Sumo Wrestler

Sampling this made me start to appreciate powdery scents. At first sniff, straight up baby powder. This may have actually been my impression the first couple of times I wore it. When temperatures dropped below freezing is when Miss Sumo really started to bloom to my nose. A slightly animalic edge from the musks (this might contribute to the "diaper" impression others have mentioned), a creamy coziness from the heliotrope and sandalwood, and a vaguely herbal sophistication from what I assume to be the anise and eucalyptus, although it's hard for me to pick out any of the notes individually since they're well blended. I feel so elegant wearing this. Other powdery scents I've tried like Habanita and Shalimar convey elegance but in a very vintage and feminine way, conjuring images of lipsticks and powder compacts and strings of pearls on an antique vanity. But the elegance of Sumo Wrestler (what an unelegant name for an elegant perfume lol) is more unisex, meditative, minimalist, effortless (perhaps all this is to say, very "Japanese"). It's the girl at the party who slays in a tailored suit and no makeup and only speaks when she has something to say. It's also that girl the next morning, swaddled in a blanket and reading a book by a snow-blanketed view. Ah, the duality/versatility of an elegant and cozy fragrance. Lasts all day too, to top things off. Considered full sizing but given the price, I'll continue on my newly sparked powdery fragrance journey before settling down.

Wow! I bought 7 samples from J-scent recently, and just threw in Sumo Wrestler because of the positive reviews I'd been seeing around. Let me just preface this with the fact that I have typically *aggressively* avoided any fragrances with baby powder notes. But this was a new experience for me! It starts out toeing the line of straight baby powder (which had me ready to scrub), but quickly moves deeper, with the eucalyptus and vanilla dancing their way gracefully into frame. Then the sandalwood and patchouli come in to ground things, keeping you from floating away. It immediately gave me a picture of being in an old, dark, wooden building in Japan. It's spring time, and a cool breeze blows in through the open shoji screen. It feels like a reassuring hug from a friend. When I catch whiffs of it throughout the day, I envision someone who is put-together, who exudes a calming presence, and yet emits an aura of mystery and sensuality. By the end of the day, it settles to a mostly soft (but not gourmand) powdery vanilla. On me, I would say this fragrance is perfectly unisex, leaning feminine by the end of the day. It has quickly and shockingly become one of my favorite fragrances. Just bought a FB yesterday!

There was a Chankonabe restaurant near the train station where I used to live. Chankonabe is a Japanese stew, a one-pot dish commonly eaten in vast quantity by sumo wrestlers as part of their weight-gain diet. I always thought Sumo Wrestlers were a bunch of unattractive over weight comedians ....excuse my language ....until the day I encountered a tall huge Sumo Wrestler wearing Yukata walked pass me ....HE SMELT DIVINE!!! It was shocking, a mind blowing experience. Then I found out that they used special braised oil called bintsuke-abura made out of Japanese wax tree for their samurai hair do. This J- Scent SUMO WRESTLER is not so strong as bintsuke-abura but definitely have that vibe. It has the sweet powdery nuance from violet and heliotrope, then the incense come out reminding me that Sumo Wrestling is a Japanese Shinto religion ritual ....and then the slight musk create a sensual feeling at the end. I’m glad patchouli is not overwhelming. This is my top favorite among their collection. HANAMACHI in which the name relates to Geisha is not on Fragrantica yet is also becoming my favorite ....first sniff on paper resembled Amouage Interlude Woman. Please update the database (3/6/2019).

Sumo Wrestler is a fantastic scent with a bad name. I know, I know... the name comes from the idea that it's supposed to smell like the stuff sumo wrestlers use in their hair, but I think the name is leading people astray. Too many people seem to be judging the smell based on the name rather than what they smell. To me, Sumo Wrestler is a very dapper scent which walks the line between smelling modern and classic, though it leans modern, and I'd say it's even romantic. Yes, romantic, in a gentlemanly way. It's charming. Sumo Wrestler smells like the powdery side of Boy Chanel, the musk of Helmut Lang Eau De Cologne, the amber of M7, and a bit of the base of 1725 by Histoires De Parfums. It's a complex scent that is surprisingly easy to wear. Sumo Wrestler has mainstream appeal without being mainstream. It's the sort of thing you'd wear on a nice date, especially in autumn, but it wears well year round except on hot summer days. Even if Sumo Wrestler was priced at $160, I'd recommend it. But at $80? It's a steal. Forget about the name. Pick up the bottle and spray it. Judge the scent by how it smells. tl;dr: Thumbs up. WAY up!

I just got about 24 samples from LuckyScent and this was my favorite of the bunch. The overall effect is like a really smooth, powdery musk. It's linear, but there's a lot going on within it. I wouldn't be surprised if people have all different interpretations. For me, I get an image of a fine grey wool sweater or a luxurious rich hand soap. I'm really happy I found this. I had been looking for a nice wearable musk, but most of the top recommended ones have ylang-ylang in them (Jovan White Musk, Kiehl's Original Musk, Body Shop White Musk, etc...). I don't like ylang-ylang, it's too feminine and "indolic" for me. But I really like heliotrope. The combination works great here, in my opinion. The notes seem accurate, although the box has a few more listed on the pyramid (orange, cinnamon, orange flower, jasmine, labdanum). The sandalwood is very creamy and the patchouli and eucalyptus are not as harsh as in some other scents. There seems to be a complex vanilla accord going on, but I think that's a combination of sandalwood/heliotrope/anise.

A Japanese barbershop fragrance. Contrary to the name, this doesn't smelly like a large sweaty man. It opens with eucalyptus and anise with a drop of orange. The powdery musk comes out with creamy sandalwood and soft heliotrope. It's all warmed up in a blanket of cinnamon. It's floral, mildly sweet, slightly spicy, woody, and slightly fresh with a heavy powdery vibe. I don't know what bintsuke smells like or if this smells like it. I just know this is a beautiful barbershop fragrance that I enjoy wearing and I have sent samples to my friends and they were impressed as well. It has good performance. it's noticeable for a good 7-8 hours and leaves a soft shroud of scent around the body, which is concurrent with Japanese beliefs about fragrance, An underrated gem by an underrated company. 9/10. Read full reviews on my blog: musingsofafraghead.blogspot.com/

Unlike the reviewer below, I've never smelled Boy by Chanel, but I too, pick up an incense-y note here. I think, if you took one part Pinaud Clubman, one part India Temple Incense, and mixed in a healthy dose of baby powder, you'd have Sumo Wrestler. I pick up a definite barbershop vibe in this, but there is also something earthy and spicy about it. The drydown is my favorite part...it goes super powdery on my skin. It smells clean, but not soapy or fresh-out-of-the-shower. It has a dandy-ish quality about it. I did not care for this at first, but after a couple of wearings, it grew on me. I've now come to love it. I think this is perfect for any time, any place. Sumo Wrestler is super unique. I don't have anything else like it in my collection. Love this stuff.

I was on the train when I smelled such a beautiful smell. Like powdery? Incence-y? Sweet smell. I tried to figure out if it smelled like any perfume I know, it gave me a Chanel-ish vibe. and then tried to determine where it came from. A boy and a girl were standing next to me and I thought it’s coming from either of them. After much hesitation I asked: “are you wearing perfume?” The boy then Apologized. I said “no it smells so good so I want to know what perfume” He kindly googled it for me. Now I have it. Wow heavenly. If you love amber and sandalwood definitely give it a try. Neither are in the listed notes but that’s what I get. Reminds me of korrigan lubin which I don’t have anymore, so can’t compare now. Perfectly unisex I think.

I got a sample from the reviewer below me (he knows I like musk, aldeydes, soap etc) and I'm really digging this one. It smells like a more approachable labdanum 18 (which I love) but with the fresh notes of eucalyptus and anis. Although I know nothing about the Sumo, I can imagine this being the smell of the sport perhaps. There's a very very very slight funk to the musk that occasionally will give me whiffs of baby shit in the first 30 minutes, but don't let that scare you away 😂. I already own paper soap by the house of J-Scent, and now I'm on the lookout for a partial of Sumo, and a discovery set. Scent 8.8/10 Performance TBD

The first thing that I got when I sprayed was "oriental." It smells like incense because of its smokiness and I also get "Buddhist temple smell" (although I've never actually been to one, so it must be the image itself). It's cool, a bit spicy, sweet, and luxurious. Unisex, but I'd love my boyfriend to smell like this bc I'd be sniffing him every second. On a man, it would be cozy, attractive, soft, but powerfully sexy (not coying!). I get vanilla, but it's wrapped in amber. As time goes by, the cool incense/woody scent goes away and the warm, spicy & musky notes come up. A hard yessir to this!

This is a safe, powdery, everyday scent that works year round. I’m sure every culture has unique associations with smell, but to me this smells like getting a haircut at a barber shop. The various aftershave smells of eucalyptus, violet, and orange are far but present. What you do smell is powder, a sandalwood scented talc rather than a simple baby powder, and patchouli, the richer earthy/oily smell, not the chocolatey decadent notes. Longevity is good and projection is alright, but this is more of a daily signature scent, not a peacocking, room filling one.

This is so unbelievably gorgeous. It's reminiscent to me of a tom ford inspired, tobacco vanille like fragrance. Packs a punch and lasts a long time. The only reason I didn't pick it up is because it doesn't seem like a scent most Japanese people would appreciate! It's not subtle at all, a real head turner. Super musky and well blended, with a very pleasant patchouli and something lightly calming and floral as an undertone. I would absolutely wear this (in my home country, lol) as a woman, but this would be really really incredible on a man.

In my mind, the image of Sumo, Japanese traditional sport, is always about the giant wrestlers patting their hands, smeared by white powders in the arena, before they start wrestling. In this fragrance, the white powder beautifully translated into a powdery, musky, patchouli scent with hint of anise and eucalyptus haze. A very smart and good concept! The fragrance itself have a good and clear transition from a top to middle and then base. Everything are smoothly blended. I also love their modest packaging, but so well made with good quality.

Sumo wrestler is another fabulous scent from a brand that is impressive. Unisex and quite sensual IMO. A haze of powder that has been infused with patchouli, violet, herbs, spices musk and sandalwood. This is such a wonderful and sensual powdery spicy musk. What I love about this brand is everything is so well blended. All of the elements are in perfect harmony. The concept and the images of the brand really work very well. Color me impressed.

Sweet, universal ambery fougere, to my nose. I smell some citruses and camphorous herbal notes in the top, sweet abstract florals in the middle, and a creamy, cuddly drydown of coumarin, heliotropin, sandalwood, and some vanilla in its base. It evokes bits and pieces of a lot--Canoe (but it's more modern than that), the Maurice Roucel "family" of Labdanum Le Labo and Helmut Lang. Love it and want it.

I have facial paper with this scent. The name is very figuratively chosen! The essence of the perfume is powerful, strong, resinous and at the same time herbally fresh patchouli. This wide trunk is surrounded by a Shalimar-like bouquet. This is intriguing, so now I will look for perfume.

For the first ten minutes, this perfume smells like a grandpa (although not in a bad way). However, as it settles, it develops into this woody, musky skin scent that makes me absolutely feral. This is my secret weapon. Truly, a unisex scent that hot as hell on men and women.

Powdery labdanum + musk I like it a lot and for about 5000 JPY it's a steal

Update: 10/19/2024 Based on personal tastes, I prefer 1725 over Sumo Wrestler. 1725 has an ethereal quality...more soapy...not as powdery. 1725 will now be the one "powdery dandy fougere" in my collection. ========================================= Smells very similar to 1725 Casanova Histoire de Parfums. It's a representation of the "powdery dandy fougere for men" category. There are nuances that create slight differences: in Sumo Wrestler, there's the eucalyptus note reminiscent of the scent of moth balls to my nose. Also in Sumo Wrestler is the presence of musk which seems to replace any hint of lavender in this but still the musk isn't the star the whole way through...there are times it clearly gets overpowered by powdery, floral like sweetness of the heliotrope, violet (which interestingly enough, when you look at the description of the heliotrope note on Fragrantica it mentions it having an aroma similar to an almond/vanillic but powdery smell...notes that are explicitly in 1725 Casanova). Ultimately, both have that licorice/anise, talcum/shaving/baby powder element that make it clearly fougere-ish but not in the traditionally "oakmoss" or spicy/bitter way. So if you wanted to have one "powdery dandy fougere" in your collection...which of these two should you choose? Honestly, my initial impressions is that it's a coin flip...you can pick either one and won't regret it or long for the other option. If I change my mind on that, I'll update this.

This is missing the orange and orange flower notes and they’re both fairly prominent in this fragrance. This opens with a bright and fresh orange accompanied by a heavy dose of anise and some of that eucalyptus. It’s a fresh, spiced, and herbal opening that quickly softens with softly spiced and sweet florals. The cinnamon note is also missing and it’s pretty strong in the heart, it’s warm,dry, sweet and it pairs beautifully with those florals. The dry down is super powdery and soft with a woody sandalwood, a heavy handed dose of patchouli and warm ambery labdanum (also missing). There’s jasmine there too, it’s subtle, airy and floral. This is overall a spiced, powdery, and herbal floral with citrus aspects to it. I will say this scent isn’t a love for myself but I love it on my fiancé and feel it leans masculine so I prefer it on a man. This lasts virtually forever on his clothes, and a whole day on his skin, projects moderately.