High alkaline hair compositions for increased fullness and body

Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...

Reexamination Certificate

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C510S123000, C510S124000, C510S128000

Reexamination Certificate

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06348439

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to hair shampoos and hair care products. More particularly, the invention relates to shampoo and hair care compositions having a high pH and comprising components which provide conditioning effects and increased body and fullness to the hair, particularly, fine hair or very fine hair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hair care products specific to the needs of consumers with fine hair have long been commercially available. Shampoos for improving the body of fine hair have been the most widely used of all hair care products. Such shampoos that are common to the marketplace are typically formulated to have pH ranges that are acidic to neutral, for example, about 5.5 to 7.0. Many of the low pH to neutral pH hair shampoos do not provide lasting fullness and body to fine and very fine hair. This may be a consequence of a failure of prior art products to provide a perception of texture to the hair or to remain on the hair shaft after subsequent rinsing and shampooing.
Low pH works to close cuticles that surround the hair shaft. This, in turn, decreases penetration of active ingredients in a product and tends to decrease the diameter of the hair, thus resulting in a decrease in the perception of body and fullness of the hair.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,240,450; 4,445,521; 4,719,099 and 5,009,880 to J.-F. Grollier et al. disclose anchoring of anionic polymers to keratin material by means of a cationic polymer, via an interaction (i.e., complexation) between the two types of polymers. The Grollier et al. patents do not disclose or teach high pH and rapid deposition of polymer. The patents disclose that the substantivity of the anionic polymer is improved by its interaction with cationic polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,076 to V. M. Deshpande et al. discloses compositions and methods for enhancing the body of hair in which harsh reducing agents, i.e., alkali metal or ammonium bisulfites, are required. The disclosed compositions require contact with hair for about 20 to 30 minutes prior to rinsing from the hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,389 to G. Gazzani discloses aqueous compositions for cleaning hair, skin and scalp. The disclosed compositions include surfactants and lipases to increase their cleaning efficacy. No polymers are included in the compositions, which are not contemplated for improving or providing long-lasting fullness and body.
H. Edelstein, “Hair Conditioners and Conditioning”,
Cosmetics and Toiletries
, Vol. 100 (4):31-36, April 1985, discloses that cationic substances having a strong positive charge are attracted to the hair at pH above 3.8. However, there is no recognition that a cationic polymer in a composition at a pH from about 8 to about 10, or a nonionic polymer in a composition at a pH of from about 8 to about 14, results in an increased perception of texture, body and fullness to the hair by the user.
The present invention addresses the need in the art for improved shampoos and hair care products designed to increase fullness and body to hair, particularly fine and very fine hair. The present invention provides novel alkaline compositions and formulations, which combine a higher pH, i.e., about 8 to 8.5 and above, with cationic and/or nonionic polymers, to create products that provide, in a surprisingly short time, a perception of texture to the hair and impart long-lasting fullness and body to users with fine to very fine hair. The terms “high pH” and “high or highly alkaline” are used interchangeably herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide hair care products for improving and adding fullness, texture and body to keratinous fibers, particularly human hair, and more particularly, fine or very fine hair. A variety of hair care products are intended to be embraced by the present invention, including, but not limited to, shampoos, conditioning shampoos and rinses.
It is another object of the present invention to provide high alkaline hair compositions and methods containing one or more nonionic and/or cationic polymers, for example, guars and the like, and derivatives thereof, wherein the compositions are stable and active over time, despite the higher pH environment of the composition. In accordance with the present invention, when the compositions contain a cationic polymer, the pH of the compositions is from about 8 to about 10; however, when the compositions contain no cationic polymer, the pH of the compositions can be from about 8 to about 14, preferably about 8.5 to about 13, and more preferably, about 8.5 to about 10. Also, in accordance with the present invention, the components of the hair compositions rapidly deposit on the hair to provide body, fullness and texture to otherwise fine or very fine hair, after shampooing and rinsing from the hair.
Further objects and advantages afforded by the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description hereinbelow.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides new compositions and formulations that are capable of imparting a noticeable increase in body and fullness to hair, particularly, fine and very fine hair. As used herein, the terms composition and formulation are interchangeable. The compositions of the present invention have a pH of about 8 or greater, and comprise one or more nonionic and/or cationic polymers, wherein the use of the products provides to the user the perception of fuller texture and body to the hair. The elevated pH combined with one or more nonionic and/or cationic polymers in the compositions of the present invention provide the effects of fullness, texture and body to the hair, along with conditioning effects, if desired, especially if a cationic polymer, such as guar, is included in the inventive compositions.
Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the elevated pH of the compositions of the present invention causes the hair or a shaft of a keratinous fiber to swell and the cuticle to lift. This effect is temporary; thus, when the hair is rinsed, the pH returns to normal or near-normal levels, and the cuticles flatten. However, in accordance with the present invention, the formulation of the polymers in a high pH medium, such as a shampoo, for example, allows the hair to swell and the included polymers to penetrate into the hair and to deposit under the cuticle and attach to the hair. The included nonionic and/or cationic polymers prevent the cuticle from closing completely, which thickens the hair shaft and provides it with more surface roughness and texture, after application to the hair. This effect was unexpectedly discovered by the present inventors to occur rapidly, i.e., within one minute or less.
As mentioned above, upon rinsing the hair and lowering the pH, the presence of the deposited polymer in the compositions of the present invention blocks the cuticle from returning to its prior flattened state. In accordance with the present invention, the polymer is trapped and the hair thus feels slightly “swelled”. This imparts a thicker look and feel to the hair and gives the hair fiber more body and fullness.
The hair care compositions of the present invention are aqueous based and may be prepared in a variety of final formulations including lotions, creams, gels, emulsions, pumps, sprays, aerosols, mousses/foams, solutions and the like. Water is present in the compositions at about 30% to about 99%, preferably, about 50% to about 95%, more preferably, about 70% to about 90%, by weight, based on the total weight of the composition. It is hereinafter to be understood that, unless otherwise specified, all reagents and components of the compositions of the present invention are present in % by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.
In accordance with the present invention, when a cationic polymer is present the pH range of the shampoo and hair care product formulations of the present invention is about 8 to about 10; in the absence of a cationic polymer in the formulations, the pH range can be about 8 to about 14, preferably about

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