Q & A: When is a revolution not a revolution?

Q: When is a revolution not a revolution?
A: When it is a makeup remover.

The latest riff on revolution in popular culture comes from the Japanese company DHC. I’ve been mulling over this one for the last few days. Makeup, maquillage, constitutes a metaphor for illegitimate rule, and the action implied in the gerund démaquillant unveils its fraud. The “naturally active agents” which make this product work (riche en actifs naturels), may be a stand-in for the people. But the promise of instantaneous, trouble-free results reveals the emptiness behind DHC’s signifier. “En un clin d’œil, et sans effort, exit fards gras, maquillages tenaces, même waterproof et autres impuretés! ” A one-minute, peaceful revolution? Mon œil.