Patent Pick: In the Heat of Pleasurable Cosmetic Delivery

Heat is used in personal care regimens for many purposes. It can benefit the skin and hair, and even activate a product and improve its penetration into skin. In addition, heat imparts a pleasurable sensation for consumers.

However, according to Estée Lauder inventors, a major obstacle to developing heated systems for personal care is the need for a portable, lasting power source that can withstand repeated uses. In addition, it is sometimes desirable to apply products at elevated temperatures. 

The main objective in this patent was therefore to provide a simple, economical means for heating a product as it is delivered to the skin at the site of application. This resulted in the novel patch device array disclosed in the present patent application.

Cutaneous patches to heat and deliver personal care products
WIPO Patent Application WO/2017/165472
Publication date: Sept. 28, 2017 
Assignee: ELC Management, LLC

Described here is an array of heating patches for placement on the skin, especially the face. Each patch has a heating circuit incorporated therein, and the patches are electrically connected to each other in series and/or in parallel.

Electrical energy and/or digital information may be supplied to the patches through one or more cables that originate in one appropriate electrical connector. Each patch has two layers; a disposable layer and a reusable layer.

During use, the disposable layer adheres to the skin and the reusable layer, which includes the heating circuit, adheres to the disposable layer. The disposable layer is suitable for being impregnated with a product that is held against the skin while being heated.

A protective film may cover the disposable layer prior to use. Furthermore, the heating patch system may comprise electronic hardware and software elements, such as: a timer, a digital memory structure, a digital operating system and programming code.