Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Preparations characterized by special physical form – Cosmetic – antiperspirant – dentifrice
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-11
2003-04-29
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1615)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Preparations characterized by special physical form
Cosmetic, antiperspirant, dentifrice
C424S059000, C424S060000, C424S070100, C424S070120, C424S070130, C424S070190, C424S070210, C424S070270, C424S070310
Reexamination Certificate
active
06555119
ABSTRACT:
FIELD
The present invention relates to a transparent micro emulsion. In particular, it relates to a transparent micro emulsion for skin moisturizing, smoothness, and softness.
BACKGROUND
Many personal care products currently available to consumers are directed primarily to improving the health and/or physical appearance of the skin. Among these skin care products, many are directed to delaying, minimizing or even eliminating skin wrinkling and other histological changes typically associated with skin aging or environmental damage to human skin such as wrinkling and other forms of roughness (including increased pore size, flaking and skin lines). In order to maintain or return skin to a healthy and/or youthful state, the skin is typically treated with products containing a moisturizing agent. Generally, the greater the concentration of moisturizing agents the more the moisturization effect to the skin.
Oil-in-water and/or water-in-oil emulsions are well-known. In particular, cosmetic products that can be supplied in emulsion form include lotions, tonics, serums or toilet waters and also include transparent and semi-transparent types. Such emulsions, particularly transparent lotions, are preferable for use in skin care products in order to provide moistness and softness to the skin, while not causing skin greasiness or stickiness. However, the higher concentration of moisturizing agents in such compositions and/or emulsions tends to cause the loss of transparency of the compositions and/or emulsions and may further cause separation of oil and water content as well as sticky and greasy feeling of skin. The lower the moisturizing agents levels, e.g., oily components, the lower the moisturizing efficacy to the skin. It is also known in the arts that certain surfactants are useful for emulsifying oily materials, but increasing the levels in emulsion may cause irritation of skin.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need to seek a transparent emulsion for improving one's skin condition by maximizing the amount of moisturizing agent in the composition and/or improving the spreadability of the moisturizing agent to the skin, yet continue to impart a non-greasy feeling to the user.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to a transparent micro emulsion comprising:
(a) two or more nonionic surfactants selected from the group consisting of polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether having the C
12-18
of alkyl substitute, polyoxyalkylene hydrogenated castor oil, and a linear or branched, mono- or tri-alkyl glyceride;
(b) two or more oily components selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbon oils, fatty acid esters, and silicone oils;
(c) a water-soluble high molecular weight polymer; and
(d) a cosmetically-acceptable carrier comprising a polyol and water.
The sum of the concentration of the surfactants and the oily components is less than about 6.0 wt %. The ratio of the surfactants to the oily components is from about 2:1 to about 1:1.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood from a reading of the following description, and appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the invention, it is believed that the present invention will be better understood from the following description.
All percentages, ratios, and levels of ingredients referred to herein are based on the actually total amount of the composition and/or emulsion, unless otherwise indicated.
All measurements referred to herein are made at 25° C. unless otherwise specified.
All publications, patent applications, and issued patents mentioned herein are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference. Citation of any reference is not an admission regarding any determination as to its availability as prior art to the claimed invention.
Herein, “comprising” means that other steps and other ingredients which do not affect the end result can be added. This term encompasses the terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of.”
Herein, “topical application” means to apply or spread a material onto the surface of the skin.
Herein, “cosmetically-acceptable carrier,” means one or more compatible dermatologically-acceptable solid or liquid filler diluents or encapsulating substances.
Herein, “dermatologically-acceptable,” means that the compositions and/or emulsions or components thereof so described are suitable for use in contact with human skin without undue toxicity, incompatibility, instability, irritation allergic response, and the like, commensurate with a reasonable benefit/risk ratio.
Herein, “safe and effective amount,” means an amount of a compound or composition/emulsion sufficient to significantly induce a positive benefit, preferably a positive skin appearance or feel benefit, including independently the benefits disclosed herein, but low enough to avoid serious side effects, i.e., to provide a reasonable benefit to risk ratio, within the scope of sound judgment of the skilled artisan.
Herein, “mixtures” is meant to include a simple combination of materials and any compounds that may result from their combination.
All ingredients such as actives and other ingredients useful herein may be categorized or described by their cosmetic and/or therapeutic benefit or their postulated mode of action. However, it is to be understood that the active and other ingredients useful herein can, in some instances, provide more than one cosmetic and/or therapeutic benefit or operate via more than one mode of action. Therefore, classifications herein are made for the sake of convenience and are not intended to limit an ingredient to the particularly stated application or applications listed.
A. Transparent Micro Emulsion
The transparent micro emulsion of the present invention includes two or more nonionic surfactants, two or more oily components, a water-soluble high molecular weight polymer, and a cosmetically-acceptable carrier. The sum of the concentration of the surfactants (a) and the oily components (b) is less than about 6.0 wt %. The ratio of the surfactants to the oily components is from about 2:1 to about 1:1. Preferably, the transparent micro emulsion of the present invention is a dermatologically-acceptable topical composition; more preferably a cosmetic composition.
Herein, “transparent” means that emulsions have sufficient transparency to see the other side through the emulsion in a clear glass or plastic bottle. Herein, “micro emulsion” means a solution in which oil and water, form micelle structures, that are dispersed in solution and such dispersion is stable over time. Preferably, the droplets present in the emulsions are a mean particle size of less than about 100 m&mgr; meter (0.1 &mgr;m=100 nm) of; more preferably less than about 80 m&mgr; meter (0.08 &mgr;m). Herein, “droplets,” refer to an emulsion particle wherein the water and the oily component are absorbed together through a surfactant. It is believed that the droplets' particle size affect the transparency and turbidity of the emulsion and/or composition which contains oil, surfactants, and water. When the emulsion has droplets which are large in size, particularly more than 0.1 &mgr;m, the emulsion tends to be turbid, e.g., not clear. The size of the droplets can be determined using a Laser Scattering Particle Size Distribution Analyzer LA-910 by Horiba (Japan). The size of droplets is measured with the emulsion at a temperature of 25° C.+/−1° C., after 30 seconds mixing.
In another aspect, the transparent micro emulsion of the present invention, having the specific combination of more than two surfactants and oily components has an absorbent value of less than about 2 at a wave length of 340 nm; preferably from about 1 to about 1.5 at the same wave length. An emulsion having an absorbent value of greater than 2 at the above wave length tends to be insufficiently transparent.
The transparent micro emulsion of the present invention, preferably, contains less than 6.0 wt % of the sum of the
Mori Kiyoaki
Tanaka Hidekazu
Tsunetsugu Shuichi
Howell John M.
Matthews Armina E.
Page Thurman K.
Rosnell Tara M.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
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