Patent Picks—Effervescent Surfactants, Vegetal Thickeners, Controlled Delivery and More

Chosen biweekly for their relevance to personal care, Patent Picks are taken from publicly available sources. This edition features patents related to sensory attributes in hair and skin care.

Organoleptic compounds in personal care
US Patent 8080691
Publication date: Dec. 20, 2011
Assignee: International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

This invention is directed to novel fragrance compounds and their unexpected advantageous use in enhancing, improving or modifying a fragrance formulation. The compounds of the present invention are applied in current perfumery products including perfumes and colognes; the fragrancing of personal care products such as soaps, shower gels, and hair care products; fabric care products as well as air fresheners and cosmetic preparations. In the disclosed preparations, the compounds of the present invention can be used alone or in combination with other perfuming compositions, solvents, adjuvants and the like.

Personal care compositions with ethylene acrylic acid copolymer aqueous dispersions
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/156579
Publication date: Dec. 15, 2011
Assignee: Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology LLC and S. Jordan

Described in this patent are personal care compositions comprising an aqueous dispersion including an ethylene acrylic acid copolymer, and a least one cosmetically acceptable surfactant, emollient or cosmetic active. According to this invention, while cationic polymers are known to provide conditioning benefits, they tend to build up on hair and cause limp and/or unmanageable hair. Other conditioning agents containing oily (silicone) or waxy (fatty acids) material are known but have several drawbacks, including the proclivity of silicones to wash off the hair when paired with surfactants.

Thus, it is important to develop new non-cationic conditioning agents and formulations that offer similar aesthetic properties to silicones. Likewise, there is a need for a conditioning shampoo that can clean, condition and increase manageability; for example, exhibit improved curl retention and frizz control. Tests of formulas incorporating these compositions show they act as efficient conditioning materials and have equal or better performance, compared with leading conditioning ingredients.

Sustained local anesthetic composition containing SAIB 
European Patent EP1809329
Publication date: Dec. 21, 2011
Assignee: Durect Corp.

The present invention relates generally to the field of controlled delivery systems, and more particularly controlled delivery systems containing an active agent that is able to provide a localized anesthetic effect, where the systems are suitable for use in connection with surgical and medical treatments, and as medicaments for use in post operative recovery procedures. In one aspect, the composition is administered topically for wound healing.

Black, bright pigment in cosmetic, coating, resin and ink compositions
European Patent EP1666541
Publication date: Dec. 21, 2011
Assignee: Nippon Sheet, Glass Co., Ltd.

This patent relates to a flaky, black, bright pigment to be added to a cosmetic, coating material, coating film, etc. With respect to metallic pigments comprising glass flakes coated with a nickel alloy with a thickness of 0.04 µm or less and showing black appearance, there is a problem in that the hiding power is low and the coloration is weak. If the thickness of the coating is thick, the metallic gloss becomes intense and the color that appears becomes glossy white gray to gray, which does not produce a glossy black color tone. However, this pigment provides for a flaky, black, bright pigment having a high hiding power that is excellent in skin feel, smoothness and spread when applied in cosmetics.

Nonsticky cosmetics with antioxidant and moisture-retaining properties equal or superior to those containing vitamin E derivatives
US Patent 8080581
Publication date: Dec. 20, 2011
Assignee: Shiseido Company Ltd.

Disclosed in this patent is a cosmetic having equal or higher antioxidant activity and moisture retaining properties than those containing conventional vitamin E derivatives. While conventional vitamin E derivatives are satisfactory in function, according to this patent, their application as solubilizing agents or emulsifiers are still unsatisfactory. In response, the present inventors have found that vitamin E derivatives having hydrophobic butylene oxide groups and hydrophilic ethylene oxide groups, as the substituent, at position 6 of the chroman skeleton of vitamin E have equal or higher antioxidant activity and moisture retaining properties than conventional vitamin E derivatives. Regarding surfactant performance such as emulsifying ability and solubilizing ability, they also have much higher activity and effect, compared with the conventional vitamin E derivatives. Further, these materials reduce the sticky feeling on the skin.

Colored aqueous cosmetic compositions
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/154905
Publication date: Dec. 15, 2011
Assignee: L'Oréal, X. Blin, L. Guerchet and A.M. Lezoray

The present invention relates to a cosmetic care and/or makeup composition comprising: at least 65% w/w of an aqueous phase, at least 2% w/w of pigments that are dispersed and/or dispersible in aqueous medium, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible gelling agent in a content ranging from 0.05% to 40% w/w, and at least one polyol containing from 3 to 12 carbon atoms. Said composition has a viscosity at least equal to 600 Pa.s at a shear of 0.010 s, and less than 0.8 Pa.s at a shear of 1000 s, and said pigments are first formed from a mixture including at least one polyol. In particular, the present invention is directed toward protecting a makeup cosmetic product, especially of foundation type, that is applied in a single action and that combines with its makeup performance the true sensory properties of a care product with regard to its significant content of aqueous medium, while at the same time ensuring good stability over time of the dispersed pigments.

Effervescent surfactant composition
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/154727
Publication date: Dec. 15, 2011
Assignee: Cosmetic Warriors Ltd., H.E. Ambrosen, M. Constantine, M.J. Constantine and N. Miura

The present invention seeks to provide surfactant products that provide a foam bath with an enhanced experience by the user. This patent describes a surfactant product comprising a first effervescent material and a second effervescent material, wherein each effervescent material is capable of effervescence on contact with water, and wherein the rate of effervescence of the first effervescent material is greater than the rate of effervescence of the second effervescent materia. Both effervescent materials are distinct from one other, and at least one of the effervescent materials envelops the other.

Granulated powder containing vegetable proteins and maltodextrins, process for producing same, and uses thereof
US Patent Application 20110305740
Publication date: Dec. 15, 2011
Assignee: R. Freres

Specifically in fields as diversified as nutrition, pharmacy, cosmetics, agrochemistry, construction materials and paper-cardboards, manufacturers search for new compounds that have a positive and beneficial image in terms of health and that are capable of modifying the functional properties of media in order to manufacture products having varied textures. In relation, disclosed in this patent is a granulated powder comprising at least one vegetable protein and at least one starch hydrolyzate, characterized in that it has a laser volume average diameter D4,3 of between 10 μm and 500 μm, preferably between 50 μm and 350 μm, and even more preferably between 70 μm and 250 μm, and a dry matter content (determined after stoving at 130°C for 2 hr) of greater than 80%, preferably greater than 85%, and even more preferably greater than 90%. The present invention also concerns processes for manufacturing this granulated powder and its use in various fields, including the food processing field where it is used as a functional agent for emulsifying, stabilizing, thickening and/or gelling, in particular for totally or partially replacing certain animal proteins.

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