Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Preparations characterized by special physical form – Cosmetic – antiperspirant – dentifrice
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-12
2002-10-08
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1615)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Preparations characterized by special physical form
Cosmetic, antiperspirant, dentifrice
C424S069000, C424S070100, C424S070400, C424S070110, C424S070120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06461623
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cosmetic composition capable of exhibiting good spreadability and compatibility and excellent massaging effect on the skin.
b) Description of the Related Art
Conventional cosmetic compositions for massaging aids include those with zeolite added to make use of its heat of hydration to give a calefacient feeling, and those with various powders added to make use of their scrubbing effect. Of these, the cosmetic compositions making use of zeolite (activated zeolite) which gives off heat upon hydration are known to include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,680, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) NO. SHO 61-204111, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) NO. HEI 6-100411. They are described as promoting blood circulation and offering good comfort during use owing to the heat of hydration of zeolite.
Such powdery substances, when remain precipitated over an extended time, undergo caking and become difficult to be redispersed. Hence, cosmetic compositions which contain these powdery substances are usually converted into gel systems by using thickeners so that the powdery substances remain evenly dispersed.
Such gelling of the systems however impairs their spreadability and compatibility on the skin, thereby making it difficult to apply them as body preparations to wide areas.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a cosmetic composition, which exhibits good spreadability and compatibility on the skin and permits easy application to the body surface over a wide area.
The present inventors have found that a non-aqueous cosmetic composition containing zeolite (activated zeolite), which gives off heat upon contact with water, a specific polyhydric alcohol and a high molecular compound readily permits even dispersion of zeolite when shaken upon use and moreover that the non-aqueous cosmetic composition exhibits good spreadability and compatibility on the skin, allows easy application to a wide area and also has excellent massaging effect. In addition, it has also been found that addition of a surfactant to the non-aqueous cosmetic composition makes it possible to obtain a cleansing agent also excellent in exothermicity and stability.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is thus provided a non-aqueous cosmetic composition comprising (A) activated zeolite, (B) a polyhydric alcohol having a molecular weight not higher than 1,000, and (C) a high molecular compound soluble in the ingredient (B).
In another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a substantially non-aqueous detergent composition comprising (A) activated zeolite, (B) a polyhydric alcohol having a molecular weight not higher than 1,000, (C) a high molecular compound soluble in the ingredient (B), and (F) a surfactant.
The cosmetic composition according to the present invention, when brought into contact with water, provides a calefacient feeling owing to heat of hydration and also shows excellent massaging effect owing to the scrubbing effect of the powder. A comfortable warm feeling can be obtained, for example, when the cosmetic composition is applied on wet skin soaked with bathing or shower water. When shaken upon use, the cosmetic composition can evenly and readily disperse zeolite, exhibits good spreadability and compatibility on the skin and permits easy application to the body surface over a wide area. It can therefore be used as a cosmetic product for massaging purpose, e.g., a lotion, a cream, a toothpaste or an ointment.
On the other hand, the detergent composition which contains a surfactant can be used as a detergent or a cleansing agent including a garment detergent, a cleanser, a dish washing detergent, an automated dishwasher detergent, a car washing detergent, a tool detergent, a housecleaning agent, an antimold agent, a body washing composition, a shampoo, a face cleansing composition and a handwash. In particular, a body cleansing composition, a shampoo, a face cleansing composition and a handwash are suited.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
No particular limitation is imposed on the activated (or exothermic) zeolite employed as the ingredient (A) in the present invention. From the viewpoints of availability and cost, preferred are those including zeolite 3A, zeolite 4A and zeolite 5A represented by the following general formula:
M
x
O.Al
2
O
3
.ySiO
2
.zH
2
O
wherein M represents an alkali metal and/or an alkaline earth metal, and x, y and z stand for average numbers. Further, zeolite subjected to special treatments such as ion exchange treatment and neutralization treatment are also usable.
From the standpoints of the rate of hydration and feeling of use, these zeolites may preferably have particle sizes of from 0.1 to 200 &mgr;m, especially of from 1 to 100 &mgr;m.
These zeolites can be obtained by conducting production, purification, grinding, calcination and classification by methods known per se in the art. As disclosed in European Patent No. 187912 [Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. SHO 61-204111], zeolite of desired activity can be obtained by calcining and dehydrating raw zeolite at about 300 to 600° C. and then holding it in dry air.
Activated zeolite absorbs some amount of gas so that, when it is reacted with water, the gas is released. By the gas so released, a container with a composition filled therein may be caused to bulge. To avoid this potential problem, it is desired in the present invention to subject the activated zeolite to degasification treatment under heating or reduced pressure before mixing it with the other ingredients. As degasification conditions, it is preferred to conduct the degasification treatment at 70° C. or higher and 200 torr or lower (especially at 90 to 150° C. and 60 torr or lower) for 1 to 24 hours.
Whether or not the degasification procedure has been conducted sufficiently can be determined by measuring the gas adsorption of the zeolite. The gas adsorption can be measured by the method described, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. HEI 8-5770. As an alternative, it can be measured by a method which comprises adding water to the zeolite itself or a zeolite-containing cosmetic in an amount twice as much as the zeolite in a sealed vessel to release gas and then measuring the quantity of the gas so released.
A gas adsorption of 2 ml/g or less, further 1 ml/g or less, notably 0.5 ml/g or less is preferred from the standpoint of prevention of gas release and container deformation.
Further, removal of gas can also be conducted by mixing the zeolite with ethanol. When the zeolite is zeolite 4A, for example, the amount of ethanol which can be adsorbed on the zeolite is theoretically about 30% of the weight of the zeolite. Therefore, it is preferred to mix 30 parts by weight or more of ethanol with 100 parts by weight of the zeolite, with a zeolite/ethanol ratio of from 100/50 to 100/500 (weight ratio) being especially preferred.
To efficiently remove gas components, zeolite may be heated, depressurized or pressurized in the presence of ethanol. For heat treatment, 30° C. or higher, especially 50 to 90° C. is preferred. No particular limitation is imposed on the time of treatment, 1 hour to 3 days being practical. Ethanol having a purity of 95% or higher, notably 98% or higher, is preferred to be used.
From the viewpoints of exotherm property and spreadability of the composition, it is preferred to use zeolite in a proportion of from 1 to 60 wt. %, especially from 5 to 40 wt. %, typically from 10 to 30 wt. % in the cosmetic composition according to the present invention.
The polyhydric alcohol employed as the ingredient (B) in the present invention is one having a molecular weight not higher than 1,000. Many of polyhydric alcohols with molecular weight higher than 1,000 have high melting points and are unsuitable for use as a principal ingredient. However, it is not excluded to use them in small proportions.
No particular lim
Fujimura Tsutomu
Fukasawa Junichi
Koike Kenzo
Ota Hiroshi
Shimizu Masaki
Kao Corporation
Page Thurman K.
Tran S.
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