Fragrance comparison

So Blue vs Ivoire de Balmain

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

Updated 31 Oct 2026 1,681 ratings analysed

So Blue

Mancera

3.81574 votes

Rank #8,566 CitrusFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

20%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #25,107 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories.

So Blue
Choose it for a citrus and fruity character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

So Blue2/7

Ivoire de Balmain5/7

Ratings & consensus: Ivoire de Balmain
Community sentiment: Ivoire de Balmain
Longevity: Ivoire de Balmain
Sillage & projection: Ivoire de Balmain
Value for money: So Blue
Versatility: Ivoire de Balmain
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

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.81/ 5 · 574 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainRating 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

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityIvoire de Balmain

SillageIvoire de Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value51

¤ Price value50

Category winnerSo BlueBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

fruity92%

powdery84%

rose77%

marine69%

aromatic61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

Scent match20%Clearly different · both 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

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesLemon, Bergamot, Pepper and Bulgarian Rose. 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

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men17

Unisex50

Women33

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#8,566

PerfumerPierre Montale

Launched—

Reviews43

Overall rank#25,107

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

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 →

Ivoire de Balmain stands as a definitive green chypre. It opens with a sharp, herbal punch of galbanum and marigold before settling into a sophisticated, mossy floral core. This is a scent for those who appreciate traditional, crisp structure. It feels most at home during cool spring mornings, providing an immediate s…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, So Blue or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories. So Blue is rated 3.81/5 from 574 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose So Blue for a citrus and fruity character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, So Blue or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain lasts longest (Ivoire de Balmain 71/100, So Blue 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, So Blue or Ivoire de Balmain?

Projection is very close: Ivoire de Balmain 64/100, So Blue 63/100 for sillage.

Do So Blue and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?

Clearly different: a 20% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Lemon, Bergamot, Pepper and Bulgarian Rose.

Is So Blue or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?

For summer, So Blue is the stronger pick. For winter, Ivoire de Balmain is the stronger pick. So Blue suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in So Blue and Ivoire de Balmain?

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. Ivoire de Balmain has top notes of Aldehydes, Chamomile, Galbanum and Marigold, heart notes of Orris Root, Narcissus, Carnation and Nutmeg, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Incense.