Fragrance comparison

So Blue vs Cool Play

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 31 Oct 2026 693 ratings analysed

4 wins

So Blue

Mancera

3.81574 votes

Rank #8,566 CitrusFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

Cool Play

Lacoste Fragrances

3.84119 votes

Rank #12,593 WoodyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

So Blue takes 4 of 7 categories.

So Blue
Choose it for a citrus and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Cool Play
Choose it for a woody and citrus character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring.

So Blue4/7

Cool Play3/7

Ratings & consensus: So Blue
Community sentiment: Cool Play
Longevity: So Blue
Sillage & projection: So Blue
Value for money: Cool Play
Versatility: Cool Play
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: So Blue

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

So BlueMancera

Cool PlayLacoste Fragrances

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.81/ 5 · 574 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

3.84/ 5 · 119 votes

Have 34%Had 66%Want 0%

Category winnerSo BlueRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

28%Love

41%Like

14%Ok

15%Dislike

1%Hate

574 votes

31%Love

43%Like

6%Ok

19%Dislike

1%Hate

119 votes

Category winnerCool PlayMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate71

Category winners

LongevitySo Blue

SillageSo Blue

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value51

¤ Price value58

Category winnerCool PlayBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

fruity92%

powdery84%

rose77%

marine69%

aromatic61%

woody100%

citrus92%

aromatic84%

powdery77%

fresh spicy69%

leather61%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both citrus, powdery and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top15-30 mins

FruitsMandarin OrangeLemonBergamotPepper

Heart2-4 hrs

Bulgarian RoseSea NotesVioletPatchouli

Base6-8+ hrs

MuskAmberVanillaSandalwoodOakmoss

Top

Mandarin OrangeBergamotBirch LeafCoriander

Heart

Juniper BerriesVioletCedarPepper

Base

VanillaMuskPatchouliSandalwoodVetiverAmber

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Bergamot, Pepper and Violet. Durations are only published for So Blue, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter14

Day100

Night37

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter28

Day–

Night–

Category winnerCool PlayMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men17

Unisex50

Women33

Men95

Unisex5

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#8,566

PerfumerPierre Montale

Launched—

Reviews43

Overall rank#12,593

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews13

Category winnerSo BlueHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mancera So Blue delivers an energetic splash of chilled mandarin, tart lemon, and sweet mixed fruits anchored by aquatic sea spray. It hits the air with a bright, sparkling rush. The opening feels crisp and sweet. Within twenty minutes, velvety Bulgarian rose and powdery violet temper the tart citrus burst. Earthy pat…

Reviews →

Lacoste Cool Play opens with a sharp burst of mandarin orange and sour bergamot, cut by green birch leaf and herbal coriander. Launched in 2006 as a fresh woody floral musk for men, it settles quickly into a cool heart of juniper berries, peppery cedar, and soft violet leaf. The base brings out dry sandalwood, earthy …

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Jaguar EssentiallyJaguarRUNNER-UP vs

Miss WorthWorthWINNER

1 person compared this today

Aoud ExtraordinaireRoja DoveWINNER vs

Personality Black Pour HommeRasasiRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Parfum de FĂT FRUMOS (Prince Charming)B.A.S.M. by Createur 5 D’EmotionsWINNER vs

Heritage ManNabeelRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Dunhill EditionAlfred DunhillRUNNER-UP vs

Boss SportHugo BossWINNER

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, So Blue or Cool Play?

So Blue takes 4 of 7 categories. So Blue is rated 3.81/5 from 574 votes; Cool Play is rated 3.84/5 from 119 votes. Choose So Blue for a citrus and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Cool Play for a woody and citrus character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, So Blue or Cool Play?

They last about the same: So Blue 68/100, Cool Play 67/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, So Blue or Cool Play?

Projection is very close: So Blue 63/100, Cool Play 62/100 for sillage.

Do So Blue and Cool Play smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, powdery and aromatic accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Bergamot, Pepper and Violet.

Is So Blue or Cool Play better for summer or winter?

For summer, So Blue is the stronger pick. For winter, Cool Play is the stronger pick. So Blue suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in So Blue and Cool Play?

So Blue has top notes of Fruits, Mandarin Orange, Lemon and Bergamot, heart notes of Bulgarian Rose, Sea Notes, Violet and Patchouli, a base of Musk, Amber, Vanilla and Sandalwood. Cool Play has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Bergamot, Birch Leaf and Coriander, heart notes of Juniper Berries, Violet, Cedar and Pepper, a base of Vanilla, Musk, Patchouli and Sandalwood.