Patent Picks—Digitally Guided Treatments, Restructuring Hair and More

Chosen biweekly for their relevance to personal care, Patent Picks are taken from publicly available sources. This edition features patents related to hair, including growth, styling, removal and coloring.

Carrageenan mixtures useful as cosmetic ingredients and hair styling gels comprising them
European Patent Application EP2480194
Publication date: Aug. 1, 2012
Assignee: Cargill, Inc.
Details: not provided

D-mannopyranose derivatives for activating angiogenesis
European Patent EP2285817
Publication date: Aug. 1, 2012
Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

This patent describes the use of certain derivatives of D-mannopyranoside in pharmaceutical or cosmetic compositions to control angiogenesis, which may be used for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, muscle atrophy and/or prevent or treat hair loss.

Depilatory for reduced odor and irritation
European Patent EP2252255
Publication date: Aug. 1, 2012
Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Co.

This invention addresses the continuing need for a chemical depilatory with less odor that causes less skin irritation. Described herein is a depilatory kit comprising a sulfur-containing depilatory agent and a finishing composition including zinc oxide. In certain embodiments, the depilatory composition may further comprise a lactone such as 1,15-cyclopentadecanolide.

Cosmetic composition comprising a fixing polymer and an ionic or nonionic surfactant
European Patent EP1779896
Publication date: Aug. 1, 2012
Assignee: L'Oréal

This patent relates to a cosmetic composition for the treatment of keratin fibers comprising at least one fixing polymer and one cationic surfactant, and use of this composition. In the field of styling, hair compositions are generally alcoholic or aqueous solutions, including polymers mixed with various additives. In particular, hair gels consisting of thickening polymers or gelling agents form a film on the surface of hair to "weld" the fibers together. However, the application of these gels often leads to the formation of residue on the hair. Further, hair gel typically does not function well as a spray or in aerosol devices or pumps. There is therefore a need for cosmetic compositions, especially for styling, that minimize the formation of residue while giving hair a high level of fixation, which this technology provides.

Digitally guided hair care: Apparatus and methods for modifying keratinous surfaces
US Patent 8231292
Publication date: July 31, 2012
Assignee: The Procter and Gamble Co.

Described by this patent is an apparatus for modifying a keratinous surface that has a rotatable applicator and is in fluid communication with a first modification composition. The apparatus also has a sensor and a CPU. The sensor is positioned forward of the applicator head such that as the head rolls across the keratinous surface, the sensor reads the portion of the keratinous surface in front of the rolling head. The sensor readings are transmitted to the CPU, the CPU analyzes the sensor readings of the keratinous surface, and the CPU sends a signal to the applicator head to treat or not to treat the analyzed surface. When the CPU sends a signal to the applicator to treat the surface, a small portion of the first modification composition is applied to the head such that when the head rolls over the keratinous surface the first modification composition contacts the area of the keratinous surface that needs treatment.

Compounds and methods for enhancing hair growth
WIPO Patent Application WO/2012/100238
Publication date: July 26, 2012
Assignee: Allergan, Inc., J.W. Wang and D.F. Woodward

The present invention discloses a method for stimulating hair growth, converting vellus hair or intermediate hair to terminal hair, or stimulating hair follicles to increase hair growth. This method is related to one or more properties selected from the group consisting of: luster, sheen, brilliance, gloss, glow, shine or patina of hair associated with the follicles; or increasing one or more of: length, thickness, number and density of eyelash hair or eyebrow hair. The method comprises applying to the skin a composition incorporating an effective amount of an EP3 agonist or an EP4 agonist prodrug or a mixture thereof.

Composition for chemically modifying the internal region of a hair shaft
WIPO Patent Application WO/2012/100007
Publication date: July 26, 2012
Assignee: The Procter and Gamble Co., A. Flohr, T. Krause, and M. Loifenfeld

According to this invention, there is a specific need for improving the retention and durability of desired hair shape. Further, there is a need for improving the penetration of monomers into the hair shaft and/or improving the polymerization of the monomers, for example increasing the lengths of the polymeric chains within the internal structure of the hair shaft. In response, the disclosed composition is designed to chemically modify the internal region of the hair shaft. It comprises: an ethylenic monomer having a molecular weight of 500 g/mole or less; a cation and an anion, wherein the cation is selected from the group consisting of inorganic cations having a charge density of 0.05 charge/picometer or more; and a cosmetically acceptable carrier, wherein the composition has a pH of from 4.0 to 6.9.

Hair coloring compositions with a non-ammonia alkalizing agent
WIPO Patent Application WO/2012/099935
Publication date: July 26, 2012
Assignee: The Procter and Gamble Co., J. Schmenger and M Schmitt

Although prior art discloses two- or three-component systems to achieve permanent hair coloring without ammonia, this is usually obtained by the use of higher levels of hydrogen peroxide, which can result in great hair damage. Furthermore, prior art has not described a versatile system for providing different levels of lift at the discretion of the user based a single tint component. The present inventors have surprisingly found it is possible to formulate high lift coloring compositions based on a non-ammonia alkalizing agent while keeping hair damage to an acceptable level. This is accomplished by increasing the weight ratio of the non-ammonia alkalizing agent to hydrogen peroxide, which can be achieved via a two-component system in which case the tint component may be provided with higher than usual level of non-ammonia alkalizing agent. The inventors have also found that the lift provided by typical two-component demi-permanent coloring products can be increased by mixing them with a third component while still keeping the damage to an acceptable level. These compositions are said to provide similar levesl of lift and/or intensity of coloration but at lower hair fiber damage levels than compositions with higher levels of hydrogen peroxide.

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