Class action claims Dove deodorant labeled alcohol-free contains benzyl alcohol

Dove Men+Care class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: A woman has sued Unilever United States Inc.
• Why: The plaintiff alleges Unilever falsely advertises its Dove Men+Care deodorant as alcohol-free.
• Where: The Dove Men+Care class action lawsuit was filed in New York federal court.

A new class action lawsuit claims Unilever falsely advertises its Dove Men+Care deodorant as alcohol-free when it actually contains benzyl alcohol.

Plaintiff Doris Gardner filed the class action complaint against Unilever on Dec. 29, 2025, in New York federal court, alleging violations of state and federal consumer laws.

According to the class action lawsuit, Unilever manufactures, markets and sells Dove Men+Care 0% Aluminum Deodorant in thousands of stores throughout the United States, including in New York.

Unilever prominently advertises the product as containing “no alcohol” to appeal to consumers who believe alcohol ingredients can be harmful and cause skin irritation and allergic reactions, the class action lawsuit says.

“However, unbeknownst to consumers, the products do contain an alcohol ingredient in the form of benzyl alcohol,” Gardner alleges.

Unilever’s conduct false and deceptive, plaintiff alleges

Gardner argues Unilever has engaged in widespread false and deceptive conduct by designing, marketing, manufacturing, distributing and selling the products with the alcohol-free representation.

“Every package of the products misleads consumers into believing the products do not contain alcohol ingredients,” she says.

Gardner says she relied on the alcohol-free representation when purchasing the product and would not have bought it, or would not have paid as much, had she known it contained alcohol. As a result, she says she suffered monetary damages.

She is looking to represent anyone in the United States who bought the product during the applicable statute of limitations period. The plaintiff is suing for fraud, breach of express warranty and violations of New York General Business Law and is seeking certification of the class action, damages, fees, costs and a jury trial.

Meanwhile, Unilever faces a class action lawsuit alleging it falsely advertised Dove retinol body wash and other retinol skin cleansers as providing the benefits of retinol when the products, which are rinse-off cleansers, do not deliver those results.

What do you think of the claims made in this Dove Men+Care class action lawsuit? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Stacey Ann Van Malden of Goldberger & Dubin P.C. and Brittany S. Scott of Smith Krivoshey P.C.

The Dove Men+Care class action lawsuit is Gardner v. Unilever United States Inc., Case No. 1:25-cv-07113, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

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