Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification – Dyeing involving animal-derived natural fiber material ,... – Hair dyeing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-23
2002-08-13
Einsmann, Margaret (Department: 1751)
Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification
Dyeing involving animal-derived natural fiber material ,...
Hair dyeing
C008S406000, C008S618000, C008S649000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06432147
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to hair coloring compositions and processes for coloring hair, and more especially to hair coloring compositions comprising an inorganic peroxygen oxidising agent in combination with an oxidative hair coloring agent at an acidic pH of between about 1 and about 6.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The desire to alter the color of human hair is not a facet of modern times. Since the days of the Roman Empire the color of human hair has been routinely altered to accommodate the changes of fashion and style. However the attainment of precise initial colors which are retained by the hair for a desirable period has remained a more elusive goal. The difficulties in the development of hair coloring compositions which can deliver precise long-lasting colors are in part due to the inherent structure of the hair itself and in part due to the necessary conditions of effective hair coloration processes.
In general, the condition and structure of human hair is not regular along the length of the hair shaft. Human hair is subject to various chemical and mechanical treatments such as combing, brushing, shampooing, heating, perming as well as exposure to the sun. As such, the hair at the ends of the hair shaft will generally exhibit greater signs of damage relative to the new growth close to the scalp. This damage can lead to inconsistent coloration when the hair is dyed due to irregular uptake of the hair coloring agents along the length of the hair shaft.
Once the hair has been colored there is a desire for the color to be resistant to fading, as occasioned by the actions of washing (also known as wash fastness), perspiration, hair spray and other exterior factors such as the action of the sun, and further that the color be retained in a consistent manner for a predictable period of time. Additionally damage to the hair that can lead to irregular dye uptake as discussed above, can lead to increased fading of the damaged portions of the hair and consequently, irregular levels of color fade over time. An additional difficulty commonly associated with the dyeing of human hair is the need for dye systems which avoid any adverse effect on the hair and skin of the user, such as brittle hair, or, irritation of the skin, or, staining (coloring) of the skin.
Thus, it would be desirable to develop a hair coloring composition which exhibits reduced fade, provides improved resistance to wash out during a regular cleansing regimen, can deliver substantially consistent hair color results throughout the hair, which has reduced irritant effect on the skin, which has reduced staining on the skin, which has reduced adverse effects on the hair of the user and also to develop a convenient and easy-to-use method for the delivery of such a hair coloring composition to the hair.
Over the years significant effort has been directed towards the elimination of many of the problems associated with the dyeing of human hair. Various approaches to hair dyeing have been developed, these include, direct action dyes, natural dyes, metallic dyes and oxidative dyes.
To color human or animal hair using oxidative dye technology the hair is generally treated with a mixture of oxidative hair coloring agents and an oxidising agent. Hydrogen peroxide is the most commonly used oxidising agent. However, in addition to oxidising the oxidative coloring agents, hydrogen peroxide treatment of the hair can also solubilise and decolorise the colored melanin component in the hair which can lead to undesirable hair qualities, such as brittleness and hair damage. This is in part due to the conditions of conventional peroxide treatment, as part of the hair coloring process, when conducted at high pH (>pH 9), extended exposure (from 10 to 60 minutes) and a relatively high concentration of oxidising solution (between about 20% to about 40% volume of oxygen i.e. about 6-12% wt.) in order to deliver effective dye oxidisation.
Oxidative hair coloring agents and peroxygen oxidising agents can be used to deliver a variety of hair colors to the hair. However substantial improvement is needed in the areas of color saturation, color development, precise initial color consistency, improved wash fastness, improved hair condition and levels of hair damage.
Thus there is a need for oxidative hair coloring compositions which effectively dye the hair but avoid or reduce damage to the hair, which can color the hair effectively and avoid or reduce irritation and/or staining to the skin of the user.
Typically, hair coloring compositions containing oxidative hair coloring agents are formulated at high pH (from about pH 9 to about pH 12) and commonly contain, in addition to the oxidative hair coloring agents and an inorganic peroxygen oxidising agent, peroxide activating agents and a variety of additional cosmetic, coloring agent and peroxygen oxidising agent stabilising agents. It is also known that enhanced oxidative hair coloring agent oxidation can be achieved via the use of a hair swelling agent (HSA). Such HSA's enhance the oxidising and coloring process by swelling the hair fibres to aid both the diffusion of the peroxygen oxidising agent and the oxidative hair coloring agents into the hair and enabling faster, more thorough dye oxidisation and hair coloring. A common HSA is an aqueous (alkaline) solution containing a source of ammonia, such as ammonium hydroxide. However ammonia can cause skin irritation and in addition has an undesirable odour and can cause lacrimatory effects.
Thus, it would be desirable to develop a hair coloring composition having desirable odour characteristics comprising oxidative hair coloring agents which delivers improved hair coloring benefits and/or delivers faster hair coloring without the need for an HSA.
It has now been found that the combination of inorganic peroxygen oxidising agents with one or more oxidative hair coloring agents at a pH below the internal pH of hair, between about pH 1 to about pH 6, and optionally, certain, additional oxidising agents, in hair coloring compositions can deliver excellent initial hair color in combination with improved color and wash fastness of the hair color over time, desirable color saturation and vividness attributes, reduced hair damage, reduced skin irritation, reduced skin staining and more efficient dyeing.
Furthermore, it has been found that the efficiency of color development (color change) from the inorganic peroxygen oxidising agents and particular oxidative hair coloring agents of the present invention is improved under the low pH conditions according to the present invention. In addition, it has been found that the hair coloring compositions according to the present invention can deliver these excellent hair coloring attributes results with minimal hair damage, at low pH (about 1 to about 6 ).
It is an object of the present invention to provide low pH hair coloring compositions which deliver the combination of improved hair coloring attributes, such as, longer lasting color (reduced fade), initial color generation, increased color uptake and color consistency across hair types. Hair types as defined herein means hair of varying age and condition i.e. virgin untreated, grey, permed, bleached etc.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide low pH hair coloring compositions which have reduced levels of skin irritation and/or skin staining versus conventional high pH systems and which impart minimal damage to the hair fibres and reduced staining of skin in combination with an acceptable odor.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide low pH hair coloring compositions which exhibit increased efficacy (improved color development). Color development as defined herein, means, the change in the hair color, expressed in terms of Delta E, as defined in the Experimental section herein after). It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide coloring compositions with reduced damage to the skin and/or hair which can deliver equivalent color development (versus conventional high pH systems) in
Dias Louis Carlos
Dunbar James Charles
Pratt Dominic
Corstanje Brahm J.
Einsmann Margaret
Peebles Brent M.
Rosnell Tara M.
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