Patent Pick: Fixating Fragrance

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According to P&G inventors, there is a need for new fragrance fixatives to extend fragrance intensity or character over time. As such, a recent patent application identifies new agents with this utility.

Fragrances in some products, particularly but not exclusively ethanol-based ones, tend to lose their fragrance profile, i.e., character and intensity, rapidly after application. In response, various materials have been used to make the fragrance profile last longer. Some substantially non-odorous examples include: capsules or complexes based on dextrines or melamines, or those obtained by coacervation of anionic and cationic polymers, film-forming polymers or perfume base notes such as musks.

Current Gaps

The drawbacks of capsules or complexes, according to these inventors, are difficulties incorporating them into a fragrance composition and/or the release is minimally controlled but dependent on variables such as moisture or sebum amount or sweat intensity. The issue with film-forming polymers is they produce noticeable and undesirable films, both visual and tactile. Finally, the disadvantage of perfume base notes is they can negatively impact the fragrance character of the compositions to which they are added.

This invention relates to non-odorous fragrance fixatives for extending the fragrance intensity or character of fragrance materials over time. The invention also covers compositions of fragrance materials and fixatives and methods of use for perfuming suitable substrates, including hard surfaces and body parts, particularly skin and hair.

The Literature

Fragrance fixatives and compositions comprising thereof
U.S Pat App 20190376001
Publication date: Dec. 12, 2019
Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company

These inventors have discovered new agents that can be used as substantially non-odorous fragrance fixatives to enhance or improve the intensity or character of the fragrance material. A vast range of preferable examples of the fixatives is provided in Table 1 in the patent. Select examples include but are not limited to: C12-14 sec-pareth-3, PPG-4-ceteth-10 and linear alcohol (C11).

The composition also is disclosed, wherein: i) the fragrance component is present from about 0.04-30.00% w/w of the total composition, and wherein the fragrance component comprises: a) at least one low volatile fragrance material having a vapor pressure less than 0.001 Torr (0.000133 kPa) at 25°C; and b) the low volatile fragrance material is present in an amount < 30.00% w/w of the fragrance component; and ii) at least one substantially non-odorous fragrance fixative is present in an amount from 0.1-20.0% w/w relative to the total weight of the composition.

The fixatives may be a liquid at temperatures lower than 100°C, preferably at ambient temperature. They also may be fully miscible with the fragrance materials to form a single phase liquid. However, if the fragrance materials are not entirely miscible, or are immiscible, co-solvents, e.g., dipropylene glycol (DPG), triethyl citrate or others can be added to aid in the solubility of the fragrance materials.

The disclosed fixative and fragrance component are present in a weight ratio from about 10:1 to about 1:10; preferably from about 5:1 to about 1:5; or preferably from about 3:1 to about 1:3. The inventors have discovered the fragrance fixatives can extend the fragrance intensity of the fragrance material over time, preferably over long periods from one to 10 hours, and possibly up to 24 hrs, as compared with controls.

Applications relate to fine fragrances, body splashes or body sprays, as well as surfaces including human or animal skin or hair, paper (fragranced paper), air in a room (air freshener or aromatherapy composition), fabric, furnishings, dishes, hard surfaces and related materials.

Non-limiting examples of aromatic (or haerbaceous) and spicy characters include: cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, saffron, peppers of various kinds (e.g., black pepper, pink pepper), caraway, cardamom, anise, tea, coffee, cumin, nutmeg, coumarin, basil, rosemary, thyme, mint, tarragon, marjoram, fennel, sage and juniper.

For more information, see the patent application.

Patent application accessed on Dec. 16, 2019.

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