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Dire Crowley’s Fragrance Analysis

I was completely caught my surprise when TWST dropped room fragrances for all the NRC characters as Valentine’s Day merch. Each character has their own unique fragrance, with the images of the characters used (with Yana Toboso) to craft each scent! (*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)

Of course, I immediately went to Crowley- and I was immediately fascinated by this fragrance!! \(//∇//)\ 🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛I’ve been seeing some confusion in regards to “fatty aldehydes,” and don’t worry- I’ll break down this fragrance as best as I can. Thank you to @overthattwilight and @the-hetchia-universe for your messages regarding this, you two really inspired me to delve deeper into this! Also @moonlightequin1 come eat your meal 👀👀👀

Disclaimer: I do not have a background in chemistry or perfumery. Any information here was gathered through research and personal accounts from perfumery enthusiasts. If anyone has a deeper insight or anything I need to be corrected on, please let me know!

Crowley having a “mysterious calm fragrance” is backed up by the scents used in this fragrance. Ray and I immediately thought of Diaval from the live-action Maleficent, who watched over and cared for Aurora in his raven form 👀 But I will go into more detail later- let’s go through each descriptor of this in excruciating detail! I warn you now that this analysis is extremely long, to a concerning degree, for a ROOM FRAGRANCE ANDJDJDJJSDKDJ but anyway:

Fatty Aldehyde

This descriptor is rather vague, isn’t it? Many people would have to search this up to even know what it means, and even then, the search results regarding the scent of fatty aldehyde vary GREATLY, from citrus to clean to waxy. The thing about fatty aldehyde is that it’s the label for a grouping for aldehydes with a certain carbonyl molecular composition: C8 to C13. Aldehyde’s that do NOT fall underneath the fatty range are often described as more “milky” or “rancid”, but those are completely different from the fatty aldehyde group.

Unfortunately, since the room fragrances are a liquid product and may contain alcohol in them, I believe that these cannot be shipped overseas from Aniplex themselves ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡ I hope a JP fan out there can provide a descriptor for this room fragrance!! Anyway, I say this because C8 to C13 each have their own unique fragrances, and Crowley’s could fall under any of these:

C8- Powerful, Fruity and naturally occurring in citrus oils. Suggestive of oranges and waxy orange peels

C9- Warm, floral (rose and jasmine), fresh and clean.

C10- Orange rind, lemons, sweet

C11- Naturally occurring in coriander (cilantro) oil, bitter and fresh. Said to be pleasant and reminiscent of citrus and rose

C12 Lauric- Lilacs, violets, and herbs

C13- Waxy, Fresh, soapy, clean, like a grapefruit peel

There are claims that C11 is the essential “aldehyric” scent. C10, C11, and C12 is iconic when grouped together because they were famously overdosed in Chanel’s No.5 when it was developed in 1921. Aldehydes had little usage in perfumes until the 1900s, and got so popular that the interest eventually died down in the 1990s. This is probably why that when I was reading personal accounts from people regarding this scent, people said it smelled nostalgic. Something pleasantly old fashioned, vintage, and classic- all words I’ve seen various people describe it as due to its heavy usage in vintage perfumes. It’s waxy scent is also said to smell like “snuffed-out candles,” which is interesting!

Due to the influence of No.5, perfumes with fatty aldehydes are often described to have a piercing “fizziness” in your nose akin to champagne bubbles when it is first inhaled. If a perfume smells “powdery,” or has that fizzy sensation, it’s likely due to aldehydes. Crowley’s fragrance says the fatty aldehyde and the flowers “spread out,” and aldehydes are often used for this diffusive effect. The experience is apparently valued so much more than the actual scent when aldehyde is out in perfumes! It is an abstract experience and sensation.

Using No. 5 as an example, I’ve seen people absolutely adore it or completely detest it because of its overdose of aldehyde. People who dislike say it’s a old lady perfume and the aldehyde stings their nose. But those who like it say it feels vintage and classy. Although it was an extremely popular perfume a century ago, nowadays it’s met with very mixed reviews.

Just like Crowley, no? 🤣🤣🤣 Most modern perfumes with fatty aldehyde now used C9 for a lighter floral and clean scent instead of the overpowering No.5, but I feel like Crowley would have the more vintage scent to him. He is not a man who is easy to describe- and even his scent alone seems to provide a sharp sensation that some love and others hate.

And yes, if you did think that aldehyde sounds like “formaldehyde,” aka the embalming fluid used to prevent the decomposition in dead bodies, it is indeed part of the aldehyde family! I just think it’s funny that with all the death symbolism at NRC, Crowley is the only character to be specifically mentioned to have a scent related to formaldehyde (don’t worry, perfume aldehyde smells far more pleasant than that! I have had the displeasure of smelling formaldehyde and trust that it is nothing like the perfumes 🤣 Formaldehyde is not used in perfumes/fragrances for so many reasons, I just thought this was a fun fact haha 🤣)

Characters who share this descriptor: None

White Flowers without Sweetness

Ough…I had a hard time for this one because of how vague this is. HOWEVER, several characters have “white flowers” listed in their fragrance profiles, but Crowley’s is the only one describes to be white flowers WITHOUT sweetness. It narrows down what this flower could possibly be a little bit! Σ੧(❛□❛✿)

But unfortunately, I am not an expert. The possibilities could be endless and I don’t feel confident despite scouring the internet for as long as I have today 🤣🤣 But I’ll headcanon it regardless!

Maybe the white flower being referenced is a lily, which is fitting for Crowley symbolically? This is NOT the lily of the valley, which is a more popular white floral in fragrances due to its clean and light scent (Grim has this scent), so it is very different from the Lily.

The lily has a soft, waxy, and sometimes spicy scent. It’s very fragrant, and I’ve read accounts from people saying that others tell them they smell like a funeral if their lily fragrance is too strong. They are warm and so fragrant that it can almost feel suffocating when there’s too much up close. It can be a controversial scent much like fatty aldehydes. Some people say it smells “off” in a way that’s difficult to describe.

Lilies are also EXTREMELY toxic and deadly to cats. One bite, lick, or the pollen and even the water of a lily can be fatal to a cat, and you should never have lilies in the proximity/in your home if you have a cat. Considering how Crowley can’t get along with cats in canon (Lucius and Grim don’t like him that much either), I feel like Crowley having a lily fragrance would be unfortunately very fitting

White lilies can be bridal flowers, but are most commonly associated with funerals and are known as “sympathy flowers.” Some hospitals even ban bringing in white lilies because of its usage as funeral flowers. White lilies symbolize purity, elegance, rebirth, mourning, and grief.

Interestingly enough, Lilia is specified to be “the sweetness of roses and white flowers.” A direct contrast?

Characters who share this descriptor (White Flowers only): Trey, Kalim, Jamil, Vil, Sebek, Lilia

*Note: Some characters specify lily of the valleys or ylang-ylang as a type of white flower used in their fragrance. But all these characters above, including Crowley are just listed as a vague white flower. I imagine Kalim and Jamil’s to smell like Jasmine flowers as a reference to Jasmine from Aladdin, but there’s no confirmation

Characters who share this descriptor (White flowers without sweetness): None

Cedarwood

Despite its name, the oil for perfumery can be extracted from cedar, but most commonly from juniper and cypress trees!

Like most woody fragrances, it is reminiscent of the outdoors. It is said to have warm, rich and complex scent, with earthy and balsamic (heavy/thick sweetness, mature, and soft and soothing scent, like the sticky consistency of balsamic vinegar) tones. When paired with floral or citrus aromas, it can create a luxurious and inviting smell.

Cedarwood in perfumes are used to add a depth and complexity to the perfume. Compared to sandalwood (a very common scent amongst the characters it seems!), Cedarwood is less sweet and smoky, and more soft and “cooling.”

And again, Cedarwood is often described as nostalgic! People say it evokes the smell of like… “pencil shavings and fine cigar boxes” due to these often being made from cedar, but in a sophisticated way haha! 🤣

Cedarwood is often described as grounding and calming because it’s very commonly used in aromatherapy. It is relaxing and aids in sleep. It’s all about comfort, which fits with Crowley’s “mysterious calmness.” Apparently, the essential oils of cedar has traditional medicinal usage as well, to relieve wounds or aches. It also serves to ward off insects!

Silver is the ONLY other character to share the Cedarwood scent. Bringing back what I say about Diaval and Aurora, isn’t it interesting that Crowley and Silver share this relaxing, foresty and calm scent that even aids in sleep? Silver is the only character in Special Lessons to say that he “feels better when the Headmage is here.”

Cedar is said to symbolism strength, longevity, incorruptibility, and nobility. Lol…🧎In various cultures, the cedar has great symbolism due to the long lived nature of the cedar tree and the oils medicinal properties. It is often used for and surrounds Japanese shrines. Cedar can be connected to Christianity through the Virgin Mary and Christ. The Ancient Egyptians also used cedar oil as part of the embalming (for mummification) process, mostly to ward off insects from the bodies. Some sarcophagi were carved from cedar wood as well.

Characters who share this descriptor: Silver

*Note: Although Cater’s says “cedar,” it’s notably distinct from Silver and Crowley’s “Cedarwood.” Cedarwood tends to more directly refer to the aromatherapy aspects of it?

Amber

Let’s start by saying that amber in perfumes is not related to the fossilized tree sap! (*ﾟ▽ﾟ*) That type of amber has no scent at all, and is not related to the amber in perfumes.

Amber in perfumes is always an “accord,” aka made from a combination of scents. It’s most commonly made from a mixture of benzoin, labdanum, and vanilla. Because it’s an accord, very few ambers in perfume smell the same, as they all have their own different mixtures for amber. It can range from sweet to a little spicy and musky.

Apparently it has a comforting scent to it, warm, smooth, and sensual. It is described as one of the classic scents, and evocative of warm memories and indulgence. Apparently, when mixed with Cedarwood, it’s said to give off a “retro/vintage” timeless vibe. And when mixed with aldehyde, it’s said to have warm, elegant depth.

Amber is known as one of the “fantasy notes” in perfumery. Fantasy note sounds quite vague haha, but it essentially describes a perfume scent that does not naturally occur in nature and cannot be extracted, thus being a “fantasy.” The fossilized resin has no scent, but the perfume amber tries to achieve that warm, golden glow from actual amber. It is abstract and fictional, which is again rather fitting!

Characters who share this descriptor: Cater, Jack, Jade, Crewel

That’s all the descriptions, BUT IM NOT DONE YET! ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡ You see, when reading through every characters fragrance, you will notice that despite the characters sharing some similar fragrances, they’re listed in a different order. In perfumery, there is a concept of “notes,” specifically top, heart, and base notes. The top note is what people smell upon application. This is the scent where people decide if they like the perfume or not, because that’s they smell first. The heart note leads to the base note, and can even balance out the potential unpleasantness of the top note. The base/soul note is referred to as the “essence” of the fragrance, as it is the lasting impression that can linger for hours at the very end.

Crowley’s top note starts with this fatty aldehyde. Its fizzy, sharp “champagne” sensation is either loved or hated. It can give off a sense of classiness, but the sensory experiences surrounding it can be unwanted. To me, this feels like how Crowley’s character seems exaggerated and flamboyant. He is a character who can either drive players away or draw them in- it all depends on your initial reaction of him if you’ll take a closer look at his character.

His heart note might be the white floral without sweetness. It is plain yet warm and waxy. It’s sometimes more toned down compared to the aldehyde, but it’s still a selective scent. Perhaps here is where you sense something “off” about Crowley- he smells a bit too much like a funeral as if he’s still there in mourning. Something beyond his initial exaggeration, and how his character is leading to something deeper and perhaps foreboding. And much like the novel states, there’s an odd sense of grief/melancholy surrounding Crowley, but it is a sadness he keeps close and hidden in his heart.

The base/soul note being is Cedarwood and amber, which is again a common base note! After the sensations of the fatty aldehyde and the oddity of the lily, Crowley seems to suddenly reel it back in to something soothing and relaxing, much more evocative of nature and is inviting. For the few who stayed around to look beyond his playful and admittedly irresponsible antics, there’s this sense of calm. Crowley is much older and wiser than he makes himself out to be. He is capable of caring for others, he just shows it in very subtle ways- he even refers to the students as his fledgings. There’s this nostalgia and calm when being around him, although we currently don’t know why.

And with amber being this warm and classic, a “fantasy,” it feels like this fragrance is trying to end off in a dream-like sensation, evocative of the real amber’s golden glow. At the end of the day, we don’t really know who Crowley is yet. His fragrance is described as a “mysterious calm,” even if in canon he’s always super reactive and even bursts into tears or screams at the littlest of things. Perhaps he brought us into his world, perhaps he didn’t. Do we even know him at all, really? We don’t know, and all there’s left of the lingering fragrance of an indulgent glow.

I hope I could provide some insight to the components of Crowley’s fragrance! 😭 I hope I was right about at least one thing with what Yana and the perfumers had in mind when making this from Crowley’s image! 🤣🤣 I have no idea how it would actually smell all together lol, and I’m sad that the majority of us can’t have access to this, but hopefully this provides a better idea of his scent and how it connects to the “image” of his character? His fragrance could smell like cheap plasticy hand-sanitizer and I would be none the wiser despite spending hours on this cursed analysis NSJFJSJDNZ but allow me to imagine that he smells good! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛

Also, I think it’s funny that Lilia is described to smell “historical” NAJDJDJDJD when Crowley is similarly quite old school 😭

Ough…Crowley’s fragrance essentially being like nostalgia and comforting old memories…SOMEONE END ME NOW 😭😭😭😭💖💖💖💖💖🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛

#I randomly remembered about this last night #and I’m still not sure what came over me with this NDJXJDJF #twst needs to be more careful with releasing merch because things like this happen

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prince-kallisto · 1 day

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I don't think you talk about newest content so it's fine to ignore this if you want but, yesterday I saw a theory that said something about the counting for chapters was changed on JP? And it's proof that 7 ended two updates ago, and now the game is going back to 1? Something about Ace's title? eopfkefkefj yeah this is vague I don't really get it but just if you've heard anything.

Hello hello!! Thank you for this question!

This blog typically pretends that main story content not released on EN does not exist because spoilers are the worst :<

I will do my very best to be vague but just to be safe, minor spoilers (vaguely plot related) under the cut!

I have also come across theories that maybe the story is going backwards now!

I think that is where "Book 7 ended two chapters ago" comes from: two chapters ago on JP the content of the Main Story changed from Diasomnia characters to Ignihyde characters!

While technically we are still in Book 7 of the main story, the content seems to be going in reverse order (further proven by the announcement of Rook's new card 👀), and the theory goes that now that we have "finished" with Book 7 (Diasomnia) and will be going to Book 6, Book 5, etc.!

The "counting for chapters was changed" part is maybe about what happened on JP back when Book 7 began:

Originally the different books were not separated into "chapters" on JP!

They were separated into beginnings, middles and ends, which worked okay when books were shorter.

But then in Book 5 and Book 6 we started getting sections called "Middle Part 1," "Ending Part 1," etc., which was confusing, but it meant that we could still more or less tell how far along we were in the story and when we could expect it to end.

With Book 7, everything changed!

Suddenly we no longer have a "beginning," "middle" and "end"--we have are numbered chapters. The game has broken from its own, linear, "Book 6 -> Book 7 -> Book 8" timeline, and now anything is possible!

And that is not all! We also ran out of dorm uniform cards. Dorm cards were not released until we reached the Book about the dorm in question, and then right after Diasomnia received their dorm cards, they also received Book 7-exclusive cards that seem to be related to the new titles released on both EN and JP:

Ortho's new title for Book 7 and his Cereberus Gear is, for example, Guardian of the Underworld.

The theory says new cards do not have personal stories behind them because the information that would normally be included in these cards has been woven into the main story (which has also been proven true of both Lilia and Sebek). Another part of the game that Book 7 has changed!

It seems that the new titles will each be associated with their own cards, picked up in backwards-order just like the dorm uniform cards were picked up in forwards-order.

And that brings us to Ace's title:

If this theory is true, Heartslabyul is going to be one of the last, if not the very last dorm that we visit. And Ace's new title has been taken directly from the summon line of his dorm uniform: Trump Card of Hearts 👀

But, like most theories, this one is not air-tight!

If we are truly going backwards to pick up all the new cards, then where are Malleus' "Ruler of the Abyss" and Silver's "Knight of Dreams" cards? Aren't we already in Book 6? And if we're already going into Book 5 with Rook, have we already skipped Idia's card for "King of the Underworld"? Are they skipping overblotters for some reason and saving them for later? (Silver's missing card has an entirely separate theory of its own.)

I do not know! :> But I do very much like the theory that we have technically already completed Book 7 (Book 7) content, maybe even Book 7 (Book 6) content, next will be Book 7 (Book 5) content, etc., as the game progresses! ^^ Exciting!

#oh :000 #I wasn’t feeling to warm to the idea of going through all the dreams but #the idea of going ‘backwards’ in the books…I like this!#haha now I’m yearning for Crowley when the prologue is last 😭 surely we have to wake the teachers up too?!#amazing idea!#twstask #twisted wonderland #twst spoilers #twst jp spoilers

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