Sulfate-free, dilutable, dense personal cleansing composition

Abstract

A stable, dense, low viscosity personal care composition comprising from 20% to 40% total surfactant and being free of sulfated surfactant. The total surfactant includes at least 50% anionic surfactant and 10% to 40% amphoteric surfactant. The anionic surfactant and the amphoteric surfactant are present in a ratio that provides a personal care composition having a dense viscosity of less than 2000 mPa-s and a dilution viscosity of greater than 2000 mPa-s. The personal care composition may optionally include an electrolyte-type viscosity modifier to finely tune the viscosity. The dense personal care composition is formulated such that it can be conveniently diluted by a user and, when diluted, provides a desired cleaning experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a low-viscosity, concentrated personal cleansing composition that transforms into a high-viscosity composition when diluted to a lower concentration composition. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a low-viscosity, concentrated personal cleansing composition that comprises a sulfate-free anionic surfactant and an amphoteric surfactant that are tailored to provide a suitable high viscosity when the concentrated composition is diluted by the user with water. Background Art

[0002] Personal cleansing compositions such as shampoos and body washes are common household products used by many consumers. Such compositions are typically sold as liquids or gels stored in plastic bottles or tubes that are configured to conveniently dispense the composition. However, the negative environmental impact of plastic packaging remains a concern for environmentally conscious consumers and businesses. Accordingly, some manufacturers have turned to selling concentrated products (i.e., products with less water) to reduce the amount of plastic packaging used in their products.

[0003] While making and selling products in concentrated form may seem like a good way to reduce the amount of plastic packaging, at least some consumers do not like to use concentrated products directly on their bodies, believing such products to be "too harsh". They prefer to dilute the product at home (i.e., add water to the concentrate and mix), but concentrated products are often too thick to be diluted evenly, which can result in poor aesthetics of the product (e.g., a cloudy appearance), and the diluted concentrated product is too thin in viscosity to be easily applied to the body. Accordingly, there remains a need for a concentrated personal cleansing composition that is easy to dilute (e.g., pourable) and use and provides desired in-use characteristics (e.g., uniform, foaming, cleansing, rich) to facilitate the reduction of plastic waste.

[0004] US20210220243 discloses a pourable concentrated surfactant composition having a lamellar phase that thickens and transforms into an isotropic phase upon dilution. According to US20210220243, the composition can be used in small volumes as a concentrate and diluted at the time of use, or it can be diluted with water in a refill pack to reduce plastic waste. These compositions use acyl hydroxyethyl sulfonate-based fatty acids to drive the composition into a lamellar phase that retains its viscosity upon dilution. However, the use of fatty acids has disadvantages. For example, during rinsing, especially in hard water, fatty acids can form soap residues, resulting in consumer-unfavorable performance. In addition, the shear-thinning nature of the lamellar phase can make it more difficult for the user to dilute the concentrated composition compared to concentrated compositions that are only moderately shear-thinning or exhibit near-Newtonian properties. In fact, most users want thick, rich compositions, not thin, watery compositions.

[0005] In another example, U.S. Patent No. 11,129,783 discloses a stable, concentrated hair care composition with low viscosity that can be delivered to the hair in various forms, including as a foam. However, not all consumers prefer a foaming composition, and when the concentrated composition of US11129783 is diluted and applied as a conventional shampoo, the resulting composition does not have the desired consistency.

[0006] Conventional personal care compositions such as shampoos and bath products typically use sulfated surfactants to provide cleaning benefits to the skin and / or hair. However, some consumers generally believe that sulfated surfactants are irritating to the skin and hair. Therefore, it is desirable to formulate a dilutable concentrate that is substantially free of sulfated surfactants.

[0007] Formulating a sulfate-free composition presents formulation challenges. For example, a sulfate-free surfactant system may be difficult to thicken without a polymeric thickener or an agent that drives the formation of a lamellar phase. However, these two methods are not suitable for formulating a dilutable sulfate-free concentrate. Specifically, formulating with a suitable amount of polymeric thickener to provide a diluted composition with the desired viscosity will typically result in a concentrated composition that is too thick to handle. And an agent that drives the formation of a lamellar phase will result in a non-Newtonian (shear-thinning) composition that is more difficult to dilute than an approximately Newtonian micellar or isotropic composition.

[0008] Another disadvantage of sulfate-free surfactants is their higher cost relative to sulfated surfactants. Within the class of sulfate-free surfactants, alkyl olefin sulfonates may be preferred due to their high cleaning performance, wide availability, and low cost compared to other sulfate-free surfactants. However, using more than 20% of alkyl olefin sulfonates typically results in a dense composition with a viscosity that is too high to be conveniently handled (e.g., too thick for the user to pour conveniently). Additionally, it is well recognized in the art that a combination of alkyl olefin sulfonate surfactants and certain amphoteric surfactants (e.g., cocamidopropyl betaine) cannot build up sufficient viscosity, as disclosed in JP2021523172A, for example.

[0009] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a sulfate-free, low-viscosity, dense personal cleansing composition that can be diluted by the user to provide a high-viscosity, diluted personal care composition. It is also desirable to provide a low-viscosity, concentrated personal care composition that does not require an external viscosity modifier to provide a high-viscosity diluted composition. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An aqueous personal care composition comprising at least 20% total surfactant, where greater than 50% is an anionic alkyl olefin sulfonate surfactant and 10% to 40% is an amphoteric surfactant. According to the viscosity method, the personal care composition has a Compact Viscosity of less than 2000 mPa-s and a Dilute Viscosity of greater than 2000 mPa-s. The personal care composition is substantially free of sulfated surfactants. Detailed Description

[0011] There is a need for environmentally friendly products that use less plastic. Compact or concentrated personal cleansing compositions contain less water than their pre-diluted counterparts and may therefore require less plastic packaging. However, there are formulation challenges with compact compositions. For example, in terms of the amount of surfactant that can be added before the viscosity becomes too thick to handle, compact shampoo formulations can exhibit relatively well-defined boundaries. Compact personal care compositions need to be thin enough to process but thick enough when diluted to provide the desired in-use cleansing experience. Additionally, the formulation problems need to be addressed without increasing product cost and complexity. Conventional pre-diluted personal care compositions thin when diluted with water and thus do not provide any guidance for helping to solve the above formulation problems.

[0012] Surprisingly, it has now been found that a specific combination of alkyl olefin sulfonate (“AOS”) with an amphoteric surfactant and optionally an electrolyte can help solve the above problems. It has also been found that higher concentrations of AOS can be used than were previously thought feasible for compact compositions. As an additional unexpected benefit, the compositions herein do not require hydrotropes, fatty acids, or water-miscible solvents to provide the desired viscosity. This is beneficial because these types of materials can be expensive, provide objectionable performance (e.g., form soap scum), and they can reduce the ability of the composition to thicken upon dilution.

[0013] References in the specification to “embodiments” or similar terms mean that the specific materials, features, structures, and / or properties described in connection with the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment, optionally multiple embodiments, but this does not mean that all embodiments include the described materials, features, structures, and / or properties. Additionally, the materials, features, structures, and / or properties can be combined in any suitable manner in different embodiments, and the materials, features, structures, and / or properties can be omitted or substituted for those described. Thus, unless otherwise stated or declared to be incompatible, the embodiments and aspects described herein, although not explicitly illustrated in combination, may include elements or components of other embodiments and / or aspects or may be combined with elements or components of other embodiments and / or aspects.

[0014] Unless otherwise specifically stated, all percentages of ingredients described herein are by weight of the cosmetic composition and may be shown as "wt%". Unless otherwise specifically stated, all ratios are weight ratios. The number of significant figures is meant to neither express limitation on the indicated amounts nor on the accuracy of the measurement. All numerical values should be understood to be modified by the word "about" unless otherwise specifically indicated. Unless otherwise indicated, all measurements are understood to be made at about 25 °C and under ambient conditions, where "ambient conditions" means conditions at about 1 atmosphere and about 50% relative humidity. All numerical ranges are inclusive of the recited end points and are narrower ranges of values not explicitly stated; the upper and lower limits of the described ranges are interchangeable to form additional ranges not explicitly described.

[0015] The compositions of the present invention may comprise the essential components described herein, as well as optional ingredients, consist essentially of, or consist of the same. As used herein, "consisting essentially of" means that a composition or component may contain additional ingredients, provided that the additional ingredients do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the composition or method claimed. As used in the specification and the appended claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well.

[0016] Definition

[0017] "About" modifies a particular value by referring to a range that is plus or minus 20% or less of that value (e.g., plus or minus 15% or less, 10% or less, or even 5% or less).

[0018] As used in reference to a composition, "applying" means applying or spreading the composition onto the surface of human keratin, such as skin or hair.

[0019] "Charge density" ("CD") means the ratio of the positive charge on a polymer to the molecular weight of that polymer.

[0020] "Dense composition" means a composition that contains greater than 20% surfactant.

[0021] "Dense viscosity" means the viscosity of a dense composition as described herein.

[0022] "Cosmetic agent" means any substance and any of its components intended to be rubbed, poured, sprayed, atomized, introduced, or otherwise applied to the body of a mammal or any part thereof to provide a cosmetic effect. Cosmetic agents may include substances generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and food additives.

[0023] "Diluted composition" means a concentrated composition in which every two parts of the concentrated composition have been diluted with at least one part of water (i.e., diluted to less than two-thirds of the surfactant concentration of the concentrated composition).

[0024] "Dilution viscosity" means the viscosity of the diluted composition as described herein.

[0025] "Personal care composition" means a personal care composition or product intended for cleaning the body surface, such as the skin or hair. Some non-limiting examples of cleaning compositions are shampoos, conditioners, conditioning shampoos, body gels, liquid hand soaps, facial cleansers, etc.

[0026] "Suitable for application to human hair" means that the personal care composition or its components can be used in contact with human hair, scalp and skin without undue toxicity, incompatibility, instability, allergic reactions, etc.

[0027] "Substantially free of" means that the composition or ingredient contains less than 3% of the subject material by weight of the composition or ingredient (e.g., less than 2%, 1% or even less than 0.5%). "Free of" means that the composition or ingredient contains 0% of the subject material.

[0028] "Sulfate-free surfactant" means a surfactant that does not contain a sulfate moiety.

[0029] Personal care composition

[0030] The personal care compositions herein are provided in the form of a concentrated composition intended to be diluted by the user with water prior to use. The concentrated personal care composition has a low viscosity so that the user can more easily pour the concentrated composition into a container for dilution. The concentrated composition comprises a surfactant system, an aqueous carrier (e.g., water) and optionally an electrolyte-based viscosity modifier. The surfactant system utilizes a specific combination of anionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants to help provide the desired composition viscosity. The viscosity of the concentrated composition and the diluted composition can be fine-tuned by adding a specific amount of an electrolyte-based viscosity modifier. The personal care composition can be made using conventional methods for making the desired type of composition (e.g., shampoo or bath agent).

[0031] The diluted personal care composition can be used for cleaning and / or conditioning hair or other body surfaces such as the skin. The personal care composition can be provided, for example, in the form of a liquid soap, bath agent, shampoo or conditioner. The personal care compositions herein can be formulated as cosmetic, cosmeceutical or pharmaceutical (therapeutic) compositions and can be leave-on compositions or rinse-off compositions.

[0032] In some aspects, the concentrated composition can be diluted with water at a ratio of the composition to water of 3:1 to 1:4 (e.g., 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, or 1:3) to provide a diluted composition that is 25% to 80%. It may be desirable to formulate the concentrated composition such that the resulting diluted composition has a total surfactant level in the range of 12% to 15% (e.g., 13%). Without being limited by theory, it is believed that this range provides an excellent balance between the pourability (i.e., concentrated viscosity) of the concentrated composition and the cleaning performance of the diluted composition. Of course, it should be recognized that the amount of water used to dilute the concentrate is not particularly limited and can be adjusted by the user as needed to provide a diluted composition having properties or aesthetic characteristics suitable for the user.

[0033] At least some consumers prefer to use transparent personal care compositions such as shampoos or body washes. Thus, the concentrated personal care compositions herein can be formulated to become more transparent when diluted with water. In some aspects, the transparency of the diluted personal care composition can be selected to provide a signal to the user that the appropriate amount of water has been added to achieve the desired dilution. For example, the concentrated composition can have a percent transmittance (%T) of less than 50% (e.g., less than 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, or even less than 5%). %T is a measure of the transparency of the composition and can be determined according to the transparency method described in more detail below. When the concentrated composition is diluted with an appropriate amount of water (e.g., a dilution of 25% to 80%), the resulting diluted composition can have a %T of 80% or greater (e.g., greater than 85% or 90%, or even greater than 95%) when measured according to the transparency method.

[0034] In some aspects, a label or other marking can be placed on the container intended to store the diluted composition, which can be, for example, a transparent plastic bottle or a glass bottle. The label can be constructed such that it cannot be clearly seen through the concentrated composition until the concentrated composition has been diluted by a predetermined amount (e.g., 3:1 to 1:4). At the predetermined dilution, the label or marking can be clearly seen or read. Additionally or alternatively, the user can place an object (e.g., a piece of paper, a card, or a picture) behind the package containing the diluted composition, and the object can be clearly seen through the container when the concentrated composition is diluted as intended.

[0035] The personal care compositions of the present invention may optionally contain one or more additional ingredients commonly present in compositions of this type, provided that the optional ingredient does not interfere with the stability or efficacy of the composition. Some non-limiting examples of optional additional ingredients include preservatives, fragrances or flavorants, cationic polymers, colorants or dyes, conditioners, hair bleaches or colorants, humectants, foam boosters, emollients, wetting agents, pharmaceutically active substances, vitamins or nutrients, sunscreens, sensates, plant extracts, nutrients, astringents, cosmetic particles, absorbent particles, binder particles, hair fixatives, fibers, skin brighteners, skin tanning agents, anti-dandruff agents, exfoliants, enzymes, suspending agents, pH adjusters, anti-acne agents, sunscreens, hair growth or repair agents, insect repellents, combinations thereof, and the like.

[0036] The viscosity of the concentrated composition should be low enough to allow the user to pour it conveniently for dilution and high enough to provide the desired cleaning experience. "Low viscosity" means less than 2,000 mPa·s (e.g., less than 1,500 mPa·s, 1,000 mPa·s, 500 mPa·s, or even less than 300 mPa·s), and "high viscosity" means greater than 2,000 mPa·s (e.g., greater than 2,500 mPa·s, 3,000 mPa·s, 5,000 mPa·s, 10,000 mPa·s, or even greater than 20,000 mPa·s), but generally less than 50,000 mPa·s. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that these viscosity ranges provide the desired pourability and cleaning experience for the composition.

[0037] It is important that the personal care compositions of the present invention are stable after dilution, because product instability is often regarded by consumers as a sign of poor product quality. Product instability can manifest as the formation of precipitates, phase separation, turbidity in appearance, and / or a decrease in the optical transparency of the composition. In some aspects, it may be important to select suitable preservatives and / or counterions to enhance product stability. Methods for determining product stability are described in more detail below.

[0038] The personal care composition may have a pH in the range of 2 to 10 (e.g., 3.0 to 7.0, 4 to 6.5, or even 4.5 to 6.0). It may be desirable to select a pH that helps the composition dissolve minerals and redox metals that have deposited on the hair. Accordingly, the hair care composition can also effectively wash out existing mineral and redox metal deposits, which can reduce epidermal distortion, thereby reducing epidermal breakage and damage. pH may also be important for the effectiveness of preservatives in the composition.

[0039] Surfactant

[0040] The concentrated composition of the present invention comprises 20% to 40% (e.g., 25% to 40% or 30% to 35%) of a surfactant selected from anionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, and combinations thereof. The type and amount of the surfactant present in the concentrated composition should be selected such that the composition has good cleaning and foaming properties upon dilution and has a concentrated viscosity of 2,000 mPa-s or less. The amount of the surfactant disclosed herein refers to the amount of "active substance" and does not include carriers (e.g., water) and excipients that are typically present in commercially available surfactant products. Various examples and descriptions of detergency surfactants applicable herein are disclosed in US 8,440,605; US2009 / 155383 and US2009 / 0221463.

[0041] The personal care composition of the present invention comprises a sulfate-free anionic surfactant having an alkyl tail with 12 or more carbons (e.g., 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, or 22). That is, the surfactant molecule has an alkyl tail with a carbon chain containing at least 12 carbon atoms. In some aspects, at least 50% by weight (e.g., 50% to 100%, 55% to 95%, 60% to 90%, or even 65% to 80%) of the total surfactant in the concentrated composition is a sulfate-free anionic surfactant.

[0042] Sulfate-free anionic surfactants applicable herein generally include branched or straight-chain hydroxyethyl sulfonates, sulfonates, ether sulfonates, sulfosuccinates, sulfacetates, glycine salts, sarcosine salts, glutamate salts, alanine salts, carboxylates, taurine salts, phosphate esters, salts of these substances (e.g., TEA, DEA, sodium, ammonium, and potassium salts), and combinations thereof. More specific examples of sulfate-free surfactants applicable herein are disclosed in US Publication No. 20190105246.

[0043] In some aspects, alkyl olefin sulfonates can be particularly suitable anionic surfactants for use herein. Alkyl olefin sulfonates are known compounds, for example, as described in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry and US Patent No. 8,211,850. Alkyl sulfonates have the following general formula:

[0044]

[0045] Wherein:

[0046] R = C8-C24 alkyl (straight-chain or branched, saturated or unsaturated) or mixtures thereof, and

[0047] M + = monovalent cation.

[0048] In some aspects, the alkyl olefin sulfonate can be an α-olefin sulfonate, which generally includes a mixture of olefin sulfonate (Formula I) and hydroxyalkyl sulfonate (Formula II). Some non-limiting examples of alkyl olefin sulfonates applicable herein include sodium C13-17 alkane sulfonate, sodium C12-14 olefin sulfonate, and sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate.

[0049] Formula I :

[0050]

[0051] wherein: R = C8-C18 alkyl, and M + = monovalent cation

[0052] Formula II :

[0053]

[0054] wherein: R = C4-C18 alkyl and M + = monovalent cation.

[0055] Amphoteric surfactant

[0056] Based on the total weight of the surfactants in the composition, the surfactants can include 5% to 50% of amphoteric surfactants (e.g., 10% to 40%, 15% to 35%, or even 20% to 30%). Some non-limiting examples of amphoteric detersive surfactants applicable herein include those surfactants widely described as derivatives of aliphatic secondary and tertiary amines, wherein the aliphatic group can be straight-chain or branched, and wherein one of the aliphatic substituents contains from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms and one aliphatic substituent contains an anionic group such as carboxyl, sulfonate, sulfate, phosphate, or phosphonate. Some specific examples of amphoteric detersive surfactants include cocoyl amphoacetate, cocoyl amphodiacetate, lauroyl amphoacetate, lauroyl amphodiacetate, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocamidopropyl hydroxysulfobetaine alkanolamide (e.g., cocamide monoisopropanolamide), and mixtures thereof.

[0057] Optional additional surfactant

[0058] Personal care compositions may include optional additional surfactants to provide desired cleaning and foaming properties. Any optional additional surfactants should be physically and chemically compatible with the other components of the personal care compositions described herein and should not otherwise unduly impair product stability, aesthetics, or performance. The amount of optional additional surfactants is not particularly limited and may be present, for example, in an amount of 5% to 25% (e.g., 8% to 20% or 9% to 15%) based on the total weight of the surfactants in the neat composition.

[0059] Viscosity regulator

[0060] The personal care compositions herein may include 0.1% to 10% of a viscosity modifier (e.g., 0.5% to 8%, 1% to 5% or 2% to 4%). Electrolyte-based viscosity modifiers may be particularly suitable herein as they are generally inexpensive, readily available, and safe to use. When present, the electrolyte-based viscosity modifier can be selected to act synergistically with the amphoteric surfactant to "fine-tune" the viscosities of the neat and diluted composition products. Surprisingly, for specific combinations of linear and branched anionic surfactants, there are specific ranges of amphoteric surfactant and electrolyte levels that result in the desired viscosity characteristics. For example, the concentration of the electrolyte-based viscosity modifier in the diluted composition can be selected to achieve a surfactant microstructure (e.g., elongated micelles) with a high viscosity at 13% surfactant. In this example, formulating to achieve the desired electrolyte level of 13% in the diluted composition means a significantly higher electrolyte level in the concentrate. Thus, it can be important to balance the ingredients and ingredient levels in the neat composition in a manner that provides the desired viscosities and cleaning characteristics in the diluted composition, which may not be intuitive.

[0061] Some non-limiting examples of electrolyte-based viscosity modifiers include sodium salts, ammonium salts, and potassium salts with appropriate counterions. In some aspects, sodium chloride and ammonium chloride may be particularly suitable.

[0062] In some aspects, the personal care compositions herein are substantially free or free of hydrotropes, water-miscible solvents, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and / or polymeric thickeners that are commonly used to adjust the viscosities of conventional compositions. This is desirable as these types of viscosity modifiers tend to be more expensive, exhibit characteristics that are objectionable to consumers, and / or do not provide a suitable neat viscosity or diluted viscosity.

[0063] Some non-limiting examples of water-miscible solvents include dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin, 1,3-propanediol, 2,2-propanediol, 1,2-butanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 2,3-butanediol, and 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol.

[0064] Some non-limiting examples of water-soluble accelerating agents include alkali metal salts or ammonium salts of lower alkylbenzene sulfonates, such as sodium xylene sulfonate (SXS), sodium isopropylbenzene sulfonate, sodium toluene sulfonate, and mixtures thereof.

[0065] Some non-limiting examples of fatty acid thickeners include lauric acid and stearic acid.

[0066] Some non-limiting examples of polymeric thickeners include acrylic thickening polymers, such as sodium polyacrylate, ethyl polyacrylate, polyacrylamide, crosslinked (meth)acrylic acid homopolymers (e.g., products sold by Goodrich under the names Carbopol 980, 981, 954, 2984, and 5984 or products sold by 3VSA Corporation under the names Synthalen M and Synthalen K), and crosslinked copolymers of (meth)acrylic acid and C1-C6 alkyl acrylates, especially crosslinked copolymers of methacrylic acid and ethyl acrylate or acrylic acid and ethyl acrylate (e.g., products sold by Coatex under the name Viscoatex 538C, by & Haas under the name Aculyn 33, or by Noveon under the name Carbopol AquaSF-i).

[0067] Additional non-limiting examples of viscosity regulators can be found in US20170157008 and US4,741,855.

[0068] Conditioner

[0069] The personal care compositions herein may optionally contain conditioning agents. Conditioning agents include substances that provide specific conditioning beneficial effects to hair and / or skin. Conditioning agents that can be used in the hair care compositions of the present invention generally include water-insoluble, water-dispersible, non-volatile, liquid particles that can form emulsions. The conditioning agent can be present in the dense composition at 0.05% to 20% (e.g., 0.1% to 15%, 0.2% to 10%, 0.3% to 3%, or even 0.5% to 2%). Some non-limiting examples of conditioning agents that can be particularly suitable herein include silicones, aminosilicones, and cationic polymers such as cationic starches, celluloses, and guar gums. Some non-limiting examples of conditioning agents are disclosed in US Publication Nos. 20180078476 and 20190105247.

[0070] When a personal cleansing composition contains a cationic conditioning polymer, it is desirable to minimize the amount of inorganic salts in the composition. Sometimes inorganic salts are added to a sulfate-based cleansing preparation to thicken the product. However, in the presence of a cationic conditioning polymer, high levels of inorganic salts in a sulfate-free formulation can cause product instability due to the formation of a gel-like surfactant-polymer complex called a coacervate layer. Maintaining a low inorganic salt concentration (e.g., less than 1%) addresses the instability problem in sulfate-free formulations comprising an anionic surfactant and a high molecular weight cationic polymer.

[0071] Antidandruff agent

[0072] The personal care compositions herein may optionally contain an anti-dandruff agent. It is recognized that when the diluted composition is used as intended, the formation of the coacervate layer can facilitate the deposition of the anti-dandruff agent onto the scalp. Some non-limiting examples of anti-dandruff agents include azoles (e.g., climbazole, ketoconazole, itraconazole, econazole, and elubiol), hydroxypyridines (e.g., piroctone olamine, ciclopirox, rilopirox, and MEA-hydroxyoctyloxypyridone), kerolytic agents such as salicylic acid and other hydroxy acids, strobilurins such as azoxystrobin, metal chelators such as 1,10-phenanthroline and hinokitiol, pyrithione particles such as zinc pyrithione, piroctone olamine, sulfur, and combinations of these substances.

[0073] Sunblock

[0074] The personal care compositions herein may contain from 0.01% to 5% of a sunscreen or pearlescent agent. The sunscreen or pearlescent agent is not particularly limited, provided that it does not undesirably affect the transparency (%T) of the diluted composition. Some non-limiting examples of sunscreens include polystyrene particles and dispersions having a particle size of from 0.05 microns to about 0.45 microns (e.g., 810 or 621 and 631), styrene PVP copolymers, titanium dioxide, mica, long-chain (C16-C22) acyl derivatives such as diol or polyethylene glycol esters of fatty acids having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms and up to 7 ethyleneoxy units (e.g., ) Alkanolamides of fatty acids having from about 16 to about 22 carbon atoms, preferably from about 16 to 18 carbon atoms, such as monoethanolamide stearate, diethanolamide stearate, monoisopropanolamide stearate and monoethanolamide stearate, alkyl (C16-C22) dimethylamine oxides such as stearyl dimethylamine oxide, and combinations thereof.

[0075] Kit

[0076] The concentrated personal care compositions herein can be sold as part of a kit that includes a primary container containing the concentrated composition and a secondary container suitable for receiving and storing at least a portion of the concentrated composition for dilution. The construction of the containers is not particularly limited. The containers can be the same or different sizes and made of the same or different materials, which can be disposable or reusable (e.g., clear plastic or glass). The first and second containers can be constructed in a variety of ways to facilitate use of the product. For example, the first and / or second container can include an identification or marking to indicate the appropriate level of the personal care composition for dilution and / or use.

[0077] Of course, it should be recognized that the concentrated composition can also be sold as a standalone product.

[0078] Method of use

[0079] The concentrated personal care compositions herein are intended to be diluted prior to use. In some aspects, to make a diluted composition for use, a portion (e.g., 10%, 20%, 25%, 33% or 50%) of the concentrated composition contained in the primary container is poured into a secondary container sized to hold the entire diluted composition. Water is added to the secondary container to dilute the concentrated composition to an appropriate amount (e.g., a dilution of 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1 or even 10:1). It may be desirable to dilute the concentrated composition such that the diluted composition contains 13% total surfactant. Of course, it should be recognized that the concentrated composition can be diluted to a greater or lesser extent as needed, e.g., to customize the viscosity or cleaning ability of the diluted composition. After adding an appropriate amount of water to the concentrated composition, the mixture is shaken by hand until the diluted composition appears uniform. In some aspects, the mixture is shaken for at least 5 seconds (e.g., 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 45 seconds or even 60 seconds or more).

[0080] Once the concentrated composition is diluted, the diluted composition can be used in a conventional manner for cleaning and / or conditioning hair and / or skin. The effective amount of the diluted composition for use is typically in the range of 1 g to 50 g (e.g., 1 g to 20 g). Methods for cleaning hair or skin include applying the personal care composition to the hair or skin. For example, an effective amount of the personal care composition can be applied to hair or skin that has been wetted with water, and then the composition can be rinsed off. Applying to hair typically includes allowing the composition to penetrate the hair such that most or all of the hair is in contact with the composition. In some aspects, methods for treating hair or skin can include the steps of: (a) wetting the hair or skin with water; (b) applying an effective amount of the personal care composition to the hair or skin, and (c) rinsing the area of the skin or hair to which the composition has been applied with water. These steps can be repeated as needed multiple times to achieve the desired cleaning and conditioning benefits.

[0081] Method

[0082] Viscosity method 。

[0083] This method can be used to determine the dynamic viscosity of the concentrated and diluted personal care compositions herein. Using a Brookfield Rheometer R / S Plus TM cone-plate controlled stress rheometer (or equivalent) according to the manufacturer's instructions, measure the viscosity. The cone (spindle C-75-1) has a diameter of 75 mm and an angle of 1°. The viscosity is determined using a steady-state flow experiment at a temperature of 26.5 °C at a constant shear rate of 2 s -1 . The sample size is 2.5 ml, and the total measurement reading time is 3 minutes.

[0084] Transparency method (%T) 。

[0085] This method can be used to determine the transparency of the concentrated and diluted personal care compositions herein. The method uses a spectrophotometer (e.g., SpectraMax M-5 from Molecular Devices or equivalent) to measure the percentage of light transmitted through the sample (%T). Higher %T values indicate a clearer composition. To determine %T, prepare the sample in a suitable container (e.g., a 96-well clear bottom plate such as Greiner part number 655-001), ensuring there are no air bubbles in the sample. Place the bottom plate in the spectrophotometer and measure %T at 600 nm using suitable software (e.g., Software Pro v.5TM software from Molecular Devices).

[0086] Example

[0087] Example 1: Exemplary shampoo formulation

[0088] Table 1 provides 13 examples of the dense personal care compositions of the present invention described herein and a comparative example (C1) of a composition not of the present invention. C1 demonstrates a conventional formulation technique of using a relatively high level of hydrotrope (i.e., 4% dipropylene glycol) to reduce the viscosity of a dense composition. The compositions were made into batches of 100 g to 400 g by combining the ingredients in a laboratory mixer at ambient temperature and mixing for several minutes. Dilution was carried out by pouring approximately 60 g of the concentrated composition into an 8-ounce glass wide-mouth bottle, pouring in an appropriate amount of water to achieve a final surfactant level of 13%, screwing the lid onto the bottle, and then wrist-shaking the capped bottle for approximately 5 seconds to 10 seconds.

[0089] Table 1

[0090]

[0091] Continued Table 1

[0092]

[0093]

[0094] 1 Purchased from Stepan Company AS-40

[0095] Example 2: Comparative non-invention composition

[0096] Table 2 shows examples of comparative compositions from U.S. Patent No. 11,129,783, which did not exhibit suitable viscosities. Examples selected from US11129783 were reproduced and diluted to 13% total surfactant. Ex.C13 was adjusted to remove dipropylene glycol (a water-miscible thickener) and Ex.C20 was adjusted to remove sodium xylene sulfonate (a hydrotrope thickener). The reported values are those listed in the patent. The measured values were determined according to the viscosity method. As can be seen in Table 2, these adjustments did not result in suitable diluted compositions.

[0097] Table 2

[0098]

[0099]

[0100] Continued Table 2

[0101]

[0102] Example / Combination

[0103] 1. A dense personal care composition, the composition comprising:

[0104] a. At least 20% by weight of a surfactant based on the weight of the composition, the surfactant comprising:

[0105] i. Greater than about 50% by weight of an anionic alkyl olefin sulfonate surfactant based on the weight of the surfactant, and

[0106] ii. From about 10% to about 40% by weight of an amphoteric surfactant based on the weight of the surfactant; and

[0107] b. Water,

[0108] wherein according to the viscosity method, the composition has a dense viscosity of less than about 2000 mPa-s and a diluted viscosity of greater than about 2000 mPa-s, and the composition is substantially free of sulfated surfactants.

[0109] 2. The composition according to paragraph 1, wherein the alkyl olefin sulfonate surfactant is an α-olefin sulfonate surfactant.

[0110] 3. The composition according to paragraph 2, wherein the α-olefin sulfonate surfactant is selected from the group consisting of sodium C12-14 olefin sulfonate, sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, and combinations thereof.

[0111] 4. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein the composition comprises greater than 20%, preferably greater than 22%, preferably greater than 25%, and more preferably greater than 27% by weight of the alkyl olefin sulfonate surfactant based on the weight of the composition.

[0112] 5. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein the amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of betaines, lauroamphoacetates, alkanolamides, and combinations thereof.

[0113] 6. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, the composition further comprising a conditioning agent.

[0114] 7. The composition according to paragraph 6, wherein the conditioning agent is a cationic conditioning polymer.

[0115] 8. The composition according to paragraph 6 or 7, wherein the cationic conditioning polymer has a weight average molecular weight of about 50 kDa to about 2 MDa and a charge density of about 1 meq / g to about 2.5 meq / g.

[0116] 9. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, the composition further comprising an electrolyte type viscosity modifier.

[0117] 10. The composition according to paragraph 9, wherein the electrolyte type viscosity modifier is selected from sodium chloride, ammonium chloride, and combinations thereof.

[0118] 11. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, the composition further comprising an anti-dandruff agent selected from the group consisting of azoles, hydroxypyridones, zinc pyrithione, piroctone, piroctone ethanolamine, sulfur, ciclopirox, lulopirox, MEA-hydroxyoctyloxy pyridone, salicylic acid, azoxystrobin, and 1,10-phenanthroline.

[0119] 12. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein the composition comprises less than 3%, preferably less than 2%, more preferably less than 1%, and most preferably less than 0.5% of a viscosity modifier selected from the group consisting of hydrotropes, water-miscible solvents, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and polymers.

[0120] 13. The composition according to claim 12, wherein the composition does not contain a viscosity modifier selected from the group consisting of hydrotropes, water-miscible solvents, fatty acids, and acrylic polymers.

[0121] 14. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein according to the transparency method, the dense composition has a %T of less than about 50.

[0122] 15. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, the composition further comprising a sunscreen.

[0123] 16. A method of making a diluted personal cleansing composition, the method comprising:

[0124] a. adding an amount of the dense personal cleansing composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs to a container; and

[0125] b. adding water to the container to form a diluted personal care composition, wherein the amount of water added provides a ratio of composition to water of 3:1 to 1:4, preferably 2:1 to 1:4, and more preferably 1:1 to 1:4.

[0126] 17. The method according to paragraph 16, wherein according to the transparency method, the diluted composition has a %T of greater than about 75.

[0127] 18. The method according to paragraph 16 or 17, wherein according to the viscosity method, the diluted personal care composition has a viscosity that is at least 10% greater than the viscosity of the dense personal care composition.

[0128] 19. A method according to any one of paragraphs 16 to 18, wherein the diluted personal care composition comprises elongated micelles.

[0129] 20. A method according to one of paragraphs 16 to 19, wherein the diluted personal care composition has a %T of greater than about 75% according to the transparency method.

[0130] 21. A method according to one of paragraphs 16 to 20, wherein the diluted composition comprises from about 11% to about 15% total surfactant, preferably 12% to 14%, and more preferably 13%.

[0131] 22. Use of a composition according to any of the preceding paragraphs for cleansing hair.

[0132] 23. Use according to paragraph 22, which use comprises:

[0133] a. dispensing a diluted personal cleansing composition according to any one of paragraphs 16 to 21 onto the hand or a tool;

[0134] b. applying the diluted personal care composition to the body surface; and

[0135] c. rinsing the diluted personal care composition from the body surface.

[0136] 24. Use according to paragraph 22 or 23, wherein the diluted personal care composition is applied to the body surface for more than 1 minute after being made into the diluted composition.

[0137] The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, each such dimension is intended to mean the recited value and a range functionally equivalent around that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm".

[0138] Unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited, each document cited herein, including any cross-referenced or related patent or patent application and any patent application or patent to which this application claims priority or for which it claims the benefit, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein, or that it alone, or in any combination with any one or more other references, teaches, suggests, or discloses any such invention. Further, when any meaning or definition of a term in this invention conflicts with the same term's meaning or definition in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this invention shall govern.

[0139] While specific embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the present invention in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A dense personal care composition, the composition comprising: a. At least 20% by weight of a surfactant based on the weight of the composition, the surfactant comprising: i. Greater than 50% by weight of an anionic alkyl olefin sulfonate surfactant based on the weight of the surfactant, and ii. 10% to 40% by weight of an amphoteric surfactant based on the weight of the surfactant; and b. Water, wherein according to the viscosity method, the composition has a dense viscosity of less than 2000 mPa-s and a diluted viscosity of greater than 2000 mPa-s, and the composition is substantially free of sulfated surfactants.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the alkyl olefin sulfonate surfactant is an α-olefin sulfonate surfactant.

3. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the α-olefin sulfonate surfactant is selected from sodium C12-14 olefin sulfonate, sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, or a combination thereof.

4. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition comprises greater than 20%, preferably greater than 22%, more preferably greater than 25%, and even more preferably greater than 27% of an alkyl olefin sulfonate surfactant based on the weight of the composition.

5. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of betaines, lauroamphoacetates, alkanolamides, and combinations thereof.

6. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, the composition further comprising a cationic conditioning polymer having a weight average molecular weight of 50 kDa to 2 MDa and a charge density of 1 meq / g to 2.5 meq / g.

7. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, the composition further comprising an electrolyte type viscosity modifier, preferably selected from sodium chloride, ammonium chloride, or a combination thereof.

8. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, the composition further comprising an anti-dandruff agent, preferably selected from azoles, hydroxypyridinones, zinc pyrithione, piroctone ethanolamine, sulfur, ciclopirox, luliconazole, MEA-hydroxyoctyloxypyridone, salicylic acid, azoxystrobin, 1,10-phenanthroline, or a combination thereof.

9. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition is free of viscosity modifiers selected from the group consisting of hydrotropes, water-miscible solvents, fatty acids, and acrylic polymers.

10. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein according to the transparency method, the dense composition has a %T of less than 50.

11. A method of making a diluted personal cleansing composition, the method comprising: a. Adding a quantity of the dense personal cleansing composition according to any one of the preceding claims to a container; and b. Adding water to the container to form a diluted personal care composition, wherein the amount of water added provides a ratio of composition to water of 3:1 to 1:4, preferably 2:1 to 1:4, and more preferably 1:1 to 1:

4.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein according to the transparency method, the dilution composition has a %T greater than 75.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein according to the viscosity method, the diluted personal care composition has a viscosity that is at least 10% greater than the viscosity of the dense personal care composition.

14. Use of the composition according to any one of the preceding claims for cleaning hair.

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