Certain identifiers are helpful when it comes to navigating the massive beauty industry. We look for shampoo that is specifically formulated for thicker hair, lotion that alleviates dry hands, or foundation that’s seemingly more harmonious with our oily T-zones—anything that recognizes that we have unique qualities that we aim to either accentuate or mask.
On their own, descriptors like “dry,” “oily,” or “thick” don’t necessarily spark bouts of insecurity. However, when you stack them against an ostensibly innocuous word like “normal,” it can take on an entirely different context, one that may make some consumers feel like outsiders in their own skin.
Global beauty conglomerate Unilever this week announced that an international study involving 10,000 people found 70% of participants felt that the word “normal” on beauty packaging has a negative personal impact. That statistic increases to 80% among those aged 18 to 35. As the owner of major brands like Dove and Axe, Unilever felt it could play a role in dispelling the idea of any singular notion of beauty—or normalcy.
To that end, Unilever said it is eliminating the word “normal” from its personal care brands’ packaging and marketing.
“With one billion people using our beauty and personal care products every day, and even more seeing our advertising, our brands have the power to make a real difference to people’s lives,” said Unilever president Sunny Jain in a statement. “As part of this, we are committed to tackling harmful norms and stereotypes and shaping a broader, far more inclusive definition of beauty.”
The change will affect packaging of more than 200 Unilever-owned products and be completed by March 2022, according to The New York Times.
The decision is the most recent marker of Unilever’s Positive Beauty vision, an initiative geared toward “not only [doing] less harm, but [doing] more good,” according to the company, by promoting policies that challenge societal norms and pave a road to better inclusion.
This includes improving the diversity of the teams involved in the advertising, both onscreen and behind the camera, and creating a multibillion-dollar spending plan that directly benefits suppliers owned by underrepresented groups.
“We know that removing ‘normal’ from our products and packaging will not fix the problem alone,” Jain says, “but it is an important step forward.”
