They also took to Twitter to try to ease the anger felt by many.
"An image we recently posted on Facebook missed the mark in representing women of color thoughtfully. We deeply regret the offense it caused," added the company.
But social media wasn't having it and hated the apology, blasting the company for its insensitivity following a similar incident by hair care company Shea Moisture in April.
One user said: 'Lol did this even look right to y'all? I mean your whole team sat down and cleared this b******t right here? How?'
"Dear dove, I assure you us 'women of colour' have actual skin with colour, not a tan that you can remove. Thanks," added another.
"How many people saw this ad? If someone raised a concern and you didn't listen, please make them head of advertising," said a user.
And many had issues with the lackluster apology Dove offered to its customers and followers.
Sonia Gupta said: "This is the most non-apology apology I've seen all week. Are you joining the Trump administration now? WTF is that ad even supposed to mean?"
It was a sentiment shared by user Senzelwe Mzila who added: "White supremacy alive and well in boardrooms. Don't apologise @Dove we are the foolish ones thinking that black people mattered to you.
"Your image has me scared s**tless at taking my clothes off and there is no way I'd consider turning white a good result. Shameful," added another.
A few users brought up instances when the brand had other questionable marketing ploys that seemed to paint blackness as undesired.
Showing a campaign where two panels show 'before' and 'after' as three models from darkest to lightest stand in front of them, Nonhlanhla Mabhena simply said: "You have done it in the past."
Another user showed labeling on one of their products bottles that said "nourishing lotion for normal to dark skin."
That same user also posted an advert from Pear Soap from the early 19th century that featured a black baby being scrubbed clean and eventually becoming white.
"TALK ABOUT DISGUSTING!!! Uhg. This is beyond disappointing what the f**k?" they said.
A photo also circulated on Facebook showing other examples of brands with racist marketing strategies and showed the comparison from those advertisement campaigns to the one Dove did.
And to put a comedic spin on it all, a man filmed himself copying the popular trend of throwing things down the toilet and emptied a Dove bottle down the drain.
