DE3878689T2 - WOVEN FIBER COSMETICS AND THEIR USE. - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a cosmetic product and a method of use. In particular, it relates to a dry form of a cosmetic which is rapidly soluble for the purpose of superficial treatment of the hair or skin.

In the cosmetic field, there are a considerable number of products for conditioning hair, some with the aim of softening hair, some with the aim of thickening hair, some with the aim of colouring hair and also some with the supposed ability to induce hair growth, and various combinations thereof. Similarly, there are many products for application to the skin for softening, tinting, colouring and protection against sunburn. However, all of these products are supplied to the user in the form of either a liquid, a cream or an ointment or paste. None of the foregoing products are supplied in a completely dry state for either in situ entry into an aqueous solution or for mixing with water immediately before application.

According to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 040,371, filed April 20, 1987, a rapidly dissolving medicinal dosage unit is described and claimed in which a drug is dispersed or incorporated in a fibrous mass of spun sugar fibers. The product is characterized by very rapid entry into solution when contacted with water or other liquid solvent. As explained in the above application, the fibers, spun with a cotton crystallizer spinning machine, are compacted without destroying the fibrous nature of the mass. The dosage unit can be administered orally and dissolves almost immediately in the mouth.

It has now been found that the fiber form of the product is ideally suited as a carrier for a cosmetic material and has other cosmetological properties.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a spun fibrous cosmetic composition comprising a rapidly dissolvable mass of water-soluble spun fibers made from a material capable of being spun into fibers that are readily water-soluble and an effective amount of an active agent dispersed or incorporated in the fibrous mass, the active agent having cosmetological properties.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a spun fibrous cosmetic preparation comprising a rapidly dissolvable mass of water-soluble spun fibers of lactose.

Another aspect of the present invention includes a method of cosmetically treating skin or hair comprising application to the skin or hair of a spun fibrous cosmetic preparation comprising a rapidly dissolvable mass of water-soluble spun fibers of lactose.

Furthermore, in yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of cosmetically treating hair or skin comprising applying to the hair or skin a spun fibrous cosmetic composition comprising a rapidly dissolvable mass of water-soluble spun fibers of a material capable of being spun into fibers that are readily water-soluble and further comprising an effective amount of an active agent dispersed or incorporated in the fibrous mass, at least the active agent exhibiting cosmetological effects.

The invention is explained in more detail in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments.

The spun sucrose sugar fiber confection commonly referred to as cotton candy is well known to children and most adults. Furthermore, anyone who has eaten cotton candy should know that the sucrose sugar literally melts in the mouth and seems to disappear into nothing very quickly. In its spun form, the sugar is very brittle. However, the sugar fibers can be compacted to form a sheet-like body that is easier to handle. Two patents describe methods for Manufacture of compacted confections from spun sugar, namely US Patent 3,930,043 (Warning et al) and US Patent 4,526,525 (Oiso et al).

U.S. Patent 4,496,592 (Kuwahara et al) describes a chewing gum made in the form of composite fibers by fiberizing a sugar and/or a candy sugar and a chewing gum base or composition by a fiberizing section, such as a rotary cylinder, of a sugar fiberizing apparatus.

According to US-A-3 875 300 a system is disclosed which is suitable for a sustained, prolonged release of a drug within a body cavity. The system comprises a mixture of a body fluid soluble, thermoplastic, physiologically inert polymer and an effective amount of a drug and can be provided in the form of spun fibers.

Of the aforementioned patents, none suggest the possibility of using any form of fibrous sugar or cotton candy as a cosmetic or as a carrier for a cosmetic component. Against this background, it has been found that many materials having cosmetic efficacy can be combined with a spinnable, readily soluble material, such as sugar, in such a manner that the resulting composition can still be spun in fibrous form by melt spinning and without deteriorating the cosmetic material or reducing its effectiveness. Generally speaking, the particular sugar or other material used as a carrier should have a melting point that is a safe distance below the temperature at which the cosmetic material decomposes or otherwise breaks down, but not necessarily below the melting point of the cosmetic ingredient. Any material, such as sugar or a sugar-like substance, that can be melt spun to produce a fibrous structure, which substance dissolves rapidly in water, is non-toxic and, in particular, is compatible with the cosmetic, is suitable in accordance with the practice of the present invention.

From a dosage point of view, it has also been found that the method described below is suitable for producing a consistent and even distribution of the cosmetic in the vehicle with acceptable reliability. This is important for the cosmetic application where the amount of the active material should be known or ascertainable.

The common sugar used in making candy is sucrose, and cotton candy made from sucrose is the product most people are familiar with. However, sucrose in fibrous form is not very stable when exposed to moisture, even at the low humidity found in the atmosphere under normal atmospheric conditions. In addition, sucrose tends to form a sticky sugar. However, other sugars, such as lactose and maltose, have been found to be more stable and are not sticky. In addition, lactose and maltose in spun, fibrous form have been found to possess both effectiveness as hair conditioners, appearing to soften hair, and as skin softeners.

The spinning process for producing "cotton candy" is a melt-extrusion process, whereby the base material is melted and forced through spinnerets. The usual equipment uses a rotary spinning head surrounded by a basin into which the fibers are spun. Using a cosmetic sugar formulation, fibers are obtained. In order to convert the cotton-like mass into a form that can be packed and handled, the product thus spun must generally be compacted to produce a compact body that must not be squeezed too hard. It is important that the final form retains its fibrous character so that it will release easily when exposed to water or other solvent. For the manufacture of tablets, it is desirable to reduce the initial spinning volume to about 2/3 or to a level beyond which the fibers break or coalesce. Preferably, the material is compacted as much as possible to produce a waffle-like structure, while avoiding breakage of the fibers or loss of discrete fiber identity. However, it will be clear from the following description that there are cases where a lesser degree of compaction or even no compaction is desirable.

Various processes can be carried out to produce discrete units if such a discrete unit is desired. The cosmetic is assumed to be uniformly distributed or incorporated in the fibrous mass. A measured weight or volume of the product thus spun can be compacted into discrete units and a moisture-proof package or wrapper. Alternatively, the product so spun may be compacted in a continuous manner to produce a sheet or web which is subsequently subdivided to form individual units. These units may preferably be individually packaged using any known and suitable technique which excludes moisture, since, depending on the sugar, the fibrous products have varying degrees of stability under normal humidity conditions. Compaction of the fibrous mass may be carried out before or during packaging, or both steps. Partial compaction may be achieved between rollers and the like, with the resulting fibrous web passing between layers of the packaging film. Platens or the like may then be used to seal the individual units, pressing on the film layers and thus further compacting the fibers. The units may be severed before, after or during the sealing step. Ultrasonic devices may be used to effect sealing and severing, or jet cutters may be employed. Any suitable packaging technology may be used as long as the packaging material excludes moisture and does not compress the fibrous mass to a point where the fibrous structure is destroyed.

Preferably, a film laminate material is used and the fiber product is cooled to room temperature under controlled drying conditions prior to encapsulation in a film laminate bag. Attempts to seal the fiber product while it was still warm were found to be unsatisfactory due to the tendency of moisture in the atmosphere to condense on the cold film and remain trapped within the bag, degrading the fiber structure. A suitable packaging laminate is a mylar film laminate.

Any material that is capable of being spun into fibers and is readily soluble in water can be used as a carrier. Preferred materials are sugars such as sucrose, maltose, fructose, mannitol, sorbitol, glucose, lactose and xylotol. In particular, pure lactose is preferred. Lactose is a preferred sugar due to its relative stability under moist conditions. It is not sticky when moistened and is easier to handle. It also appears to have unique conditioning properties, acting as an effective anti-dryer and humidifier, absorbing moisture from the air which is then transferred either to the hair or to the skin, maintaining the moisture content of the latter or preventing the hair or skin from drying out.

Additives such as colorants suitable for external use and compatible with the carrier material and the cosmetic ingredient may be included in the product being melt extruded.

The compounds discussed here can be prepared by coating the granules of the carrier with the cosmetic. In addition, the cosmetic ingredient can be dispersed in the carrier by co-crystallization from a solution containing both the carrier and the cosmetic, or by any other known technique.

To illustrate this further, a series of preparations for conditioning the hair were prepared using a mucopolysaccharide and certain disaccharides.

EXAMPLE I

A mixture of 5% mucopolysaccharide and 95% mannitol (w/w) was prepared. The resulting mixture was spun using a commercial cotton candy machine.

EXAMPLE II

A mixture of 5% mucopolysaccharide, 90% mannitol and 5% sucrose (w/w) was prepared and melted in an oven at 250ºF (121.1ºC) and then cooled to solidify. The resulting solid solution was ground to an appropriate particle size and spun using the apparatus of Example I.

EXAMPLE III

An aqueous solution of 5% mucopolysaccharide and 95% mannitol (w/w) was prepared and the resulting solution was precipitated using an appropriate solvent. The resulting precipitate was filtered and dried in an oven at a temperature of less than 200ºF (93.3ºC). This resulted in a uniform distribution of mucopolysaccharide and mannitol. The dried solid was ground to an appropriate particle size and spun as in Examples I and II.

All three examples produced a fuzz that was able to be packaged as desired. The resulting fuzz was suitable for use on damp, freshly washed hair. For each example, an appropriate amount was applied and rubbed onto the hair of a volunteer. The moisture in the hair served as a solvent for the rapid dissolution of the fuzz in the solution. The hair was then dried and styled. The resulting hair appeared thicker and fuller than before application.

EXAMPLE IV

A granulated mixture of lactose (50 g) and 2% mucopolysaccharide (1 g) was prepared using isopropanol. The mixture was dried and then spun using a cotton candy machine (Gold Medal Company) modified by placing a plastic cover over the basin.

The coating caused the formation of a mushroom-shaped, dense fibrous mass which expanded when the spinning head was turned off. The fibrous mass was dry due to the low relative humidity created within the basin as a result of the increase in temperature resulting from the heat retention caused by the plastic coating. Unfortunately, lactose with a melting point above 200ºC requires heat setting of the cotton candy device to produce fibers, the setting resulting in burning of the mucopolysaccharide used. This was caused by the presence of animal protein material.

EXAMPLE V

Plain lactose was spun using the cotton candy machine (Gold Medal Company) with the highest heat fixation, producing an excellent fluff. Portions of the fluff were removed and sprinkled with dry powdered mucopolysaccharide. The lactose fiber fluff was folded to enclose the mucopolysaccharide. Three samples were prepared with 3%, 6% and 10% mucopolysaccharide, respectively, based on 0.5 g of lactose. In user tests, 0.5 g was found to be too much.

EXAMPLE VI

Simple lactose was spun as in Example 5 and aliquots were packed in polyester bags without the addition of mucopolysaccharide. The simple lactose was then applied to wet hair with with excellent results. It gave the hair thickness and body and eliminated the need to use lotion.

It is clear that additional active ingredients can be added, such as biotin for scalp enrichment and nicotinamide compounds to stimulate blood flow in the scalp capillaries. Furthermore, fragrances can also be added if desired.

Consumer responses indicated that an amount of approximately 0.1 to 0.2 g of lactose was optimal. This amount gave a fiber mass of approximately 1/2 inch diameter (12.7 mm) and a thickness of 1/8 inch (3.2 mm). This was sufficient to give fullness to the hair without leaving undesirable stiffness.

Preservatives are not necessary in dry lactose. However, if a diluent is provided, then various preservatives such as methyl and propyl paraben, sodium bisulfite, SD-40 alcohol and the like can be used.

The above examples involve the direct application of the dry, fibrous material to wet hair. However, spun lactose can be used in a variety of ways. In its spun, uncompressed state, lactose was mixed with regular tap water in a container in a ratio of 4 to 5 parts to 1 part lactose. The solution was then applied to the hair after shampooing and the hair was blow-dried with excellent results. Surprisingly, this treatment seemed to create softer hair after a few hours, unlike alcohol-based products which have the opposite effect.

In another test, a solution made by dissolving one part lactose in 4 to 5 parts water was rubbed onto the skin of a test subject. The skin became soft and the softness seemed to increase over time. It is believed that the spun lactose acts as an effective anti-desiccant and humectant, drawing moisture from the atmosphere and then either transferring the moisture to the skin or protecting the skin from drying out while maintaining the skin's softness.

Several considerations are important in choosing the sugar or sugars to be used as a carrier for a given cosmetic. As previously mentioned, the spinning temperature must not exceed the temperature at which deterioration occurs with respect to the specific active ingredient. Table I lists the melting points of various sugars, all of which can be spun into fibers. TABLE I Sugar Melting point Maltose Fructose Sorbitol Dextrose Xylose Mannitol Sucrose Lactose

As a result of a storage test, it was found that sucrose was subject to extreme deterioration in the presence of moisture. However, it was found that the combination of 10% lactose with sucrose gave a fibrous product after spinning that was significantly more stable. Lactose has the physical property of absorbing moisture without shrinking and, as previously mentioned, acting as an effective anti-desiccant. Lactose only becomes softer and smoother over time. This is evident when pure lactose is spun and observed. Of course, pure lactose is an excellent carrier.

Of the various sugars, maltose and lactose are more stable than sucrose when spun into fiber, i.e. they are less adversely affected by moisture. Consequently, it is preferable to incorporate at least a small amount of either lactose or maltose into any sugar carrier.

Experiments have shown that sucrose and lactose can be spun with excellent results. Maltose is ideal for certain cosmetics due to its low melting point. However, it has been found that when maltose is spun using equipment capable of rotating the spinnerets at 4000 rpm, the fibers obtained are much shorter than those obtained with sucrose or lactose. However, it is believed that longer maltose fibers can be obtained using higher spinneret speeds.

Attempts to spin methyl cellulose using equipment at 4000 rpm were accompanied by gumming and burning of the material. It is believed that this problem can also be overcome by using a higher spinneret speed and/or adjusting the size of the grid opening.

Due to the rapid release of a cosmetic when in fiber form and exposed to moisture, the instant product form is ideal for the application of a surface-active cosmetic.

Numerous examples have been mentioned so far. However, the fundamental concept of converting a cosmetic into fiber form, whereby a fiber-forming material acts somewhat like a scaffold supporting the cosmetic for almost immediate entry into solution, can be applied to a wide range of materials. Table II below provides examples of suitable categories for cosmetological use. TABLE II Cosmetic category Acne preparations Antifungals Antitrichomoniasis Antivirals Antipruritic agents Sunscreens Burn agents Anaesthetics

It should be emphasized that under certain circumstances a transdermal systemic drug can be added to the topical cosmetic without affecting the cosmetic effect.

A suitable method for packaging and application according to the present invention is described below with reference to a typical sunscreen. Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABS) can be spun with a suitable sugar to produce a mass of fibrous material which can be packed in a controlled amount into an ampoule or capsule having a predetermined internal volume which greater than the volume of the fibrous cosmetic mass. The ampoule or capsule may be closed in any suitable manner until use. At the time of use, the ampoule or capsule is opened and water is added, either to a fill mark or until the container is full, and the solution obtained is applied to the skin as a sunscreen. The fibrous mass goes into solution almost immediately and leaves no residue.

Claims (26)

1. A spun fibrous cosmetic composition comprising a rapidly dissolving mass of water-soluble spun fibers made from a material that can be spun into fibers that are readily water-soluble and an effective amount of an active compound dispersed or incorporated in the fibrous mass, the active compound exhibiting cosmetic efficacy. 2. A spun fibrous cosmetic composition according to claim 1, wherein the active ingredient is a mucopolysaccharide. 3. A spun fibrous cosmetic composition according to claim 2, wherein 3 to 10 wt.% mucopolysaccharide is present in the composition. 4. The spun fibrous cosmetic composition of claim 3, wherein the material is mannitol and constitutes about 95% by weight of the composition, with about 5% by weight mucopolysaccharide. 5. The spun fibrous cosmetic composition of claim 3, wherein the material comprises about 90% by weight mannitol and about 5% by weight sucrose, with about 5% by weight mucopolysaccharide. 6. A spun fibrous cosmetic composition according to claim 3, wherein the active ingredient contains an ingredient selected from the group consisting of biotin, nicotinamide compounds and combinations thereof. 7. The spun fibrous cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the active ingredient is a sunscreen. 8. The spun fibrous cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the active ingredient is a hair conditioner. 9. A spun fibrous cosmetic preparation comprising a rapidly soluble mass of water-soluble spun fibers of lactose. 10. Spun fibrous cosmetic preparation according to claim 9, wherein a sunscreen agent is distributed on or incorporated into the fibrous mass. 11. A spun fibrous cosmetic preparation according to claim 10, wherein the sunscreen agent comprises para-aminobenzoic acid. 12. A spun fibrous cosmetic preparation according to claim 9, wherein between about 3 and 10% by weight of mucopolysaccharide is distributed on or incorporated into the fibrous mass. 13. A spun fibrous cosmetic preparation according to claim 12, wherein a component selected from biotin, nicotinamide compounds and combinations thereof is distributed on or incorporated into the fibrous mass. 14. A spun fibrous cosmetic preparation according to claim 9, wherein a component selected from biotin, nicotinamide compounds and combinations thereof is distributed on or incorporated into the fibrous mass. 15. The spun fibrous cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein a topical corticosteroid is added to the active ingredient. 16. A method of cosmetic treatment of hair or skin, which includes the application of a spun fibrous cosmetic preparation comprising a rapidly dissolvable mass of water-soluble spun fibers of lactose. 17. A method according to claim 16, which includes applying water to the hair or skin to moisten it prior to applying the cosmetic preparation thereto. 18. A method according to claim 16, which includes dissolving the mass of spun fibers in water and applying the resulting solution to the hair or skin. 19. A method of cosmetically treating hair or skin, which comprises applying to the hair or skin a spun fibrous cosmetic composition comprising a rapidly dissolvable mass of water-soluble spun fibers made from a material capable of being spun into fibers that are readily water-soluble, and further comprising an effective amount of an active ingredient distributed on or incorporated into the fibrous mass, at least the active ingredient having a cosmetological effect. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the active ingredient is mucopolysaccharide. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the active ingredient is a sunscreen agent. 22. The method of claim 19, wherein the active ingredient is a hair conditioner. 23. The method of claim 19, wherein the mass of spun fibers comprises lactose fibers. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the active ingredient is mucopolysaccharide. 25. The method of claim 23, wherein the active ingredient is a sunscreen agent. 26. The method of claim 23, wherein the active ingredient is a hair conditioner.