New Simple® Skincare Survey Reveals Even Today's Skin-Savvy Women Surprised by What City Living Can Do to Their Skin

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., May 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- From grit and grime to dirt and drama, city living can make all skin sensitive. That is why Simple^® Skincare, a range of facial products that is sensitive to skin's needs, is launching "Kind To City Skin" – a global initiative designed to help women understand the impact that city living – both environmental and lifestyle-related factors – can have on their faces.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/7149051-simple-skincare-kind-to-city-skin

While most women are already aware of skin-irritating behaviors to avoid, such as excessive sun exposure or a high-sugar diet, a new survey* reveals a surprising truth – that women in the top 40 cities nationwide don't realize the wear and tear their everyday lifestyle may be having on the health and appearance of their skin.

In launching "Kind To City Skin," Simple^® created a provocative time-lapse video and is also providing information, tools and a range of products to help women's city skin thrive. Simple^® knows what is left out is as important as what is put in. Its cleansers, moisturizers, wipes and eye care products are kind to skin – they contain no dyes, artificial perfumes or harsh irritants that can upset skin. The Simple^® range, which helps women achieve natural, healthy-looking skin, also contains added vitamins and skin-loving ingredients.

The Simple^® brand's time-lapse video dramatically depicts the potential effects city living can have on a woman's face in just 14 days: http://youtu.be/aRU1xsPgmmQ. Simple^® will unveil the video on billboards in select cities worldwide, starting today with New York (Times Square). Simple^® is also inviting women everywhere to view the video and join the conversation by using the hashtag #KindToCitySkin.

While the skin damage in the video was created using makeup and special effects, the dramatization is grounded in insights, expertise and research, led by Simple^® Advisory Board member and Board Certified Dermatologist Dr. Debra Luftman and Unilever scientists.

"Women across the country – in cities big and small – know they need be proactive with their skin health, but they don't always realize how their daily physical environment and lifestyle-driven habits can make their skin sensitive," said Dawn Hedgepeth, Marketing Director, Simple^® Skincare. "We wanted to issue a wake-up call to women everywhere with a visual that dramatizes the need to be kind to city skin with Simple^®. We are also hosting events in cities nationwide so women can learn how to care for their skin from the inside out with a holistic approach." 

Holistic Skincare Habits across the Country:
Nearly 9 in 10 (89%) women describe their skincare habits as "healthy," yet their actual behaviors (a snapshot below) show there is room for improvement:

• A Surprising Cleansing Calendar – More than a quarter (27%) report that the longest they've gone without washing their face is at least two days. Simple^® makes implementing a cleansing regimen a cinch with gentle yet effective facial cleansers and wipes to remove grime and dirt that can clog pores and cause irritation.
• Being Attentive to the Elements – Fifty-nine percent (59%) are not actively trying to protect skin from environmental elements such as the sun or wind. Women can apply Simple^® Protecting Light Moisturizer with SPF 15 to help them prevent damage from sunburn (even on cloudy days).
• A Serving of Glowing Skin – Though half (50%) claim they're striving for a healthy diet specifically to keep skin in good shape, thousands of women are missing out on certain foods that could work wonders on skin, such as Brussels sprouts (68%), walnuts (62%), salmon (57%) and avocados (56%).
• The (Skin) Effects of Stress – Sixty-three percent (63%) know that their stress level affects the health of their skin, yet more than half (53%) are not actively trying to reduce it right now. Making a dedicated effort to unplug and unwind can make skin less permeable to external factors like weather and makeup.
• The Beauty Benefits of Working Out – One in two (50%) are unaware that exercise can influence their skin's health. Exercise increases blood flow and helps flush cellular debris out of one's system – contributing to the overall appearance of skin.

Simple^® also uncovered which major markets are ahead of the curve when it comes to holistic skincare habits:

• The majority (52%) of women in San Francisco are trying to eat skin-loving food that is organic, produced locally, or farm-to-table.
• More than 6 in 10 (63%) women in Hartford (CT) are trying to limit the amount of time they spend using electronic devices.
• It is most common for women in Grand Rapids (33%) and Detroit (32%) to ride bikes on at least a monthly basis.

Simple^® Skincare encourages women to care for their skin from the inside out with a holistic approach. This includes the right facial products and regimen, but also lifestyle considerations like diet, fitness and stress management. Women looking to improve their holistic skincare habits can receive tips and product recommendations, based on their city location, from the Simple^® Advisory Board by using the Simple^® Skin Forecaster tool on www.simpleskincare.com. In addition to Luftman, the board includes top experts Ellie Krieger RD (Culinary Nutritionist), Gita Bass (Makeup Artist), Kacy Duke (Fitness Expert) and Dr. Josie Howard, M.D. (Board Certified Psychiatrist). 

The Simple^® "Kind To City Skin" Campaign Hits the Road:
Today, women in New York City are invited to stop by the "Simple^® Skincare Oasis" in Times Square (Broadway and 43^rd Street) from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST to receive free** Simple^® products and participate in fun and good-for-skin activities, such as working out and enjoying healthy snacks. Simple^® Advisory Board members will be on hand to provide personalized advice on how to adopt a holistic approach to skincare. Simple^®, in partnership with go-to lifestyle destination POPSUGAR.com, will also be hosting interactive events in the following cities (exact locations and times will be available on www.simpleskincare.com):

May 17^th: Boston, MA
June 1^st: Cincinnati, OH
June 7^th: Chicago, IL
June 14^th: Minneapolis, MN
June 21^st: Dallas, TX
June 28^th: San Francisco, CA
July 12^th: Los Angeles, CA

Coming Later This Month – The #CitySkinChallenge:
Starting Wednesday, May 21st, Simple^® Skincare will help its social community members reveal their best skin with the #CitySkinChallenge. From mid-May until early July, @SimpleSkincare will tweet out one holistic skincare "challenge" per day that people can complete, like trying a new yoga pose or cooking a new healthy recipe for a chance to win daily prizes***. All challenges can be viewed on Twitter at @SimpleSkincare as well as online at www.simpleskincare.com.

About Simple^® Skincare:
Simple^® Skincare is a complete range of facial skincare products that is sensitive to skin's needs. The Simple^® Skincare brand knows that what is left out is as important as what is put in when it comes to gentle, yet effective skincare. The complete Simple^® Skincare range has 14 products, including cleansers, moisturizers, eye care and wipes. All Simple^® Skincare products have no dyes, artificial perfumes or harsh irritants that can upset skin and contain skin-loving ingredients and added vitamins for natural, healthy-looking skin. Simple^® Skincare products are hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and pH balanced. Simple^® Skincare is sold in all mass retailers, drug stores, grocery stores and online for a suggested retail price of $5.00 - $13.00.

In February 2014, Simple^® Skincare introduced two new moisturizers – an Ultra-Light Gel Moisturizer and a Nourishing 24-Hour Day/Night Cream. The Ultra-Light Gel Moisturizer has a fast-absorbing formula, packed with multi-vitamins, that delivers a soft and smooth base – creating an ideal surface for makeup application. The Simple^® Skincare Nourishing 24-Hour Day/Night Cream, made with Shea butter, hydrates thirsty skin. 

Connect with Simple^®:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simpleskincare
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/simpleskincare
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/simplecouk
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/simpleskincare_us
• Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/simpleskincare

About Unilever United States, Inc.
Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in more than 190 countries. Working to create a better future every day, we help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. In the United States, the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy, Consort For Men, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Fruttare, Good Humor, Hellmann's, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Just for Me!, Klondike, Knorr, Lever 2000, Lipton, Magnum, Motions, Nexxus, Noxzema, Pond's, Popsicle, Promise, Q-tips, Ragu, Simple, Slim-Fast, St. Ives, Suave, TIGI, TONI&GUY Hair Meet Wardrobe, TRESemme and Vaseline.  All of the preceding brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies.

Our ambition is to double the size of our business, while reducing our overall environmental footprint (including sourcing, consumer use and disposal) and increasing our positive social impact. We are committed to helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being, sourcing all our agricultural raw materials sustainably by 2020, and decoupling our growth from our environmental impact. Supporting our three big goals, we have defined seven pillars, underpinned by targets encompassing social, environmental and economic areas. See more on the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan at http://www.unileverusa.com/sustainable-living/.

Unilever employs approximately 10,000 people in the United States – generating nearly $9 billion in sales in 2013. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.

*The 20-question Simple^® survey was conducted by Kelton Global between February 24th and March 16th, 2014 among 8,186 American women ages 18 and over in the top 40 U.S. DMAs, using an email invitation and an online survey. The margin of error is +/- 1.1 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. The margin of error for specific cities and any other subgroups will be slightly higher.

**Free Simple^® product samples will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis; quantities are limited. 

*** No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Simple^® Skincare #CitySkinChallenge is sponsored by Conopco, Inc., d/b/a Unilever. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18 or older. Begins 5/21/14 at 10:00 a.m. ET & ends 7/6/14 at 9:59 a.m. ET. For official rules, visit http://www.simpleskincare.com/know-your-skin/challenge-official-rules.aspx.

SOURCE Unilever