Unilever answers demand for skin-boosting body care with Serum Shower Collection

Unilever is witnessing a growing consumer demand for body washes that deliver skin care benefits. Dove has released a Serum Shower Collection that delivers active skin care ingredients to answer the call.

According to Unilever, 92% of body wash users in the US feel that taking care of the skin on their bodies is just as important as facial skin care. The new collection includes a body wash, scrub and beauty bar using the FMCG giant’s patented technology, MicroMoisture, which is touted to work after the shower. 

Unilever claims the technology deposits millions of MicroMoisture droplets onto the skin, which fit into the crevices to create a nourishing coating that helps prevent moisture loss. These droplets also ensure that skin care ingredients are locked into the skin and can keep working after washing off the product.

The body washes in the range target specific skin care needs such as hydration, acne, glow, sensitivity, soothing, vitality, exfoliation and melanin care. These were chosen based on consumer research sharing the greatest skin-related concerns. 

Connecting face and body skin

On a structural level, facial and body skin are similar, having the same cell types. Therefore, the same actives that work on the face can also benefit the body.

“The warm, wet conditions of the shower create the perfect environment for skin to absorb nutrients. This allows each of our body washes infused with skin care serums to provide a facial care experience for the full body,” says Unilever. 

The company says the body care collection was developed in collaboration with dermatologists and beauty experts and is grounded in consumer insights to ensure it targets the proper skin concerns.

“We partnered with dermatologists of color to develop the two body washes crafted for melanin-rich skin. We know that extreme dryness is a common pain point for consumers with melanin-rich skin. So our Melanin Radiance product uses a 5% pro-ceramide serum with a nourishing oil blend to help tackle that,” says Unilever.

The body washes come in various scents, each with a fragrance designed to match its function. For example, the Acne Care body wash has more of a fresh and herbal fragrance, while the Glow Recharge variation with vitamin C has a citrusy and sweet scent.

The British multinational company concludes that the Skin Cleansing category is rapidly rising, especially in the US.

Unilever developments

Vaseline recently announced it will use recyclable pumps for lotions sold in North America, supporting parent company Unilever’s goal to ensure 100% of its rigid plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2030.

The company also officially left Russia last month. It completed the sale of its Russian subsidiary to Arnest Group for €520 million (US$568.6 million).