• Brand name: Caress

• Industry: Personal care

• Founded: 1976 (United States)

• Original owner: Lever Brothers (later part of Unilever)

• Current owner: Elida Beauty (owned by Yellow Wood Partners since 2024)

• Product categories:

• Beauty bars

• Body wash

• Hand soap

• Bath and shower products

• Primary markets: United States, Latin America, and selected international markets [1]

Caress was introduced in 1976 by Lever Brothers, a company that later became part of Unilever. Unlike conventional soap brands that focused mainly on cleansing, Caress differentiated itself by emphasizing fragrance, elegance, and soft skin.

Its original advertising highlighted the product’s signature perfume scent and creamy lather, targeting consumers looking for a more luxurious bathing experience. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Caress expanded from beauty bars into liquid body washes and other bath products.

For decades, Caress remained one of Unilever’s personal care brands. In 2024, Unilever sold Caress, along with more than 20 other beauty and personal care brands, to Yellow Wood Partners as part of the sale of the Elida Beauty business. Since then, Caress has operated under Elida Beauty. [1]

Caress focuses on transforming everyday bathing into a sensory experience. Rather than emphasizing medical or dermatological benefits, the brand promotes:

• Luxurious fragrances

• Soft, smooth-feeling skin

• Self-care and indulgence

• Confidence through fragrance

Many of its products feature floral, fruit-inspired, and perfume-like scents designed to linger on the skin after bathing.

Caress offers several personal care products, including:

Beauty Bars

The brand’s signature product, available in fragrances such as:

• Daily Silk

• Evenly Gorgeous

• Shea Butter variants

• White Peach & Orange Blossom

• Exotic Oil Infusions (market dependent)

Beauty bars are formulated with moisturizers intended to cleanse while helping skin feel soft.

Body Wash

Caress body washes are available in various fragrance collections, often including ingredients such as:

• White peach

• Orange blossom

• Black orchid

• Patchouli oil

• Brown sugar

• Coconut milk

• Shea butter

Many formulas contain fragrance capsules or moisturizing ingredients intended to provide a lasting scent after showering.

Hand Soap

In some markets, Caress also sells liquid hand soaps featuring fragrances similar to its body care line.

Caress products typically feature:

• Curved, feminine packaging

• Bright floral imagery

• Color-coded variants

• Premium fragrance branding

The brand has undergone several packaging redesigns while maintaining its recognizable script logo.

Caress advertising has traditionally centered on:

• Feminine elegance

• Romance

• Luxury

• Fragrance longevity

• Everyday indulgence

Campaigns have often highlighted the idea that fragrance can leave a memorable impression after bathing.

Although strongest in the United States, Caress products are also available through selected retailers and online marketplaces in:

• Canada

• Mexico

• Latin America

• Parts of Asia

• Selected Middle Eastern markets

Availability varies by country.

Caress competes in the premium mass-market body cleansing segment alongside brands such as:

• Dove

• Olay

• Nivea

• Softsoap

• Dial

Its primary point of differentiation is its emphasis on fine fragrance and a spa-like bathing experience rather than clinical skincare benefits.

Caress has remained a recognizable beauty soap brand for nearly five decades. Its combination of moisturizing cleansers and signature fragrances has helped it maintain a loyal customer base, particularly among consumers seeking affordable luxury in everyday personal care. Following its transfer to Elida Beauty in 2024, the brand continues to be marketed as a fragrance-focused bath and body care line. [1]

1. Unilever Annual Report 1994