Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant Deodorant Not as ‘Natural’ as Advertised, Class Action Alleges

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A proposed class action claims Unilever United States, Inc. has falsely advertised that Dove Advanced Care antiperspirant deodorant contains only natural ingredients, including significant amounts of natural oil.

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According to the 11-page lawsuit, the product’s front-label statement “¼ moisturizers with natural oil” and images of fruits or vegetables lead consumers to believe that Dove Advanced Care antiperspirant deodorant is made exclusively with natural ingredients, a large portion of which are natural oils. In truth, the products contain “de minimis” amounts of oil made with synthetic chemical solvents, the case contends.

Despite the front label’s emphasis on natural oils, the most predominant ingredients in Dove Advanced Care antiperspirant deodorant, stearyl alcohol and C12-15 alkyl benzoate, are neither natural nor oils, the suit says. 

In fact, the case shares, the products’ back-label ingredients list reveals that the two oils within the deodorant—hydrogenated castor oil and helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil—are only the sixth and twelfth most predominant ingredients by weight, respectively. What's more, these oils are not natural ingredients but rather synthetic substances that require chemical reactions and the use of petrochemicals to produce, the filing contests.

The complaint goes on to explain that n-hexane, an industrial chemical obtained from petroleum and used to extract oil from sunflower seeds, is known to inflict environmental damage to air and water sources when thrown away. In addition, the chemical is a skin irritant that can cause redness, blistering and superficial burns, the suit relays, adding that medical professionals widely recommend that anyone exposed to n-hexane should seek medical attention.

“Since one of the reasons consumers prefer natural ingredients is due to the negative health and environmental effects of synthetic ingredients, it is misleading to highlight ‘natural’ oils made with synthetic chemical solvents known to have negative health and environmental effects,” the lawsuit contends.

Finally, the complaint argues that although the phrase “¼ moisturizers with natural oil” is understood by consumers to mean that the added natural oils contribute to the products’ moisturizing effects, hydrogenated castor oil is, in fact, included in the deodorant only to reduce surface tension between two substances.

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone in New York who purchased Dove Advanced Care antiperspirant deodorant during the applicable statute of limitations period.

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