects, budget-conscious quality seekers.

Making Your Final Decision: Which Paint Reigns Supreme for Your Project?

The “best” paint truly depends on your specific circumstances:

Choose Aura if:
- You are painting high-traffic areas (hallways, kitchens, kids’ rooms, entryways) that require maximum durability and frequent cleaning.
- Color vibrancy and long-term fade resistance are your top priorities, especially for deep, rich, or custom colors.
- You want the most luxurious, resilient finish available and the budget allows for an ultra-premium product.
- You’re painting a bathroom or spa and need superior moisture resistance (Aura Bath & Spa).
Choose Regal Select if:
- You need a high-quality, reliable paint for general living areas like bedrooms, living rooms, or dining rooms with moderate traffic.
- Ease of application and a smoother painting process are important, especially for DIYers.
- You are working with a larger project where cost-effectiveness is a key consideration, but you still demand premium performance.
- You prefer a wider range of sheen options, including Flat or Pearl.

Ultimately, both Benjamin Moore Aura and Regal Select are exceptional paints that deliver beautiful, lasting results. By evaluating your space’s function, desired aesthetic, durability needs, and budget, you can confidently select the line that will best help you achieve your perfect paint finish.

Benjamin Moore Aura vs Regal – Which to choose for your project?