Cosmetic Composition

The invention relates to transparent cosmetic compositions, and particularly to transparent stick compositions. The invention is also concerned with a process for making these compositions.

Conventionally, transparent cosmetic compositions have been made using a soap/alcohol formulation. Such compositions have been formed as gelled sticks which act as vehicles for delivery of active ingredients.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,498 (Revlon) describes clear cosmetic sticks comprising a soap/alcohol gel base. It mentions two problems associated with previous soap/alcohol formulations: that the sticks are initially clear but become hazy with time, and that evaporation of the alcohol causes shrinkage of the stick. It proposes the use of polyoxyethylene-glucose fatty acid esters and of ethers of long-chain alcohols to replace short-chain monohydric alcohols. However, desirable cosmetic features such as cooling effect are thereby lost.

In EP 107 330 (Procter & Gamble), there is disclosed a transparent soap gel stick composition which contains hydro-alcoholic soluble emollient. The composition contains less than 12.5% of a short chain monohydric alcohol, e.g. ethanol. However, there is not mention of the inclusion of a clarity-inducing component.

Transparent sticks can be prepared and manufactured by ensuring complete neutralisation of the fatty acids, but this requires an increase in the pH of the composition to unacceptably high levels, approximately pH 10.

Further neutralisation to pH 7 means that free fatty acid will be present which may form acid soap crystals providing nucleation sites leading to the growth of large soap crystals. This growth of large crystals destroys the transparency of the composition either immediately or on gradual cooling.

It has surprisingly been found that when certain compounds are included in the cosmetic composition, the growth of soap crystals in the composition is inhibited, and transparency is achieved even at high levels of monohydric alcohol. Furthermore, such compositions can, if desired, be formulated entirely from natural plant-derived materials, that is, materials obtained from microbial culture and/or from higher plants.

The invention provides a transparent cosmetic composition having a lamellar structure comprising:

(a) from 5 to 95% by weight of an alcohol;

(b) from 3 to 20% by weight of a soap;

(c) from 0.1 to 10% by weight of a soap crystal growth inhibitor; and

(d) from 0 to 30% by weight of water.

The composition according to the invention comprises an alcohol component which may be monohydric or polyhydric or combinations thereof. The alcohol component may comprise ethanol, isopropanol, preferably propylene glycol or butanediol, most preferably glycerol. The alcohol component is present in an amount from 5 to 95% by weight.

The composition according to the invention comprises a soap. Preferably the soap is a straight chain saturated unsubstituted soap with chain length at least C.sub.16' for example a palmitate or a stearate, and especially it may comprise a mixture of palmitate and stearate, preferably with the ratio between palmitate and stearate being between 60:40 and 40:60. The soap is present in an amount from 3 to 10% by weight, and preferably in an amount from 5 to 10% by weight. The soap may be neutralised with alkali metal, alkaline earth, Group III metal ions (e.g. Al 3+), alkanol ammonium or any other suitable cation. The soap chains form into layers, providing the stick with its lamellar structure.

The composition according to the invention comprises a soap crystal growth inhibitor. It may be appreciated that any soap crystal growth inhibitor which renders transparent the composition of the invention will be suitable for use in such a composition. The soap crystal growth inhibitor is present in an amount from 0.1 to 10%, and preferably in an amount from 0.1 to 4% by weight of the composition. The growth inhibitor will be a molecule which is likely to be incorporated into the soap crystal lattice but will not be so compatible as to form an unmodified mixed crystal.

Examples of suitable crystal growth inhibitors are:

(a) monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides of C.sub.6 -C.sub.24 saturated or unsaturated, straight- or branched-chain fatty acids or substituted fatty acids;

(b) salts of substituted fatty acids, wherein the fatty acid may be saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched-chain, and wherein the salt may be formed by any suitable cation. The substituents may include hydroxy, thiol, substituted thiol, mono- and di-substituted amines, ethers, ketones and the like.

(c) salts of branched-chain fatty acids (saturated or unsaturated) formed with any suitable cation;

(d) short-chain (C3-C20) peptides;

(e) other suitable materials including substituted or unsubstituted short-chain nonionics (<C.sub.24) derived from, e.g., alcohols, ethylene, propylene or butylene oxide, sorbitan esters, rosins, lanolin and similar compounds.

The above exemplified inhibitors may be used singly or in mixtures. Preferred crystal growth inhibitors include glyceryl monolaurate, sodium ricinoleate (a C.sub.18 branched chain fatty acid) and sodium isostearate.

The composition according to the invention comprises from 0 to 30% by weight of water.

In addition to the essential ingredients defined herein, there may also be included in the cosmetic composition of the invention other ingredients, provided they do not destroy the transparency of the composition. Examples of additives are emollients, perfumes, dyes, anti-microbial agents, deodorants, deoperfumes, sunscreens and skin modifiers, as well as other additives known in this field.

The transparent cosmetic composition of the invention may be formed as a solid transparent stick. In all cases, the addition of a soap crystal growth inhibitor to the soap/alcohol mixture allows transparency to be attained even at levels of monohydric alcohol of up to 95% by weight. A composition containing high levels of such alcohols confers a pleasant cooling effect on the skin and is non-sticky. By selection of suitable packaging, it is possible to avoid the problem of shrinkage due to evaporation of alcohol. The composition of the invention retains its transparency on storage.

The invention also provides a process for preparing a transparent cosmetic composition as herein defined. The process comprises combining the ingredients in liquid form. To manufacture a transparent stick, the combined ingredients are poured into a container having a particular shape so that the solid which forms takes the shape of the container.

If sticks containing very low levels of water are to be made, sodium hydroxide may be added to the alcohol and the solution heated with constant stirring to reflux. When completely dissolved all the remaining ingredients except the perfume, anti-bacterial agent and the like minor ingredients may be added, the solution stirred and once more heated to reflux. Finally, the solution is cooled to about 60.degree. C., minor ingredients such as perfume added to the homogenous solution and the sticks cast into appropriate barrels.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is in the form of a stick of circular or oval cross-section contained in a stick dispenser. Suitable dispensers have an airtight cap so as to prevent evaporation of volatile ingredients during storage between uses. The composition of the invention can also be dispensed as a cream or soft gel from an applicator suitable for the purpose.

The transparent cosmetic composition of the invention is applied to areas of the skin as desired. In the case of a transparent stick, the stick is rubbed on the skin so as to leave a deposit of the cosmetic composition. By this means, additives which are included in the cosmetic composition may be spread onto the skin in the quantities required.

A number of compositions were prepared according to the procedure described herein (all % by weight formulations).

Transparency was evaluated in two ways:

(a) the test given in U.S. Pat. No. 3,274,119 wherein "transparent" is defined as such that a bold face type of 14 point size can be readily read through a 1/4 inch section of material;

(b) thin slices (approximately 5 mm) of the sticks were taken and viewed through a cross-polarising lens. This shows crystal facets. The less the number of facets, the more transparent the products. The "blacker" the cross-polarised image, the more transparent it is. Structures according to the present invention are noted to have `maltese cross` images.

Formulations according to the invention which contained the soap crystal growth inhibitor were found to be more "transparent" than similar formulations which did not include the soap crystal growth inhibitor.