Patent Picks—Restoring Skin Fluorescence, Red-glowing Cosmetics, Reversing Hair Graying and More in Color

Patent Picks are taken from publicly available sources and cover recent patents issued, or applied for, in the cosmetic and personal care industries and relevant peripheral markets. This edition features inventions related to color for skin and hair applications, as well as to measuring color.

Cosmetics containing fluorescent minerals
European Patent EP1100434
Publication date: Feb. 19, 2014
Assignee: Color Access, Inc.

This invention relates to cosmetic compositions that replenish skin's natural fluorescence. According to the inventors, changes in the structure of collagen and elastin observed with photoaging have been correlated with a decline in the intensity of skin's fluorescence. This change is also reflected in chronologically aged skin, which in middle age begins to lose its green fluorescence, and in later years, its blue fluorescence.The present invention provides a solution to this problem. Disclosed is a cosmetic that complements or counteracts a given skin tone color by application, to the skin, of a colorless composition comprising at least one fluorescent mineral powder at a level of 0.01% to 10% w/w.

Far-red fluorescent protein for glowing cosmetics
WIPO Patent Application WO/2014/023827
Publication date: Feb. 13, 2014
Assignee: Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum Für Gesundheit und Umwelt GmbH

Described herein is a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide having a fluorescence emission activity at a wavelength of at least 630 nm. Apart from its use in research, e.g., as a reporter protein, this fluorescent protein finds further use, for example, when embedded in polymers or supported by stabilizers. In this form, the fluorescent proteins may be incorporated into toys that glow red in the dark when excited, equipment for fish tanks, incorporated into target walls for laser writing, or to create red-glowing cosmetics.

Color-travel oxidized aluminum pigments
WIPO Patent Application WO/2014/025977
Publication date: Feb. 13, 2014
Assignee: Sun Chemical Corp.

The present work is an oxidized aluminum pigment that comprises no more than 95% w/w metallic aluminum, wherein the pigment is a flaky particle and has a color-travel effect from the hue angle range of about 50 to 100 degrees at the aspecular observation angle of 15 degrees; to a hue angle range of about 200 to 270 degrees at the aspecular observation angle of 110 degrees. The oxidized aluminum pigment may be made by taking a flaky aluminum pigment and oxidizing it in a w/o emulsion comprising a surfactant in the presence of a base. This w/o emulsion comprises a mixture of water dispersed in a hydrocarbon solvent, which the aluminum pigment predominantly remains in during the oxidation step.

Nanoparticulate compositions with lysozyme as a surface stabilizer
U.S. Patent 8652464
Publication date: Feb. 18, 2014
Assignee: Alkermes Pharma Ireland Ltd.

The present invention is directed to nanoparticulate active agent compositions comprising lysozyme as a surface stabilizer. Areas that can benefit from the invention include coloring agents such as cosmetics, flavors and fragrances. Suitable pigments can be inorganic and/or organic, and may include materials having a low color or luster, such as matte finishing agents, and light-scattering agents. Examples include iron oxides, acylglutamate iron oxides, ultramarine blue, D&C dyes, carmine, and mixtures thereof. According to the inventors, bioadhesive nanoparticulate cosmetic compositions satisfy a long-felt need for cosmetic compositions that strongly adhere to the biological surface to which they are applied.

Spectral capture masks for adaptive color imaging
U.S. Patent 8654210
Publication date: Feb. 18, 2014
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

This invention is an image capture device including an imaging assembly having a spectral sensitivity tunable in accordance with a spectral capture mask. A pre-capture takes sample image of a scene using the imaging assembly tuned by a first spectral capture mask. A second spectral capture mask is then constructed by calculations using image data from the sample image. The second spectral capture mask is tuned the spectral sensitivity of the imaging assembly so as to adjust respective capture parameters for different objects in the scene. The second spectral capture mask is then applied to the imaging assembly. An image of the scene is captured with the second spectral capture mask applied to the imaging assembly. In one practical example, cosmetics with different spectral signatures can be applied to different people in a scene, and the metadata can be used to identify a person in the scene using the spectral signature of a cosmetic applied to that person.

Cosmetic case for powder brush
U.S. Patent 8651119
Publication date: Feb. 18, 2014
Inventors: Y-K Byun

Described by this patent is cosmetic powder brush case wherein the brush holder is provided with an insertion part in which the brush is stored, and rotatably coupled to a cap to prevent removal of the brush in a closed stat. The brush holder is rotated to the original position to use the brush, and the brush is taken out in an open state.

Custom hair coloring
U.S. Patent 8655744
Publication date: Feb. 18, 2014
Assignee: eSalon.com, LLC

Disclosed in this invention is a method for custom hair-coloring formula identification. The method includes accepting user input about characteristics including their natural hair color, current hair coloring, hair treatments, hair coloring characteristics and hair treatment characteristics. The method further includes identifying a hair colorant suitable to create the desired hair coloring in view of the user characteristics. An order is then generated for the hair colorant.

Eprotirome for prevention of hair graying, treatment of hair disorders
WIPO Patent Application WO/2014/023698
Publication date: Feb. 13, 2014
Assignee: Dr. August Wolff Gmbh & Co. Kg Arzneimitttel

The present invention provides methods for preventing and/or treating hair disorders, which includes arresting and/or reversing hair loss and promoting hair growth using pharmaceutical compositions containing eprotirome as the active. One embodiment of this invention relates to the cosmetic use of eprotirome for the prevention and/or reversal of hair graying.

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