Cosmetic Playlover

An apt adaptation that spins a pretty satisfying tale!

Love isn’t a competition, but it can be a transformative force that inspires the people we love to reach the happiness they deserve while we, too, find and hold onto that same joy.

In the drama adaptation of Narashima Sachi’s manga series Cosmetic Playlover, star employees Sahashi Toma (Toyoda Yudai) and Mamiya Natsume (Okuno So) are male beauty advisors who start as rivals and end up as lovers, all while coming face-to-face with their insecurities, their pasts, and what each of them wants from the future–from themselves and each other.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/08/31/cosmetic-playlover-series-review-ep-3-to-8/

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A realistic and the most communicative relationship ever

Seeing how there were only 8 episodes, I can understand why it was fast paced but the pace was not a problem at all.

One of the best JBL's to air this year (in my opinion). and I have not read the manga at all.

- A kohai and a senpai relationship is soo cutesy, very demure, very much need for the community.
- Mr. Communicative goes to! Sahashi Toma! this man knows how to use his words and he uses them correctly especially during the times that there was any misunderstanding between him and Natsume.
- The character development though, I love how they always think of one another with each decision they make. They always think of each other and make decisions that one of them would prolly like or think of them highly.
- Sahashi was such a red flag at first but then he decided to become someone better just to be someone that Natsume thinks is cool. I love how his actions or the things that he chooses to do are mostly because he wants to protect Natsume and become someone Natsume can be proud of having.
- Natsume is such a cute and a very selfless character. The only problem with him at first is not being very open with his own feelings that led to some problem that is why Sahashi really was meant for him because if he feels like he can't tell anyone what he feels, Sahashi would already know about it.

All in all it is recommended to watch, although the synopsis is quite misleading, I assure those who wants to watch that it is far lighter than what it seems to be. It's a cute and realistic series about being in a relationship and what could happen for those who are in their early days of relationship. But it also depicts how one can really change for love and how one fights for a love that they finally deserve and also loving oneself.

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A touch of a beautiful BL

One of the best BL series of 2024. I randomly watched the first two episodes and am already in love. Japanese BL shows never disappoint. It has the uniqueness and charm of getting me involved with the characters and story that satisfied me. The male Beauty Advisor profession as a concept was fresh to me and they did a perfect way of revolving the romance into it.

It’s raining handsomeness and cuteness. Every character from this drama has a visual on a god-tier level. Toyoda Yudai topped the list to the point that my news feed all over my social accounts was about him. He nailed every hairstyle he got, his eyes and smiles always got my heart, and he was an excellent actor. He reminds me of several BL actors such as Kentaro Maeda and Tatsunari Kimura. Also, I never expected to see Okuno So’s as a fragile and innocent character. The last project I watched him was the role of a badass ex-boyfriend to a chef. He portrayed Natsume in this show flawlessly, this is my favorite drama from his filmography.

Special mentioned as well to the fluffiest yet clumsy Tomoki as Harukawa. His angel eyes were captivating. Sono Shunta always became a major support role in BL shows and I liked every character he got. The rest of the cast was eye candy and established greatness by being firm in their roles.

The best thing about this drama is that in every episode, they give a plot that is handled swiftly before the end of that episode. It gives the viewers the feeling of comfort that problems are not being prolonged with the joy and excitement of the next things to happen to the couple. Another best part of the show is their intimate and delightful kissing scenes. Indeed, outstanding kisses from a phenomenal couple. Even their Instagram updates were bliss.

Story progression may encounter some flaws but the chemistry of the main couple is more than enough for a perfect ten rating. I’m crying with happiness due to the affectionate and loving characters presented in this BL.

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Worth praise

Review: A Charming Japanese Drama with a Pleasant Vibe

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this drama, and it left me with a light and pleasant feeling overall. As a fan of Japanese productions, I appreciate their creativity and the way they craft movies and series. They often have a smooth and clear narrative, which I find very engaging. The development of events in this drama was well-paced, and I never felt bored while watching, thanks to the engaging storyline and seamless progression.

The cinematography, direction, music, and transitions between shots were all exceptional. What stood out to me was the lightness of the drama. It's the kind of show that doesn’t make you question whether you’ll finish it—it’s easy to watch and offers a visually pleasing experience. The way the events flow and the actors' performances really show their creativity, which I admired.

I personally tend to struggle with dramas that are tiring to the eyes or overly noisy, but this one was different. It had a calm, beautiful energy that made me feel better and even laugh without realizing it. However, I was a little saddened that the episodes were quite short. I feel like if they had been a bit longer, it could have been even more enjoyable. That said, after finishing the drama, I understand why the director chose to keep the episodes short. The flow of events in just 8 episodes was smooth, clear, and easy to follow.

This is one of the things that sets Japanese productions apart. The direction and cinematography were outstanding, and I highly recommend watching it. In general, I have a lot of confidence in Japanese productions—they never fail to move emotions and captivate the viewer with their filming style, direction, and music choices. A huge thank you to everyone involved in creating such a wonderful drama. I will miss it now that I’ve finished it 🥹🥹.

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A Gentle & Genteel Romantic BL

Undoubtedly, this series is one of the warmest and most genuine stories to come out of Japan in a long time. And unique. Not only in its storytelling, but in its overall presentation. And, for once, it was not afraid to show affection. They kissed - frequently. More importantly, it looked like it was authentic and genuine. How refreshing. This is an intensely beautiful love story concentrating more on their weakness and how that helps them see each other’s strengths. What makes it so meaningful is that they were not afraid to show the other what hurts. At the same time, they always take fulfillment in the most basic of human experiences as a joyful pleasure. Eating is not just functional; it is a celebration of the two being together. Sleeping together is the joy of holding each other and being in the presence of one another; not just carnal pleasures. They make being together – a gratifying celebration on so many different levels. And they made the simple act of kissing feel sensual. Without wanting to sound trite, they redefine the term soulmates not in any metaphysical sense but simply as life companions.
This is a great series! You can read my full review of this awesome saga at BLBliss.com.

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OK LISTEN LISTEN!

I was just going to comment under this show but I feel the need to review, because I just have to talk about how off the ratings in MDL are… or maybe I’m the odd one out. How is this show rated lower than Takara No Vidro? Like I literally watched this show after watching Takara and this one is way better in so many ways. Like Takara lacks so many things, it’s not horrible but compared to this one, Takara loses. Idk man, I just feel like this deserves better ratings, it wasn’t even bad. Like I enjoyed it way more than Takara, it’s not the best JBL ever but it’s really good compared to so many JBL’s we’ve gotten this year. It has chemistry, it has action, it’s not super toxic, a lot of the characters are super cute like Taichi, and overall it was pretty good. The storyline wasn’t the strongest but neither was Takara but at least Cosmetic Playlover made it work, while Takara literally gave us nothing. Not trying to be a hater, but it’s just sad/disappointing seeing actual good shows get worse ratings than mediocre shows or just trash shows.

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Natsume might be the main character, but Touma is the heart of the drama.

Cosmetic Playlover is a very wholesome drama. Despite the plot sounding like it will be an enemies to lovers type of drama. Touma instantly throws that troupe out the window.

•❅✧❅✦ Story •❅✧❅✦

Natsume Mamiya and Touma Sahashi work as department store beauty consultants for the cosmetics brand Romy Feerique, where they are known as the "two princes". However, Natsume is constantly annoyed with Touma for not taking his job seriously despite his potential. One day, Touma discovers that Natsume is gay and decides to use his secret to get closer to him.

Soooo...... Like I said, Touma throws that enemies to lovers troupe out the window. He doesn't even give Natsume a chance to even hate him because as soon as Touma finds out Natsume genuinely believes in his potential, Touma starts falling in love with Natsume, acting like his boyfriend.

At a glance, Touma’s love for Natsume can seem disingenuous, clinging to the first person who believed in him, but we later learn that Touma is just a tragic character. His family life is a mess, and everyone always pulled him down. He just desperately wanted someone who believed in him and not let him down. Once he found Natsume, he was just trying his best not to be thrown away because Natsume was the only one who had ever given him a chance.

Touma is such a lover, not even a playboy like the title suggests. He's so in love with Natsume, everyone's just praying for Natsume to reciprocate Touma's feelings.

•❅✧❅✦ Overall •❅✧❅✦

I really have nothing bad to say about this drama. I really loved it.
I hope I can find a lover like Touma because he really set the bar high for what your lover should be.

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A Boring Experience with Lackluster Characters and Romance

I’m disappointed in this show. I was hyped to watch it after seeing an edit, but in the end I found it to be extremely boring and a waste of time. (Shortened version of this review: Don’t even bother with this, way better dramas out there)

Now what I don’t understand is how someone can finally make it as a scriptwriter, producer, or director, earn enough money to create a drama and finally make a name for themselves, then end up producing the most boring and useless drama known to man. The world is full of possibilities and unique plot lines you can make, but they didn’t even try. Personally, I’d be bored writing Cosmetic Playlover.

I ended up skipping through a lot of it because 90% of it was useless workplace drama or filler. After the third work dilemma, I couldn’t be bothered to care anymore. They kept adding characters who brought little originality or depth to the story. Most of them were introduced in a “mysterious” way, only to find out they didn’t contribute to the actual plot nor were anything special. The jig was up after the first two.

The romance was OK; there wasn’t much chemistry, and I didn’t like how rushed it felt. I was expecting a hot and heavy enemies-to-lovers storyline, but they failed miserably in the execution, if that was even their intent. I’ve seen every trope in this drama countless times, but I blame the 200+ dramas I’ve watched for that, making it hard to find dramas without the same reused plot and tropes. But gosh could they have done anything to make me want to actually watch the show or feel any emotions? Where are the butterflies!? I want to feel something! *SMALL SPOILER?/Trigger warning* Lastly, I want to mention how borderline SA’d the main lead was at times, even by the main character. They kept putting Natsume in uncomfortable positions which made me a tad uncomfortable too and only worsened the chemistry.

Despite all this ranting about how terrible it was, I’ll try to highlight some positives. I really liked episodes 3 and 4 after the horrendous first couple of episodes, but I'd watch the previews of the next episodes after those and I wasn't excited to move onto the next. Sorry I got ahead of myself, I’m supposed to focus on the good…. I liked Atsushi, as he was the most interesting of the side characters, he at least brought SOMETHING to the table and kept me interested. That's pretty much it.

Overall, this drama was not worth it unless you're in the mood for useless characters and a plot that goes in circles. Maybe if you like cheap workplace romances that heavily focus on the work aspect, you might enjoy it. Still, the romance felt rushed even for that in my opinion.

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This show is actually good, definitely will watch again!

I see why a lot of people didn’t really overall like the show and use it as a placeholder, but this show seems to be for lighthearted fans of Bl. Yes it does have some drama, but mostly first love/relationship problems and misunderstandings occur. Also the fact that they both have flaws and insecurities makes it tough. But overall the story, music and acting is pretty could, I laughed a lot bc yes cringe but cute cringe. It’s literally like falling in love and not knowing what your doing or how to communicate those feelings. if you just need a cute Bl, where the ending is happy and the beginning is happy. definitely watch this Bl, you won’t regret it.

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Simple Love Story

Cosmetic Playlover is a love story about a beauty advisor and a makeup artist. Yes, this is a BL and I have to say this that I really enjoyed the fact that what we have two boys doing stereotypically feminine work. On top of that, they are feminine themselves. I feel like we don’t always see this kind of representation on screen because being in the make up industry usually means that a guy must be someone who is effeminate and that is not the case here. They are just acting as is and as normal as they can be. They are not forcing themselves to play caricatures of gay characters but instead the portrayal of the characters, even though they are gay, is not stereotypical and I think we need more representations like that because men can be in the beauty industry too and it is nice that they are showing us that without mocking the characters as well. In fact, they are both successful in their jobs that Mamiya started as a beauty advisor but became the chief of the branch and Sahashi started as a beauty advisor but soon became a makeup artist. The beginning of the show is good and I like the character of Mamiya because he knew what he wanted and really worked his way to be the kind of person that he wants to. At the same time, he is supportive of other people and this is how he was able to make Sahashi notice him. Well, he did not really try because Sahashi is a former model who is easy to the eyes and people gravitate towards him. They are both good with their jobs but the main concern here is that Mamiya is not a very confident man and had some insecurities within himself. I think that is understandable and I feel like I can truly relate to him in a sense that being in a female-dominated world can be hard at times so getting the support that he needed and finding someone who finally saw him as he is truly made him happy. He was in love with another person when the show started and I think I love that Sahashi is constantly giving him the confidence that he needed and that they are slowly being more and more honest and open with each other. This is a really good start to the relationship and we got to see Mamiya have more selfish requests that really highlighted what he wanted. I love it when he is telling him what he really wants and make him really work hard for him. I don’t think that he was difficult but he can be challenging at times. I really relate to the character of Mamiya so much and I think he had such a good character development that I want that for myself as well. The relationship went really cute. I will be honest and say that I was a bit hesitant at the beginning but they slowly grew on me. It turned out that I actually enjoy watching both of them get a happy ending and that fact that it is together is just what makes it even better.

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