Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Live hair or scalp treating compositions
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-25
2001-10-23
Dodson, Shelley A. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Live hair or scalp treating compositions
C424S070200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06306377
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to hair straightening and/or smoothing compositions and, more particularly to a hair straightening/smoothing composition which provides a temporary hair straightening effect, without chemically interacting with the hair fibers.
BACKGROUND ART
As is well known in the art, hair fibers are composed of a unique protein called “keratin” which is distinguished by the fact that it contains a very significant amount of an amino acid (cysteine) which contains the element sulfur in addition to the elements nitrogen, oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. In the natural synthesis of hair, the element sulfur covalently links intra or inter polypeptide chains (K) through two sulfur atoms (S-S) to give keratin protein (K-S-S-K). Only by chemical action can this covalent linkage be broken.
Since these disulfide bonds are relatively strong bonds and are not affected by water, permanent results are obtained by altering the disulfide bonds through cleavage and recombination. In this way, a permanent configuration change of the hair is attained. However, chemical action is required in order for this disulfide linkage to be broken. In this regard, many prior art compositions have been developed for permanent waving or straightening of hair which treat the hair with chemical agents to break the disulfide (cysteine) linkage in the hair while the hair is mechanically maintained in the desired configuration.
When a sufficient number of hair disulfide bonds have been broken, the hair is realigned to pair previously unpaired hair protein thiol groups opposite each other. At this point, the hair is rinsed to remove the first chemical reactant and then saturated with a second agent to reform the disulfide bonds between the newly paired hair protein thiols. This gives the hair a new configuration.
Although the chemicals employed in achieving either hair straightening or permanent hair waving provide excellent results, process problems exist which are difficult to control. One of the disadvantages is the fact that these processes must be conducted at elevated pH levels. However, since the skin surface of humans is usually at a weak acidic level, the use of products at elevated pH causes discomfort, irritation, and/or adverse reactions. Although low pH levels would be desirable, the permanent wave or straightening results produced at low pH levels are not satisfactory. Other disadvantages of prior art chemical agents are the irreversible fiber alteration made evident by increased fiber porosity and decreased tensile properties.
In the art of chemically altering hair fiber configurations, there is much trial and error, with the hair being over processed, in some instances. The characteristics of over-processing are raspy feel to the hair or a loss of natural underlying color. Structural evaluation of the hair fiber by instrumentation usually reveals that the structural integrity of the hair is lessened, which is evidenced by either an increase in the amount of cysteine and cysteic acid or a lessening of the cysteine content relative to the hair not so processed.
In view of the substantial damage that may be caused to hair fibers by employing chemicals for structurally altering the hair fiber configuration, increased interest has been paid to the development of chemicals and application techniques which achieve a hair configuration altering result which is on a temporary basis and does not cause a chemical hair fiber interaction. Although substantial effort has been expended in the prior art to achieve an effective composition capable of producing hair straightening on a temporary basis without adversely affecting the hair fiber itself, such attempts have failed to produce a viable composition, prior to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
By employing the present invention, the prior art difficulties and inabilities are overcome, and a highly effective, hair straightening/smoothing composition is realized which achieves the straightening and/or smoothing of hair fibers, without chemically interacting with the hair fiber itself. As a result, a temporary hair straightening effect is realized which enables a wide variety of hair styles or fashions to be attained, while still enabling the hair change effect to be easily reversed by merely washing the hair to remove the chemical formulation. As a result, the prior art drawbacks and inabilities are eliminated, and an effective hair straightening/smoothing composition is attained which allows the physical properties of the hair fibers, such as feel, shine, luster, softness and manageability to be retained without adverse effect.
In accordance with the present invention, the desirable and previously unattainable results are realized by employing a formulation incorporating cationic guar gums in combination with nonionic guar gums. By applying these two components to a head of hair, in the manner detailed below, the hair fibers are straightened and maintained in a straight configuration, until the chemical formulation is washed out of the hair.
In addition to employing a cationic guar gum, in combination with a nonionic guar gum, the preferred formulation of the present invention also incorporates additives for protecting the hair fibers from humidity. In this way, a non-chemical, temporary hair straightening/smoothing formulation is attained which redefines hair texture and imparts humidity protection thereto. Furthermore, the preferred formulation also incorporates additional additives selected from the group consisting of fragrances, preservatives, pH controllers, and water. By employing these compounds, a highly effective hair straightening/smoothing composition is realized which attains these desirable hair straightening/smoothing results without chemical interaction with the hair fibers.
In Table 1, an overall general formulation for the hair straightening/smoothing gel composition of the present invention is provided. By referring to this formulation, the various desired ingredients and quantity range for each ingredient is detailed as the percent by weight of each ingredient, based upon the weight of the entire composition.
TABLE I
HAIR STRAIGHTENING/SMOOTHING GEL COMPOSITION
INGREDIENT
WEIGHT PERCENTAGE RANGE
Cationic Guar Gum
0.25-1.50%
Nonionic Guar Gum
0.25-0.75%
Fragrance
0.01-0.50%
Preservative
0.10-1.7%
pH Controller
0.05-0.5%
Water
q.s. to 100%
As is detailed in Table 1, the principal ingredients of the hair straightening/smoothing gel composition of the present invention comprises the combination of a nonionic guar gum and a cationic guar gum. Although any desired nonionic guar gum can be employed, the preferred nonionic guar gum comprises hydroxypropyl guar. Similarly, any desired cationic guar gum can be employed to form an effective hair straightening/smoothing gel. However, it has been found that the preferred cationic guar gum comprises guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride. In addition to these principal components, other ingredients preferably incorporated into the composition include one or more selected from the group consisting of fragrances, preservatives, pH controllers, and water.
The preferred formulation for the hair straightening/smoothing gel of the present invention also incorporates a humidity protecting agent. By incorporating a humidity protecting agent in the composition, substantially enhanced retention of straightened/smoothed hair is realized, since varying humidity levels have little or no effect on causing the natural curled hair configuration to return to washing of the entire head of hair. The preferred formulation incorporating a humidity protecting agent is detailed in Table II.
TABLE II
HAIR STRAIGHTENING/SMOOTHING GEL COMPOSITION
INGREDIENT
WEIGHT PERCENTAGE RANGE
Nonionic Guar Gum
0.25-1.50%
Cationic Guar Gum
0.25-0.75%
Humidity Protecting
0.05-5.00%
Agent
Fragrance
0.01-0.50%
Preservative
0.10-1.7%
pH Controller
0.05-0.5%
Water
q.s. to 100%
Although any desired humidity protecting agent can be incorporated into the hair gel composition of this invention, th
Coppola Linda S.
Ferullo Teresa
Dodson Shelley A.
Shiseido Co. Ltd.
Stoltz Melvin I.
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