For decades, Suave has been a household name in the American personal care market, known for its affordable yet effective products that democratize beauty trends. But in 2023, the brand entered a new chapter when Unilever divested its North American business, selling it to Yellow Wood Partners, a private equity firm with a history of revitalizing consumer brands. Now operating as Suave Brands Company, the business is undergoing a strategic transformation, ensuring its place as both an accessible and high-quality beauty brand.

“We have over 95% brand awareness in the US, and are present in almost half of American households, which is kind of crazy to think about,” Rachel Melena Behm, Suave’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, said to BeautyMatter. “What we stand for is really high-quality products—great ingredients, fragrances, and benefits—often at a price point that people associate with luxury, but we make it accessible.” As Suave navigates its post-Unilever era, its strategy involves reinvigorating product innovation, refining marketing efforts, and optimizing its supply chain—all while maintaining its reputation as a go-to affordable beauty brand.

Revitalizing a Legacy Brand

Under Unilever, Suave was part of a vast portfolio of beauty and personal care brands, and its growth had slowed as other brands took priority. Now, under Yellow Wood’s leadership, the focus is solely on Suave’s growth and potential. “The brand had gotten a little sleepy over the years,” Behm said. “Now, we have the opportunity to really surprise people with how fantastic our products are—both the experience of using them and the results they deliver.”

The company is leveraging this renewed focus by ensuring product quality matches or exceeds consumer expectations. “When people actually try our products, they’re often shocked by how good they are,” she said. “That’s where our messaging comes in—getting more people to experience Suave firsthand.”

Suave has long been positioned as an accessible alternative to high-end beauty brands, taking cues from prestige trends and translating them into mass-market offerings. This model has proved successful in categories like haircare, body wash, and deodorants. “Way back in 2012, we launched our Keratin Infusions line with smoothing benefits, making a claim that it worked as well as Kerastase. That product is still one of our bestsellers today,” said Behm.

Now, with the launch of 30+ new products in 2025, Suave is doubling down on innovation. “Take our Bonding Infusion collection,” Behm added, “we have substantiated claims that it works as well as [other legacy brands], many of which are the gold standard in salon bonding treatments.” By offering high-quality alternatives at lower price points, Suave is betting on an increasingly cost-conscious consumer base looking for performance-driven products without the premium price tag.

A New Approach to Consumer Segmentation

Suave’s product portfolio spans multiple categories, serving diverse consumer groups—including women, men, and children. Each segment requires a tailored approach, both in formulation and marketing. For women, for example, Suave leans into ingredient transparency and efficacy. “[Women are] highly involved in [their] beauty choices,” Behm said. “They’re reading ingredient lists, watching YouTube reviews, and making informed decisions. That’s why we emphasize hard-hitting claims and proven results.”

The men’s market, however, is an entirely different playbook. “For men, it’s all about simplicity,” she explained. “They’re habitual buyers who want something that works and smells great—without the fuss.” This insight led to the launch of multiple Suave campaigns, including its recent “No BS” marketing campaign, which strips away complexity in favor of direct, results-driven messaging.

For children, Suave takes this dual-pronged approach that appeals to both parents and kids. “Parents want safe, effective products, and Suave has that trust factor,” said Behm. “But kids want something fun. That’s why we work with top licensors to create products like our Minions-themed bath slime—it’s a body wash that foams up like slime. Kids love it, and parents trust it.”

With beauty brands increasingly reliant on social media to drive awareness and sales, Suave has adapted its marketing to align with digital-first consumers. “We’re on a mission to reintroduce Suave to consumers who may not have considered us before,” Behm said. “That means working with content creators who can genuinely experience and react to our products,” she added. This strategy revolves around authenticity.

“When influencers try our Bonding Infusion and realize it performs like [other popular ones] at a fraction of the price, their genuine reaction is what drives engagement,” she explained. “It’s that ‘unexpectedly good’ moment that makes people pay attention.” For men, Suave leans into partnerships with media platforms that resonate with male consumers. “Men are harder to reach through traditional beauty channels, so we’ve partnered with platforms like Reddit and the New Heights podcast with the Kelce brothers,” she said. “It’s all about meeting them where they are.”

Supply Chain and Retail Strategy

Despite its mass-market positioning, Suave maintains tight control over its supply chain to ensure affordability without compromising quality. The majority of Suave’s products are manufactured in North America, with a few deodorant SKUs sourced from Canada. “You can imagine the scale we’re working with—we run 100 production runs a week,” Behm said. “Keeping our manufacturing close to home allows us to maintain affordability while avoiding major supply chain disruptions,” she added.

Suave’s retail model is equally strategic. Unlike some personal care brands that pivoted to DTC models, Suave remains committed to mass-market retail partnerships. “Our business is done through our retail partners—Walmart, Target, Amazon, and dollar stores,” she said. “Our brand is built on accessibility—not just in pricing but in availability. If you walk into almost any major retailer, you’ll find Suave.”

This distribution model has proven resilient, even amid economic shifts. “With today’s cost-of-living crisis, consumers are more value-conscious than ever,” Behm added. “We want to ensure that no matter where they shop, they have access to high-quality, affordable beauty products.”

One of the biggest challenges for a brand like Suave is combating the perception that affordability equates to lower quality. However, Behm is confident that performance will ultimately shift consumer mindsets. “We’re not going to change human psychology overnight,” she said. “People naturally assume that lower-priced products aren’t as good. But we always say—just try it. If [consumers] spend $2.99 on shampoo and realize it works as well as a $30 one, they should think about the years of savings ahead.”

With inflation and economic uncertainty shaping consumer spending habits, Suave’s ability to offer high-quality alternatives at a fraction of the cost positions the brand as a compelling choice. “People are reevaluating where they spend their money,” she said. “Some categories are non-negotiables for splurging, but others—like daily personal care—are where people start looking for smarter alternatives.”

The Road Ahead for Suave

Under its new ownership, Suave is not just maintaining its presence in the beauty and personal care market; it is actively redefining what affordable beauty means. With a reinvigorated product pipeline, strategic marketing campaigns, and a strong retail presence, the brand is set to continue its legacy while evolving for modern consumers. “We’re close to a $700 million brand, producing around 250 million units annually,” Behm said. “Over half of our business is in haircare alone. The growth potential is massive.”

Suave’s mission remains clear, and that is making prestige-level beauty accessible to all. As it reintroduces itself to a new generation of consumers, the brand proves that luxury isn’t about price, but about performance.