The personal-care Dove products, including Dove cleansing bars, are ultimately owned by Unilever PLC, a publicly listed company headquartered in the United Kingdom. Dove chocolate is a separate brand owned by Mars, Incorporated.

Who owns Dove deodorant and Dove shampoo?

Dove deodorant and Dove shampoo are personal-care products from the Dove brand, which is ultimately owned by Unilever PLC. Unilever places Dove within its personal-care and Beauty and Wellbeing businesses.

Who owns Dove chocolate and Dove ice cream?

Dove chocolate is owned by Mars, Incorporated, not Unilever. Mars also operates DOVE chocolate products and has used the Dove name in frozen products, so Dove chocolate and personal-care Dove products should not be treated as the same business.

Is Dove original unscented?

The original Dove Beauty Bar was marketed as containing one-quarter cleansing cream and as being milder than ordinary soap, but the original product should not automatically be described as unscented. Shoppers should check the current packaging for the exact bar and market, because Dove offers both fragranced and specially formulated products.

Is Dove deodorant aluminum free?

Some Dove deodorant products may be formulated without aluminum, but Dove deodorant is not one single formula. The product label is the reliable way to determine whether a particular Dove deodorant is aluminum free, because formulations and product names vary by market.

Is Dove body wash good?

Dove body wash is a personal-care cleansing product developed as part of Dove's broader range beyond the original Beauty Bar. Whether a particular body wash suits a shopper depends on its ingredients, fragrance, skin sensitivity and the product's stated use, so the exact label matters.

Is Dove Cameron in Shameless, and is Dove Cameron married?

Dove Cameron is a separate entertainment subject and is not the Unilever personal-care brand. Questions about Dove Cameron's acting roles, engagement or marital status do not describe Dove Beauty Bar, Dove deodorant or other Dove personal-care products.

Who owns Dove?

Dove

Ultimate ownerUnited KingdomUnilever PLC

Brand origin: United Kingdom
Main production: Several countries, incl. Germany

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About Dove

What is Dove?

Dove is a personal-care brand owned by Unilever PLC. Dove began with a cleansing bar designed as a less-drying alternative to ordinary soap. The original Dove Beauty Bar was marketed as containing one-quarter cleansing cream and as being milder than ordinary soap. Dove products now include body washes, hand and body lotions, facial cleansers, deodorants, shampoos, conditioners and hair-styling products. Dove products are sold in more than 150 countries. Unilever identifies Dove as one of its biggest global brands.

Who owns Dove?

Dove is ultimately owned by Unilever PLC, according to Made O'Meter's ownership data verified on 13 September 2026. Unilever PLC is headquartered in the United Kingdom and is a publicly listed company. Dove sits within Unilever's personal-care and Beauty and Wellbeing businesses. The personal-care Dove brand is separate from DOVE chocolate, which is owned by Mars, Incorporated. Dove chocolate and Dove personal-care products therefore have different owners.

Where does Dove come from?

Dove originated in the United Kingdom and was launched commercially in the United States in 1957. Unilever acquired a French patent in 1952 for a mild, pH-neutral cleansing bar enriched with moisturizers, and that invention became the basis for Dove. Lever Brothers developed the original beauty bar for the American market. Lever Brothers was an American and Canadian subsidiary of Unilever. Dove was introduced to Canada soon after its United States launch. Unilever test-marketed Dove in Europe during the mid-1960s but did not launch the brand across Europe at that time. Unilever later expanded Dove from a cleansing bar into a broader personal-care range during the 1990s, including beauty wash products. Dove launched the Campaign for Real Beauty in 2004. The campaign used advertising featuring ordinary women rather than conventional professional models.

What products does Dove make?

Dove makes personal-care products including Beauty Bar cleansing bars, body washes, hand and body lotions, facial cleansers, deodorants, shampoos, conditioners and hair-styling products. Dove's original product was a Beauty Bar. Dove expanded into beauty wash products during the 1990s. Unilever describes Dove as offering products for the body, face, underarms and hair. Product names and formulations vary by market, so a Dove product sold in one country may not have the same ingredients or claims as a product sold elsewhere.

Is Dove soap, and is Dove Beauty Bar soap?

Dove Beauty Bar is commonly called soap, but the original Dove Beauty Bar was formulated with synthetic detergents rather than traditional soap. Dove first positioned the product as an alternative to soap that was less drying to skin. The bar was developed as a mild, pH-neutral cleansing product enriched with moisturizers. The description of a particular Dove bar depends on its market, formulation and packaging, because Dove sells different cleansing products in different countries.

Is Dove soap antibacterial?

Dove Beauty Bar is not automatically an antibacterial product simply because it is a cleansing bar. The original Dove Beauty Bar was developed as a mild cleansing bar using synthetic detergents rather than traditional soap. Shoppers should check the exact product label for an antibacterial claim, active ingredient and directions, because Dove sells multiple bar and cleansing products in different markets. Dove Sensitive products should not be assumed to be antibacterial unless the packaging specifically says so.

How did Dove become a global personal-care brand?

Dove grew from a single cleansing bar into a wider personal-care range through product expansion and international distribution. Lever Brothers introduced the Dove Beauty Bar in the United States in 1957, and Dove was introduced in Canada soon afterward. During the 1990s, Dove expanded into products such as beauty washes. Dove later added body, face, deodorant and hair-care products. Unilever says Dove products are sold in more than 150 countries. Unilever also reported that Dove sold more than €5 billion of products annually in 2023, making Dove one of Unilever's three biggest brands at that time.

How was Dove originally advertised?

Dove's early advertising used black-and-white newspaper advertisements and television commercials created by Hewitt, Ogilvy, Benson & Mather for Lever Brothers. The original advertising emphasized that the Beauty Bar contained one-quarter cleansing cream and was milder than ordinary soap. Dove later changed the focus of some of its advertising through the Campaign for Real Beauty, launched in 2004. That campaign portrayed ordinary women rather than relying only on conventional professional models.

Is Dove cruelty free, and is Dove deodorant safe?

Dove's cruelty-free status and the safety of a particular Dove deodorant depend on the product, market and applicable regulatory standards. A general answer cannot establish the ingredients, testing status or regulatory position of every Dove product sold worldwide. Consumers should read the current packaging and the local product information for the exact Dove deodorant or other Dove product. Formulations can differ between countries and can change over time. Safety also depends on proper use and individual sensitivity.

What regulatory issue affected Dove Beauty Bar?

A 2024 Nigerian regulatory alert announced a recall of 100-gram Dove Beauty Cream Bar Soap, batch 81832M 08, produced in Germany. The alert said the recalled product contained Butylphenyl Methylpropional, also known as BMHCA. The Nigerian regulator stated that the ingredient is prohibited in cosmetic products because of risks including reproductive-system harm, harm to an unborn child and skin sensitization. The alert concerned the specified product, batch and market. It does not establish that every Dove product has the same formulation or regulatory status.

Frequently asked questions about Dove

Who owns Dove soap?: The personal-care Dove products, including Dove cleansing bars, are ultimately owned by Unilever PLC, a publicly listed company headquartered in the United Kingdom. Dove chocolate is a separate brand owned by Mars, Incorporated.
Who owns Dove deodorant and Dove shampoo?: Dove deodorant and Dove shampoo are personal-care products from the Dove brand, which is ultimately owned by Unilever PLC. Unilever places Dove within its personal-care and Beauty and Wellbeing businesses.
Who owns Dove chocolate and Dove ice cream?: Dove chocolate is owned by Mars, Incorporated, not Unilever. Mars also operates DOVE chocolate products and has used the Dove name in frozen products, so Dove chocolate and personal-care Dove products should not be treated as the same business.
Is Dove original unscented?: The original Dove Beauty Bar was marketed as containing one-quarter cleansing cream and as being milder than ordinary soap, but the original product should not automatically be described as unscented. Shoppers should check the current packaging for the exact bar and market, because Dove offers both fragranced and specially formulated products.
Is Dove deodorant aluminum free?: Some Dove deodorant products may be formulated without aluminum, but Dove deodorant is not one single formula. The product label is the reliable way to determine whether a particular Dove deodorant is aluminum free, because formulations and product names vary by market.
Is Dove body wash good?: Dove body wash is a personal-care cleansing product developed as part of Dove's broader range beyond the original Beauty Bar. Whether a particular body wash suits a shopper depends on its ingredients, fragrance, skin sensitivity and the product's stated use, so the exact label matters.
Is Dove Cameron in Shameless, and is Dove Cameron married?: Dove Cameron is a separate entertainment subject and is not the Unilever personal-care brand. Questions about Dove Cameron's acting roles, engagement or marital status do not describe Dove Beauty Bar, Dove deodorant or other Dove personal-care products.