May 1 (Reuters) - Unilever ( UL ) on Thursday said

that it was taking steps to close its skincare business REN,

citing internal challenges that were made worse by market

conditions and "left the brand unable to sustain success in the

long term."

The consumer goods company, which makes Dove soap and

Vaseline, said there was no fixed date for the closure of REN,

but it expects the brand to stop trading by the end of the third

quarter this year.

(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank

Dhaniwala)