Patent Picks—Natural Genipin Dye, Stopping Grays, Boosting Suds and More in Hair

Patent Picks are taken from publicly available sources and review recent patents and patent applications in cosmetics, personal care and peripheral markets. This edition features technologies related to hair care and growth.

Highly crystalline higher α-olefin polymer for shampoo, conditioner and other applications
US Patent 8445618
Publication date: May 21, 2013
Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.

Disclosed in this patent is a highly crystalline higher α-olefin polymer that has excellent compatibility with thermoplastic resin, particularly a polyolefin, and wax, among other materials. The polymer is obtained by polymerizing a monomer containing 80% by mol or more of a higher α-olefin having from 22 to 40 carbon atoms, and satisfies the following items 1) and 2): 1) The melting point is from 55°C to 100°C. This is observed using a differential scanning calorimeter from a melting endothermic curve obtained by maintaining a specimen at 190°C for 5 min under a nitrogen atmosphere, cooling the specimen to −10°C at a rate of 5° C/min, maintaining at −10°C for 5 min, then elevating the temperature thereof to 190°C at a rate of 10°C/min. 2) The average molecular weight (Mw), measured by a gel permeation chromatography based on polystyrene, is from 1,000 to 5,000,000, and the molecular weight distribution measured thereby is 5.0 or less.

The resulting polymer is useful as a releasing agent for toner and a component for ink, but also is useful as a component of a modifier for a resin; a component for a tackiness agent, adhesive or lubricant oil; high performance wax; cosmetics such as lipstick, hair oil, creme, eyebrow pencil, eye shadow, brilliantine, facial mask, shampoo and conditioner; and a medical material such as ointment, emulsion or wet compress, among others.

Polymers to enhance suds in detergents, shower rinses, shampoo, etc.
US Patent 8445616
Publication date: May 21, 2013
Assignee: Rhodia Inc.

This invention relates to a polymeric material comprising units capable of having a cationic charge at a pH of from about 4 to about 12, provided the material has an average cationic charge density from about 2.75 or less units per 100 daltons molecular weight at a pH of from about 4 to about 12. The material enhances suds and extends their volume for hand dishwashing compositions and personal care products such as soaps, shaving cream foam, foaming shaving gel, foam depiliatories and shampoos. The polymers are also effective as soil-release agents in fabric cleaning compositions, among other applications.

Monosaccharide and C-glycoside for anti-hair loss, hair radiance and anti-aging
US Patent 8445459
Publication date: May 21, 2013
Assignee: L'Oreal

Here, a cosmetic and/or dermatological composition is described containing, in a physiologically acceptable medium, mannose or rhamnose and at least one additional compound chosen from C-glycosides and C-glycoside derivatives. This composition is suggested for hair care, in particular to stimulate hair growth, combat or slow hair loss, or reinforce the radiance of the hair. Additionally described is a cosmetic processfor treating facial wrinkles by applying at least one monosaccharide as defined previously and an effective amount of at least one additional compound as defined previously.

Mimicking dopachrome tautomerase (TRP-2) activity to protect hair follicle melanocytes
US Patent 8445004
Publication date: May 21, 2013
Assignee: L'Oreal (Paris, FR)

Disclosed in this patent are agents mimicking DOPAchrome tautomerase activity. These are topically applied to protect and/or regenerate the melanocytes of hair follicles, thus promoting the cyclic renewal of the follicular pigmentation unit. This results in the prevention, limitation or arrest of the development of canities, in turn maintaining the natural pigment of gray or white head and/or body hair.

Soluble solid hair coloring article
US Patent 8444716
Publication date: 05/21/2013
Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company (Cincinnati, OH, US)

The present invention consists of a soluble solid hair coloring article having zwitterionic direct dye and one or more soluble porous solids containing nonionic surfactant, cationic surfactant, or a mixture thereof, such that the one or more soluble porous solids have a density of from about 0.03 g/cm3 to about 0.15 g/cm3. Also described are methods of applying the hair coloring article to hair.

Oxidative dyeing compositions comprising an 1-hexy1/Hepty1-4,5-diaminopyrazole and a benzene-1,3-diol and derivatives thereof
US Patent 8444714
Publication date: 05/21/2013
Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company (Cincinnati, OH, US)

Disclosed in this patent is an oxidative dyeing composition comprising: a) a 1-hexyl/heptyl-4,5-diaminopyrazole compound, its physiologically compatible water-soluble salt or mixtures thereof; b) a benzene-1,3-diol compound, its physiologically compatible water-soluble salt, or mixtures thereof; and c) an oxidizing agent. According to the inventors, this technology responds to the need for new compositions used for the oxidative dyeing of hair to providing satisfactory color intensity along with good wash fastness and bleeding properties. It is said to overcome the known drawbacks of pyrazole compounds, as it has surprisingly been found that the modification of the pyrazole ring system on the N-1 position by a C6/C7 straight alkyl chain combined with benzene-1,3-diol couplers provides excellent properties of resistance to the various treatments keratinous fibers may undergo.

Compositions and methods for altering the appearance of hair
WIPO Patent Application WO/2013/071196
Publication date: May 16, 2013
Assignee: L'Oreal and M Degeorge

Herein are disclosed methods and compositions for altering the color of hair, comprising treating the hair with a) a pre-alkalizing composition; b) a color-lifting composition comprising at least one oxidizing agent chosen from: peroxides, persulfates, perborates, percarbonates, peracids, bromates, their salts and mixtures thereof; and c) applying a coloring composition onto the hair, wherein the coloring composition comprises at least one dye compound chosen from oxidative dye precursors, and direct dye compounds.

Genipin for natural pigments, dyes
WIPO Patent Application WO/2013/070682
Publication date: May 16, 2013
Assignee: Wild Flavors, Inc., S Wu and G Horn

This patent discloses a method for preparing genipin-rich materials from the fruit of Genipa americana fruit for their use as a cross-linking agent and as a raw material to produce colors. The resulting materials can be used in a broad range of applications including personal care, cosmetics, dietary supplements, packaging, foodstuffs and drugs. The colorant produced can be further concentrated or deposited on clay or other carriers and used in foods; cosmetics such as toothpaste, makeup, hair dye; and textiles. The genipin-rich extract is hydrolyzed to remove a methyl group and convert the genipin to genipinic acid which further reacts with amine-containing compounds, with extra organic acid present and under anaerobic conditions to generate red pigment. Heating can be used to accelerate red pigment formation. The red solution can be further purified on an ion exchange column and the eluted material can be concentrated on a rotary vacuum evaporator. The genipa red is a heat-stable pigment, and is also stable at a high pH.

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