Helene Curtis Industries, Inc.

Helene Curtis Industries, Inc.

Company type	Public (until 1996)
Industry	Cosmetics and personal care
Founded	1927 in Chicago, Illinois, United States
Founder	Gerald Gidwitz, Louis Stein
Defunct	1996
Fate	Acquired by Unilever
Headquarters	Chicago , United States
Area served	United States, international (up to 81 countries)
Key people	Ronald J. Gidwitz (CEO from 1985)
Products	Haircare products, deodorants, skin creams, fragrances (e.g. Suave, Degree, Stopette, Finesse, Salon Selectives)
Parent	Unilever (from 1996)

Helene Curtis Industries, Inc. was a Chicago-based American company specializing in cosmetics and beauty salon products. The firm broadened its range by acquiring a hair-coloring brand and later branched out into personal care, producing well-known items such as the Degree line.

Corporation history

Established in 1927 in Chicago under the name National Mineral Company by partners Gerald Gidwitz and Louis Stein, the enterprise initially manufactured a facial mudpack designed for use in beauty salons. Shortly thereafter, it shifted its emphasis toward haircare, introducing machineless waving pads that made the permanent wave technique more accessible.

In the 1930s, Helene Curtis created Lanolin Creme Shampoo, among the earliest detergent-based shampoos marketed exclusively through salons. This achievement paved the way for the 1937 debut of Suave Hairdressing, which evolved into a cornerstone product after expanding distribution to retail outlets.

During World War II, operating as National Industries, Inc., the company produced military equipment including aircraft gun turrets and radar parts. After the war, it returned to personal care products and adopted the Helene Curtis name, inspired by relatives of partner Louis Stein. Both Suave Hairdressing and Lanolin Creme Shampoo were introduced to general retail markets and rapidly surpassed competitors. In 1948, Helene Curtis moved its headquarters following a property transaction with Kraft Foods.

The term "hairspray" was first coined by Helene Curtis in 1949 for its aerosol product Spraynet. The 1950s brought successful product launches such as Stopette spray deodorant (acquired in 1956) and Enden dandruff shampoo, both heavily promoted through television commercials that helped establish Stopette as a market leader.

Growth continued through acquisitions including Kings Men male grooming products, Lentheric fragrances, and Studio Girl cosmetics. By the mid-1950s, Helene Curtis products were available in 25 countries. The company went public in 1956 but remained under Gidwitz family control until its acquisition by Unilever in 1996.

In the early 1960s, Helene Curtis expanded on Suave’s achievements with new shampoos, creme rinses, and wave sets. Its shares were listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1961, and by the mid-1960s its product licenses extended to 81 countries. That same year, Helene Curtis entered direct door-to-door cosmetics sales to compete with Avon.

Ronald J. Gidwitz assumed the CEO role in 1985. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Suave shampoo dominated U.S. sales thanks to impactful advertising highlighting quality at lower prices compared to premium brands. This success facilitated diversification into deodorants, skin creams, and other personal care offerings. The company also launched Finesse and professional-grade Salon Selectives; by 1989 these three brands ranked among the top ten national shampoos.

In 1990, Helene Curtis introduced Degree antiperspirant featuring a heat-activated formula supported by a $50 million promotional campaign. Degree quickly gained substantial market share, contributing to total revenues reaching $1.02 billion by fiscal year 1992.

Despite strong sales growth and advertising expenditures nearing $80 million during the 1990s, Helene Curtis lacked sufficient scale to compete globally against industry leaders like Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Consequently, in February 1996 it agreed to be acquired by Unilever for approximately $770 million.

The company is also recognized in contract law due to the landmark 1963 case Helene Curtis Industries, Inc. v. United States, which established the Superior knowledge doctrine.

As of 1998, Helene Curtis operated a manufacturing facility located in Rolling Meadows, Illinois.