Color coatings with downstream features

Abstract

Aspects of the invention are directed to characteristics and parameters of color coatings on keratin fibers. The color coatings are produced from compositions of several kinds of polymers that enable the color coatings to exhibit adherence, remanence, wear fastness and resistance to environmental attack.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]The recent decade has seen significant effort directed toward development of a hair coloring technology that can be characterized as permanent but avoids bleach and penetration of dye precursors into the keratin fiber cortex. This technology in the main involves coating the surfaces of keratin fibers (e.g., scalp hair) with a polymer film containing pigment particles. Numerous difficulties have plagued this development, however. Water soluble polymer films are easily removed by shampoo. Water insoluble films seem to have better remanence but they also typically survive only two or three shampoo washings. Film inflexibility, weakness and thickness lead to flaking, fiber breakage. Film application through use of dispersions or solutions of components in liquid media often lead to incomplete distribution of pigment particles and noticeably artificial coloration due to the different qualities of the roots, mid-lengths and tips of keratin fibers. Methods for treatment of ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention aims to address the difficulties associated with coloring hair by providing multiple design features such as easy application, contiguous film formation, robust remanence, long wear-fastness, uniform color distribution, varied color distribution, and establishing triggers for color coating removal. These design features enable achieving desirable color results while avoiding downstream problems associated with colored hair and maintaining its appearance in the face of environmental factors. The invention also provides treated hair with tactile properties such as light, fluffy, free flowing, non-sticky and non-matted, similar to natural, non-colored hair of humans.

Problems solved by technology

Numerous difficulties have plagued this development, however.

Film inflexibility, weakness and thickness lead to flaking, fiber breakage.

Film application through use of dispersions or solutions of components in liquid media often lead to incomplete distribution of pigment particles and noticeably artificial coloration due to the different qualities of the roots, mid-lengths and tips of keratin fibers.

Methods for treatment of the keratin fibers with the dispersions or solutions are problematic because of dripping, staining, coat flow, clumping and lumping of gels, component separation and difficulties with color matching.

Suitability and compatibility of these polymers with each other and with hair and scalp are problematic.

Failure to establish compatible inter-surface connections can lead to flaking and easy shampoo removal.

Strong inter-surface connections on the other hand can lead to extreme difficulty in attempts to remove and / or replace the colored film with another colored film.

Rapid setting and lack of flowability of the compositions for application lead to patchy coverage instead of contiguous film formation.

Still other difficulties involve regulatory requirements and the need to avoid tissue damaging and / or environmental attack by sunlight, UV, wind, rain and airborne chemicals, degrading chemicals in water and in hair care and hair dye compositions, as well as sweat and sebum.

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