Celebrities Team Up With Dove(R) Deodorant to Raise Money for Self-Esteem

CHICAGO, April 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As the temperature rises, tube tops, tank tops and countless other sleeveless styles are essential for every summer wardrobe. Unfortunately, many women are reluctant to embrace this trend. According to a new survey, only 8 percent of women feel beautiful when sleeveless.(1) To help change this mindset, America's favorite celebrities, including Tyra Banks, Jennifer Hudson, Felicity Huffman, Elle Macpherson and Queen Latifah are partnering with the Dove Deodorant Sleeveless-Ready Celebrity Auction to encourage women to feel confident and "go sleeveless."

The Dove Deodorant Sleeveless-Ready Celebrity Auction, which begins May 2 on Dove.com, will feature celebrity designed and autographed sleeveless shirts. The auction's proceeds will help send girls across the United States to self-esteem workshops through the Girl Scouts of the USA program uniquely ME!, which is sponsored by the Dove Self-Esteem Fund (DSEF). The DSEF is part of the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, a global effort designed to widen today's stereotypical view of beauty.

"The Dove Deodorant Sleeveless-Ready Celebrity Auction is dedicated to building sleeveless confidence among women," said Chloe Dao, fashion designer, auction participant and winner of Bravo's, "Project Runway." "Feeling beautiful when sleeveless is not all about the right clothes. To feel great in arm-baring fashions, find a style that boosts confidence and use a product that takes care of underarm skin."

On Wednesday, May 16, viewers can see how talk show host Tyra Banks designs her exclusive, one-of-a-kind sleeveless top on "The Tyra Banks Show" (syndicated/check local listings).

A Deodorant That Delivers On Its Promise

Nearly 60 percent of women experience irritated underarms, which is the primary reason why women lack the confidence to wear sleeveless fashions. In fact, one out of three women actually avoid going sleeveless because they are self-conscious about their underarms. Dove Ultimate Clear is made with 1/4 Translucent Moisturizers(TM), which provide softer, smoother, sleeveless-ready underarms -- in just five days.

Dove Ultimate Clear has a unique formula that improves underarm irritation caused by shaving. Unlike most leading gels, Dove Ultimate Clear does not turn white over time. By staying on skin, not on clothes, it really alleviates white marks. Now available in new Smooth Cashmere, a scent that combines notes of jasmine, peach and vanilla, it also provides 24-hour outstanding odor and wetness protection.

Dove Ultimate Clear is available in new Smooth Cashmere, Cool Essentials, Radiant Silk, Fresh, Powder and Original Clean fragrances. The entire line of Dove Deodorant is available at food, drug and mass retail outlets for a suggested retail price of $3.99 for 2.6 oz and $2.99 for 1.6 oz (available in Cool Essentials or Powder only). Visit Dove.com for more information about caring for underarm skin, how to get sleeveless-ready with Dove Ultimate Clear and the Dove Deodorant Sleeveless-Ready Celebrity Auction.

About Dove

The Dove mission is to make women feel more beautiful every day by challenging today's stereotypical view of beauty and inspiring women to take great care of themselves. Dove, manufactured by Unilever, is the No. 1 personal wash brand nationwide. One in every three households uses a Dove product(2), which includes beauty bars, body washes, face care, anti-perspirant/deodorants, hair care and styling aids. Dove is available nationwide in food, drug and mass outlet stores.

About Unilever

Unilever , one of the world's largest consumer products companies, aims to add vitality to life by meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care. Each day, around the world, consumers make 150 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. The company has a portfolio of brands that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life.

In the United States these brands include recognized names such as: Axe, "all," Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Lipton, Knorr, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever in the United States employs approximately 13,000 people in 60 office and manufacturing sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico -- generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2006. For more information visit http://www.unileverusa.com/.

(1) All statistics are a result of the Dove Anti-Perspirant study conducted by Impulse Research Corp. in December 2006. The online survey was completed by 2,048 women in the U.S. between the ages of 18-54. Margin of error is +/- 3 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence. (2) AC Nielsen (2004) Contact: Ashley Fullman/Edelman Stacie Bright/Unilever (312) 233-1217 (203) 625-1130 ashley.fullman@edelman.com stacie.bright@unilever.com