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.

Sandalwood, heliotrope and musk... the moment I sprayed it, it instantly reminded me of Chanel Boy, but without the chypre notes like lavender and oakmoss. As the perfume dried down I noticed it's much more sweet, less soapy and maybe a bit more powdery instead. Overall it smells less complex but also more oriental. I definitely get more buddhist temple incense-like vibes that are not present in Boy EDP. I would not call it a dupe because the two are quite distinct, but they are definitely reminiscent of one another. I love Boy but it's hard to justify the almost $300 price tag. I didn't hesitate to buy Sumo Wrestler though. It's definitely a niche scent that will make you stand out, especially outside Japan. Will test more for sillage and longevity, but they seem at least appropriate for the roughly $40 price.

After buying J-Scent Ramune Japanese Soda (not on Fragranticas Database yet) which completely and utterly blew me away for an unusual scent I purchased this keen to try more. Not bad but hardly leftnof field as I was led to believe. The euc and aniseed is not significant. Instead it predominantly smells of heliotrope and violet on a significant musk base with some wood and patchouli. The mix of ingredients more or less smells a lot like candied orange on a musk base. A bit like Habit Rouge. Orange floral talcum powder. Still, well made and cost effective so I’m going to gift this and try another. Do yourself a favour though and try Ramune. Up close it smells like a powdery tingly orange soda pop but from a distance people smell a dark ambery orange, everyone at work was stunned!

Very much a baby powder / talc type of fragrance. Unisex down the middle for me but your mileage may vary. I’m actually pretty into that, though. I enjoy the unique texture it imparts when you’re looking for an easygoing clean freshie. It won’t be for everybody! Think 1725 but a lot less sweet almondy and more pencil shaving herbal. This is actually a very, very good rendition of that powdery fougere style. But if you don’t want to smell like Johnson’s stay far away. There is a slight smell of diapers here I can’t lie. Your own experiences will be important here. 7.9/10

Smells like a very dignified student! Not dignified as in unattainably royal and domineering, but respectable and collected. Imagine that one kid in elementary school who always gets to class fresh from a bath & ready with homework the teacher's gonna use as the answer key to grade everyone else's. But he isn't a nerd w/o a social life, rather he's excelling in different aspects of school and does so almost effortlessly. Very clean and yes powdery. Cool how this is what sumo wrestlers might smell like! Not my jam though but something i appreciate

I really thought this would become my favorite of all of their fragrances, but alas I didn't like it that much. This is not bad, but it's not for me. とてもいい香りなんだけど、私には面白くなかった Might have to try this one again. Scent: 7/10 Projection: 9/10 Longevity: 9.5/10 Update (11/9/2024): I noticed that it smells like baby powder when it’s hot, but when it’s cold, the opening is patchouli-dominant (similar to Sticky Fingers), and it dries down to a leather-iris combo. It's a really nice Autumn/Winter fragrance. Scent: 8.5/10 Projection: 9/10 Longevity: 9.5/10

I bought this for my boyfriend when I went on a solo trip to Japan and grabbed the perfume oil version for myself for layering. I really like it on him. As someone else said: baby powder for men.. and I couldn't agree more. However, I would say tasteful baby powder. It's not necessarily one of those scents you want to bury your nose into and smell again and again, but it is definitely interesting, soft and subtle. Really great for any occasion, and something I'm very happy to use myself whenever I stay over his.

All I have to contribute is that this does, in fact, smell just like a sumo wrestler. There is a very fragrant hair oil that is used to style the traditional topknot, and it creates a gentle, powdery aura around anyone wearing it. When you pass by a sumo wrestler on the street, this is exactly what you smell.

mild, smoky, smooth, quiet. unoffensive, elegant, deep, and sensual. not particularly unique in my opinion, but definitely a low-risk and crowd-pleasing fragrance

From the bottle: Top - orange, eucalyptus, anise Middle - cinnamon, heliotrope, violet, orange flower Base - labdanum, sandalwood, patchouli, jasmine

The ultimate powder scent. There's a subtle sweet woodsiness that cuts it. Smells pure to me without being flat or one-note.

It smells like a blend of musky, yet fresh, baby diapers with a hint of anise.

It’s decent!! Fresh and unique

In all honesty, this smells like a 80's vintage aftershave. I smell the eucalyptus and sandalwood but not any of the other notes. This isn’t powdery to me at all. I still like this but it is nothing like what I expected or what the brand describes the scent as. This is more floral 1st then slightly soapy. But overall, this is a floral aftershave smell to me.

Pretty masculine for an allegedly unisex scent, and also not very unique. The powdery smell overpowers all of the other notes (orange, ecalyptus, jasmine.... where are you???). Feels like sitting next to my freshly shaven grandpa on the way to Easter service. Chanel No. 5.

This is way too deep to be a baby powder fragrance... It's almost evocative of oriental incense, with some deep invigorating spices. Not feminine and dainty like talcum powder in any way, but it is quite powdery in a richer sense. @Forda described it very well.

You gotta really like powdery scents to like this one. I wanted to like it, but it’s too heavy and too powdery for my taste.

Strong spices and lots of patchouli, combination of notes that do not usually work well for me. Glad I got to try it.

I like it, but I don't love it. Sumo Wrestler is based on the scent of bintsuke, a kind of hair wax made from soy that is used to keep the elaborate, gingko-leaf shaped sumo coiffures in place. Evidently, it has a very distinctive, sweet, strong, and apparently incredibly appealing aroma. Although I have been to Japan, I unfortunately never had the opportunity to see a sumo match or meet any sumo wrestlers, so I can’t comment on how close to the real deal Sumo Wrestler actually comes. That being said, however, Sumo Wrestler is a very nice fragrance, and I can detect the Japanese influences in it quite clearly. Sumo Wrestler does not have the typical pyramidal structure of most fragrances, and so it doesn’t evolve much over time. In the opening, you get a burst of florals - particularly, to my nose, violet and a boatload of powdery heliotrope - tempered with a small splash of orange. After the opening barrage, though, the fragrance quickly settles down to its principal scent profile. That profile, to me, is dominated by a blend of musk, sandalwood, a combo of violet and heliotrope, and a little twang from anise. As time goes on, the sandalwood emerges more and more as the star of the show, but no single note is ever stealing the spotlight. This is a very well blended fragrance, smooth in an effortless kind of way. There is a barbershop vibe to the fragrance akin to something like Invasion Barbare by MDCI Parfums or 1725 by Histoire de Parfums, as well as an incense tone that is definitely reminiscent of Japanese temple incense, a callback to sumo’s origins in Shintoism. However, the fragrance is overall a pretty powdery (even baby/talcum powdery) and sweet affair; the notes combine in such a way to create a musky, powdery vanilla accord. If there’s anything I would’ve liked more out of the fragrance, it’s a little bit more sharpness or “kick” from something like the eucalyptus, anise, or citrus, at least in the opening. However, from start to finish, this is a smooth, fuzzy kind of experience that is not likely to offend or turn up anyone’s nose, something which is very much in line with Japanese attitudes towards fragrances. Despite its similarity to barbershop fragrances, this is a scent that definitely has a calm, collected, and minimalist Japanese vibe about it that I do enjoy. If I were to describe Sumo Wrestler in a few words they’d be: warm, fuzzy, creamy, powdery, smooth, musky, and floral. Performance is pretty good. I get around 6-8 hours of longevity, soft but fairly consistent projection for the first two hours, and polite sillage. This kind of performance is perfect for Japanese tastes. Overall, Sumo Wrestler is a nice fragrance, but unfortunately it doesn't really excite me. Whenever I wear it I think, "This is nice! I should wear it more often." Then I completely forget about it. It doesn't leave much of a lasting impression, sad to say. In the end, I love the idea of the fragrance more than the actual fragrance itself. I think I will stick to Musc Ravageur in this genre, as it's a more memorable and daring composition, but I'm still glad to have Sumo Wrestler in my collection for the moment. 7/10

This was in a grab bag of five samples I ordered back in April 2021. I must have had an idea in mind that linked these five: Histories de Parfums "Ambre 114" and "This is Not a Blue Bottle;" J-Scent "Roasted Green Tea" and "Sumo Wrestler"; and Pierre Guillaume "Paris Black Collection." I bought a full bottle of Ambre 114 after sampling. ("cheaper and excellent version of Bengals Rouge"). But I noted on "Sumo Wrestler" that it was "too bland." Today I tried Sumo Wrestler again and what immediately came up was how it reminded me of Ambre 114. But it is much more powdery, less ambery than Ambre 114. It has a gentle softness, kind of baby powder, baby ointment, diaper ointment, bed sheets, bath oil, baby shampoo kind of smell. It so inoffensive, so soft and so caressing, that I think it would go well on either a woman or man, especially a younger man or woman who might even spray their hair in it. Sumo Wrestler is a strange name for the huge, sweaty behemoths of the wrestling stage. This is much more of a scent you would apply on an infant in a crib. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but this perfume is really mild and tonic and gentle and hardly a sensual or sexy or beast mode.

Apparently, this is what Sumo wrestlers (the oil they use for their hair) smell like. So beautiful! This perfume fits totally into the Japanese traditional world. Anyway, it‘s warm, spicy-sweet, not loud, just right with only a tiny hint of powdery-softness. A make me feel good and compfy but not lethargic perfume. All notes are present and support each other. For me it has a positive vibe. What a beautiful composition!

Nice. Anisic Shalimar. Less floral. Slightly more masculine and a little barbershoppy. Some cherry-almond that I believe is part of the anise. There is a cooling overtone that reminds me of the aftertaste of a very mineral-laden oolong tea. This may the effect of the eucalyptus, which I can't otherwise detect. It's all very smooth.

Gorgeous soft talc powder musky and a little complex. But very teint de neige - powdery and fresh. I will be going to see some sumo wrestlers later on in the month - so I will confirm if this is what the show floor smells like :) Doesn't feel masculine to me it feels feminine if anything. Not getting so much eucalyptus.

This is such a good musk. The supporting notes are all perfectly balanced to create creamy, fresh, and herbal facets to the musk. It does smell like some high end hair product. It's clean without ever going too soapy or powdery. Can easily be worn by men, women, and those who have evolved beyond gender binaries.

Nice powdery sweet scent with some florals peeking through. Very unisex though I first thought it being a masculine dominant because of the name. What I noticed of these J scents is that perfect for the Office or confined areas. Sumo is more projective but inoffensive type of way. Nice.

@VinnyVidi: According to the official website, the fragrance is supposed to smell like "bintsuke" - which is the traditional hair oil sumo wrestlers use and what they smell strongly of. So... have you tried it? Does it actually smell like bintsuke?

One of the cons on this fragrance is 'Misleading name creates false expectations'... No because what do you mean the name is misleading? Are you expecting it to smell like a sumo wrestler going into it? tf...

I really liked this one quite a bit It reminds me of a soapy clean Lagerfeld classic (which is a great amber & musk scent) with cinnamon and almonds 3-4 sprays medium to strong projection Lasts several hours

Basically a more refined version of LiuShen Florida Water. It’s clean and powdery with a nice herbal kick from the eucalyptus and anise, but I definitely pick up on the labdanum and patchouli as well.

Heavy on the powder but also quite aromatic. It takes me back in time somehow! Not for me but I admire this brand's individuality a lot.

Smells like talc infused baby diapers specially made for sumo wreslter babies. It works and smells fantastic tho.