Patent Picks—Electricity for Acne, Microvesicle Moisture, Anchoring Films and More

By: Rachel L. Grabenhofer

Posted: April 11, 2012

Chosen biweekly for their relevance to personal care, Patent Picks are taken from publicly available sources. This edition highlights patents for skin care applications.

Magnolia and grape for tired eyes
US Patent Application 20120058209
Publication date: March 8, 2012
Assignee: Mary Kay Inc.

Disclosed in this patent is a composition and method for its use that includes magnolia bark extract, Vitis vinifera extract, tocopherol or tocopherol acetate, and hydrogenated lecithin, lecithin, or dextrin. In non-limiting aspects, the compositions can be used to treat skin conditions such as telangiectasia, eye circles and puffy eyes.

Treating acne and rosacea with galvanic-generated electricity
European Patent Application EP2438958
Publication date: April 11, 2012
Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Inc.

The present application features a method of administering an active agent to a human barrier membrane to treat acne, rosacea and/or wounds, and/or to reduce the appearance of pigmentation by applying electricity to a barrier membrane in need of such treatment. The device includes a barrier membrane-contacting surface, a first conductive electrode, a second conductive electrode and a carrier containing the active agent, wherein the first and second conductive electrodes are in ionic communication with the carrier, and wherein the carrier is in communication with the barrier membrane. The difference of the standard potentials of the first conductive electrode and the second conductive electrode is at least 0.2 V and the electrons that pass between the first and second conductive electrode are generated as a result of such a difference in the standard potentials.