Patent Picks by Bud Brewster

Posted: September 27, 2007

Patents and intellectual property are vital to building and growing a business but during the creative formulating process it is nearly impossible to research every patent that is issued. In response, Cosmetics & Toiletries.com now features collections of recently issued patents for your consideration. Chosen by our technical editor, Bud Brewster, for their relevance to personal care, these "Patent Picks" are taken from publicly available sources, collected and presented here for your convenience.

Hair Care
20070184002
S Vrignaud and C Bebot (inventors)
Non-washing cosmetic composition comprising at least one ionic fixing polymer and at least one ester of polyethylene glycol and of fatty acid, and method for fixing a hairstyle
A non-washing cosmetic composition comparises, in a cosmetically acceptable medium chosen from aqueous/alcoholic and alcoholic mediums, at least one ionic fixing polymer, at least one ester of polyethylene glycol and of fatty acid, and at least one thickening agent. Also disclosed is a process for the shaping and/or the form retention of a hair style in which this cosmetic composition is applied to the hair.

20070184001
S Vrignaud and C Bebot (inventors)
Cosmetic composition comprising a nonionic fixing polymer and a specific ester of polyethylene glycol and of fatty acid, and a method for fixing the hairstyle
The present disclosure relates to a cosmetic composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium, at least one nonionic fixing polymer other than poly(vinylpyrrolidone/vinyl acetate) and at least one ester of polyethylene glycol and of fatty acid of a specified structure.

Skin Care
20070183996
BASF Catalyst LLC
Para-coumaric acid or para-hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and their use in cosmetic or dermatological compositions
The invention relates to the use of para-coumaric acid or para-hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives in cosmetic or dermatological compositions, specifically to the use of at least one compound derived from para-coumaric acid having a general formula specified in the application as an active principle with depigmenting, free-radical-scavenging and/or antiinflammatory activity. The invention also relates to the use of the specified compounds for cosmetic care or for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition, especially for depigmenting an area of skin, having antiradical and/or antiinflammatory activity.

20070183995
Unilever Intellectual Property Group
Compounds useful as agonists of A2A adenosine receptors, cosmetic compositions with A2A agonists and a method for using the same
Compounds useful as agonists of A2A adenosine receptors are described. Also described is a cosmetically acceptable composition having an agonist of A2A adenosine receptors where the composition is suitable to apply to human skin to reduce the effects of melanin, resulting in skin whitening.