Hair conditioning composition

Details Hair conditioning composition Hair conditioning composition

1999-05-11

2001-02-13

Dodson, Shelley A. (Department: 1616)

Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions

Live hair or scalp treating compositions

C514S880000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06187303

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to cosmetic hair conditioning compositions. In particular, the present invention relates to an aqueous hair conditioning composition with improved stability.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known that hair conditioning compositions are desired by consumers because of their ability to minimize fly away, static charge, and tangling of the hair, and also because they soften hair and facilitate combing. Typically, hair conditioning formulations contain, as an active ingredient, a quaternary ammonium compound in which the molecular structure includes a nitrogen joined to four organic groups (i.e., the cation) and a negatively charged acid radical (i.e., the anion). For example, a particularly desirable active agent in hair conditioning compositions is stearalkonium chloride (C
27
H
50
NCl), of the following formula:
Despite the conditioning attributes provided by stearalkonium chloride, it has proven to be very difficult in practice to implement stearalkonium chloride in hair conditioning compositions because of the drawbacks associated therewith. For example, stearalkonium chloride is susceptible to precipitation in conventional hair conditioning formulations, thereby causing an undesirable “pearlized effect.” In this respect, while conventional stearalkonium chloride-containing hair conditioning compositions may have a creamy appearance initially and be aesthetically pleasing to consumers, over a period of weeks (depending upon storage and temperature conditions) stearalkonium chloride crystallizes out and the appearance of the composition deteriorates and becomes more pearly. The pearly appearance is itself undesirable to consumers. The inconsistency in appearance (even from one bottle to the next) exhibited by these conventional stearalkonium chloride-containing hair conditioning compositions is especially undesirable and troubling to consumers.
The pearlizing effect also adversely affects the selected color of tinted hair conditioners. For example, if the hair conditioning composition is initially colored (e.g., red or pink), over time the composition will appear to have faded since the white background is modified by virtue of the pearlizing effect. This perception of color fading also negatively impacts the consumer. Heretofore, it has proven to be very difficult to provide a stearalkonium chloride-containing hair conditioning composition in which the stearalkonium chloride does not precipitate such that the composition maintains a relatively consistent appearance and/or color over time.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated that there exists a need in the art for a stearalkonium chloride-containing hair conditioning composition that does not suffer from the undesirable pearlizing effect and whose appearance and color remain stable over time. It is an object of the present invention to provide such a hair conditioning composition that achieves these needs. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a hair conditioning composition which is stable both to a pearlizing effect and in appearance. The composition of the present invention comprises water, stearalkonium chloride, and a stabilizing component to inhibit pearlizing. The stabilizing component comprises a polyoxyethylene stearyl ether having a sufficient number of oxyethylene units to be capable of inhibiting the precipitation of stearalkonium chloride in the composition when the polyoxyethylene stearyl ether is present in the composition in an amount sufficient to inhibit the precipitation (e.g., crystallization) of the stearalkonium chloride.
Other aspects of the present invention include a method of conditioning hair and a method of inhibiting the precipitation of a stearalkonium chloride in an aqueous cosmetic hair conditioning composition, respectively. The method of conditioning hair comprises contacting the hair with an aqueous composition that includes a stearalkonium chloride and a stabilizing component comprising a polyoxyethylene stearyl ether as described above. The method of inhibiting the precipitation of a stearalkonium chloride in an aqueous cosmetic hair conditioning composition includes adding to the composition a polyoxyethylene stearyl ether having a sufficiently high molecular weight such that it is capable of inhibiting the precipitation of stearalkonium choloride when it is added in an amount sufficient to inhibit the precipitation of the stearalkonium chloride.
Advantageously, the present invention permits the inclusion of a stearalkonium chloride in a conditioning composition, thereby enhancing the conditioning properties thereof, without causing the formation of an undesirable precipitate. As such, the present invention also provides a conditioner that is stable, relatively uniform in appearance, and aesthetically pleasing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention is predicated, at least in part, on providing an aqueous hair conditioning composition that includes both stearalkonium chloride and a polyoxyethylene glycol ether of stearyl alcohol. Surprisingly, in accordance with the present invention, by adjusting the number of polyoxyethylene units in the polyoxyethylene stearate ester, it has been found that precipitation of stearalkonium chloride in the inventive composition is inhibited or precluded. By way of example, in one embodiment, the polyoxyethylene stearate ester is polyoxyethylene (21) stearyl ether.
In particular, the inventive hair conditioning composition is aqueous. In this respect, the amount of water (diluent) in the composition can be from about 10% to about 90% by weight of the composition, preferably from about 40% to about 90% by weight of the composition, even more preferably from about 60% to about 90% by weight of the composition, and still more preferably from about 75% to about 80% by weight of the composition.
The active conditioning ingredient in the inventive hair conditioning composition is stearalkonium chloride. Preferably, the amount of stearalkonium chloride present in the composition ranges from about 0.2% to about 5% by weight of the composition, more preferably from about 0.5% to about 2.5% by weight of the composition, and even more preferably from about 0.75% to about 1.5% by weight of the composition. It is to be noted that the ranges set forth herein are calculated with respect to a 100% active concentration of the ingredients. As a result, if, for example, the stearalkonium chloride is provided in a form in which the active form of the stearalkonium chloride is only in a concentration of 25%, then, of course, it is desirable to use 4 times the amounts set forth in these ranges.
The present invention also includes a stabilizing component in the form of a polyoxyethylene stearyl ether. The polyoxyethylene stearyl ether is represented by the following formula:
CH
3
(CH
2
)
16
CH
2
(OCH
2
CH
2
)
n
OH,
wherein n is greater than 2. Significantly, the polyoxyethylene stearyl ether contains a sufficient number of oxyethylene units (identified as “n” in the formula) to stabilize the composition against precipitation of stearalkonium chloride. Desirably, the number of polyoxyethylene units is greater than 2, preferably at least 5, more preferably at least 10, even more preferably at least 15, and still more preferably 20 or more. In a preferred embodiment, the polyoxyethylene stearyl ether is polyoxyethylene (21) stearyl ether (such that n is 21). Polyoxyethylene (21) stearyl ether is commercially available from ICI Surfactants of Wilmington, Del., under the trade name Brij 721 S.
The polyoxyethylene stearyl ether is provided in the composition in an amount sufficient to inhibit precipitation of stearalkonium chloride in the composition. For example, polyoxyethylene stearyl ether is provided in an amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the composition, more preferably in

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