Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Anti-perspirants or perspiration deodorants
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-26
2002-04-23
Dodson, Shelley A. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Anti-perspirants or perspiration deodorants
C424S066000, C424S068000, C424S078020, C424S078080, C424S400000, C424S401000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06375938
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to anhydrous antiperspirant compositions and deodorant compositions that contain a low molecular weight polyethylene gellant. It also relates to a method of reducing perspiration or to a method of reducing malodor by topically applying an effective amount of such an antiperspirant composition or deodorant composition to the skin.
Antiperspirant and deodorant compositions are generally available in the form of liquid (for roll-on, porous dome or aerosol application), solid stick and soft solid or cream or gel. One type of known composition comprises a liquid carrier vehicle, such as a silicone or a polyhydric alcohol, an antiperspirant or deodorant active such as an aluminum or aluminum-zirconium antiperspirant salt or triclosan, and one or more gelling agents. Typical gelling agents include waxes such as paraffin and hydrogenated triglycerides (e.g. castor wax), fatty alcohols such as stearyl alcohol, fatty amides such as stearamide MEA, 12-hydroxystearic acid (including esters and amides thereof), N-acyl amino acid amides, and dibenzylidene sorbitol. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,102,656 and 5,384,117 mention polyethylene homopolymer as one of several possible types of gelling agents for certain antiperspirant compositions, but neither of these patents exemplifies any actual antiperspirant formulations containing polyethylene homopolymer. Moreover, the polyethylene homopolymers generally available at that time have molecular weights in excess of 1500 daltons, have poor solubility in volatile silicone and make poor gellants in the absence of co-solvents.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,824 discloses deodorant compositions which are water-in-oil emulsions. The description suggests that the fatty (or oil) phase can include one or more waxes and mentions polyethylene wax in a list of possible waxes. Example 1 provides a deodorant stick that includes water (44.95%), cyclomethicone (22.50%), and Polywax 500 polyethylene (12.5%). U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,066 discloses solid deodorant and antiperspirant compositions that are essentially anhydrous and that include, as a solidifying agent, a mixture of waxes containing at least one polyethylene wax and at least one natural wax, both of which have a melting point greater than 80° C.
There has been an ongoing effort to improve the application aesthetics of antiperspirant and deodorant compositions, as well as the efficacy of such compositions. Currently the most efficacious antiperspirant compositions contain the so-called “enhanced efficacy” aluminum or aluminum-zirconium antiperspirant salts suspended in an anhydrous carrier. The enhanced efficacy aluminum and aluminum-zirconium antiperspirant salts include those described, for example, in GB 2,048,229 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,528 (high peak 4:3 ratio) and in U.S. Ser. No. 09/696,271 (Al peak 5>33%).
It would be highly desirable to provide an antiperspirant or deodorant composition that has improved application aesthetics such as a smooth, tack-free application without feeling cold, wet or oily, without leaving a visible residue, and with improved glide as well as decreased drag and stickiness. It would also be highly desirable to provide an antiperspirant or deodorant composition that is more efficacious—that is, inhibits perspiration or inhibits malodor to a greater degree—than those compositions which are currently available. It would be further desirable to provide an antiperspirant or deodorant composition that can be formulated with fewer ingredients than those compositions currently available because this would reduce costs, simplify manufacturing, and avoid ingredients that reduce efficacy.
It has now been discovered that superior antiperspirant and deodorant compositions can be made by including a low molecular weight polyethylene homopolymer as a thickening or solidifying agent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention embraces an anhydrous topical antiperspirant or deodorant composition comprising an antiperspirant or deodorant active, a dermatologically acceptable volatile silicone liquid carrier vehicle and a polyethylene homopolymer dissolved in the vehicle to serve as a thickening or solidifying agent, wherein the polyethylene homopolymer has a molecular weight of about 200 to about 800 daltons, preferably about 300 to about 600 daltons, most preferably about 400 to about 500 daltons. The composition should be substantially free of any other organic or natural waxes. The present invention also embraces a method of inhibiting or reducing perspiration or a method of inhibiting or reducing malodor by topically applying an effective amount of such an antiperspirant composition or deodorant composition to the skin.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention embraces an anhydrous topical antiperspirant or deodorant composition preferably comprising, by weight, about 0.01% to about 25%, more preferably about 0.1% to about 23%, antiperspirant or deodorant active, about 25% to about 98%, more preferably about 35% to about 95%, volatile silicone and about 1% to about 25%, more preferably about 2% to about 17%, polyethylene homopolymer dissolved in the volatile silicone. The polyethylene homopolymer has a molecular weight of about 200 to about 800 daltons, preferably about 300 to about 600 daltons, more preferably about 400 to about 500 daltons. Suitable polyethylene homopolymers include Performalene 400 (MW≡400) and Performalene PL (MW≡500) available from New Phase Technologies, Piscataway, N.J. By “anhydrous” is meant that the composition is substantially free (that is, contains less than 5%, preferably less than 2%, more preferably less than 1%, and most preferably less than 0.1% by weight) of free water (that is, excluding any water of hydration associated with the antiperspirant salt).
When the composition of the present invention is intended to be used as a topical deodorant, it will generally comprise, by weight, about 0.01% to about 10%, preferably about 0.1% to about 6%, deodorant active. When the composition of the present invention is intended to be used as a topical antiperspirant, it will generally comprise, by weight, about 6% to about 25%, preferably about 10% to about 23%, antiperspirant active.
A suitable deodorant active may be any agent that inhibits, suppresses, masks or neutralizes malodor. These may include (1) antimicrobial or bactericidal agents which kill the bacteria responsible for malodor production, (2) agents which inhibit or suppress or interfere with the bacterial enzymatic pathway that produces malodor, (3) agents which mask or absorb or neutralize malodor or (4) fragrances, encapsulated fragrances, or fragrance precursors which produce fragrances in the underarm. Examples of such deodorant actives include triclosan, triclocarban, usnic acid salts, zinc phenolsulfonate, &bgr;-chloro-D-alanine, D-cycloserine, aminooxyacetic acid, cyclodextrin, sodium bicarbonate, fragrances, etc. Aluminum and aluminum-zirconium antiperspirant salts also function as deodorant active agents, even when used as relatively low levels (e.g., 1-9% by weight).
A suitable antiperspirant active may be any agent that inhibits or reduces perspiration from the skin, particularly the axilla (underarm). Antiperspirant actives include the aluminum and aluminum-zirconium antiperspirant salts, particularly the enhanced efficacy antiperspirant salts. Preferred compositions of the present invention will comprise, by weight, about 3% to about 25%, more preferably about 10% to about 23%, of an aluminum or an aluminum-zirconium antiperspirant salt (except, when in aerosol form, it will comprise about 3% to about 15% aluminum antiperspirant salt).
Preferred aluminum salts are those having the general formula Al
2
(OH)
6−a
X
a
wherein X is Cl, Br, I or NO
3
, and a is about 0.3 to about 5, preferably about 0.8 to about 2.5, more preferably about 1 to about 2 (such that the Al to X mole ratio is about 0.9:1 to about 2.1:1). These salts generally have some water of hydration associated with them, typically on the order of
Carlson, Sr. Jeffrey R.
Clothier, Jr. James G.
Colwell Dennis J.
Dodson Shelley A.
The Gillette Company
Williams Stephan P.
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