20 Everyday Products That Are Older Than You Think

Cold cream came first. Kleenex entered the market in 1924 as a disposable tissue intended largely for removing cosmetics and facial creams, offering women an alternative to reusable cloths. Consumers soon began using the soft sheets for another purpose: blowing their noses. Letters and customer feedback made that unexpected behavior difficult for the company to ignore, and by 1930 the advertising had shifted to emphasize Kleenex as a disposable handkerchief. In a way, customers rewrote the product’s future.