What 10 Popular Products Look Like Before They Hit Store Shelves

Coca-Cola sells more than 1.9 billion servings each day in 200 different countries, and yet before production, it doesn’t look anything like the drink we buy in the store. There are many iconic products made from ingredients that we might have never thought about. For example, nail polish is just a piece of cotton-like substance before processing, or there’s actual wax inside of a lava lamp.

We at Bright Side love to investigate and find the truth behind the most asked questions and this time we decided to share with you what we found out about some products that most of us have at home.

1. Nail polish

While many other types of cosmetics have a long history and date back thousands of years, this is not the same story for nail polish. It’s actually a modern invention from the 20th century. In ancient Egypt, they used henna for dying their fingernails and this is definitely not the same as the products we use today.

Most companies use different types of ingredients and chemicals to make nail polish. One of these ingredients is the same for everyone: nitrocellulose. This ingredient is actually liquid but it’s mixed with almost microscopic cotton fragments.

2. Chewing gum

People in many different parts of the world used to chew different types of aromatic substances as a type of freshener or to cope with their thirst. Some of these were beeswax, aromatic twigs, and tree resin.

Today, the modern chewing gum is made of a natural latex-like chicle extracted from trees. A few of the ones used for gum are jelutong, pine rosin, or gutta-percha. The first form is a liquid that looks something like milk.

3. Brooms

People around the world buy about 1 million plastic bottles per minute, and this is a very concerning number since it’s very bad for the planet. That’s why finding a useful and practical way to repurpose the plastic after use is important.

Now, while there are many different types of brooms, there is one that uses recycled plastic bottles. Actually, it’s a creative way to repurpose plastic and help save the environment.

4. Nutmeg

Nutmeg is a very strong-flavored spice that many different cuisines use. Some dishes are even unrecognizable without it. Even a simple dish like pasta might seem different without it. However, the nutmeg we usually buy looks a lot different before it hits the stores.

This nut is native to the Spice Islands and East Indies tropical islands. It grows on trees, the seed is sealed in a shell, and the seed itself in a red aril. Once ripe, the outer shell cracks open and falls down on the ground or it gets pried open, and the aril gets cut off too.

5. Potato chips

Potato chips are one of the most popular snacks. The best part is that they come in many different flavors. However, while they might seem like potato slices, they are not. To make potato chips, most companies make a mix of water, potato flakes, and corn starch.

Afterward, the mix is pressed into a dough and with a shape mold chips are cut out from it. The next process is frying them, which lasts about 11 seconds. After the excess oil gets drained they are seasoned with spices, packed, and delivered to stores.

6. Lava lamp

Since their invention (the early 1960s), millions of lava lamps were sold. They are decorative items and many of us have them at home.

The magic that happens in the lava lamp is due to the right type and amount of ingredients used inside. While the exact ratio and ingredients are kept a secret, there are 2 that we know of, paraffin wax and oil. The oil helps the wax heat up and once heated, it rises up slowly, then it starts to cool it goes back down, hence the movement of the wax.

7. Mirror

Mirrors have been around for 8,000 years, and today it seems like we can’t live without one. While they didn’t have the good optics we have today, it was pretty good for that time.

Today the method for making a mirror is pretty simple. The base that is used to make them is a regular sheet of glass. Then there are different types of reflective coatings that are applied. This is because one of the coats can’t stick directly to the glass but it needs help from the others.

8. Water bottle gallon jug

Plastic bottles are a lot easier to handle and safer than glass ones. They are more break-resistant too. That’s why most liquids, like sodas and water, are sold in plastic bottles.

There are a few types of plastic that manufacturers use to make bottles. However, they are not exactly made in the size we buy at the store. Even the gallon jug bottles start off as small tubes that are later heat inflated and shaped into the jugs we know.

9. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is one of the most popular drinks in the world and this is probably due to its signature taste. In fact, the original recipe that gives it that signature taste is only known to 2 people who aren’t allowed to travel together, and the recipe itself is kept in a secure vault.

We know of one ingredient — the one that gives the drink caffeine — the kola nut. In fact, it’s one of the ingredients that the drink is named after. This nut is from West Africa, and the cultivation has been happening across many civilizations. In Europe, it was introduced around 1,500 and by the 19th century, many products started using it.

10. Cashews

Low in sugar and rich in plant protein, fiber, and healthy fats, cashews can be easily added to many different types of diets. At the same time, they are delicious and can be used in many different dishes, both savory and sweet.

However, they are one of the most expensive nuts and there is a good reason for that. The entire process that the nut has to go through before it reaches us is long and requires a lot of labor. The shell that the cashew is surrounded by is toxic, kind of like poison ivy, and must go through different steps in order to become edible.

Which of these products surprised you the most? What type of soda do you buy the most? Do you know of any other product that is not the same before production?