Dilutable dense personal cleansing composition

Abstract

A stable, dense, low viscosity personal care composition includes from 20% to 40% total surfactant. The total surfactant includes a branched anionic surfactant and a linear sulfated anionic surfactant. Both the linear surfactant and the branched surfactant have an alkyl tail with more than 12 carbon atoms, and are present in a linear surfactant to branched surfactant ratio of from 0.4 to 5. The personal care composition may optionally include an electrolytic viscosity modifier. The dense shampoo has a viscosity of less than 2000 mPa-s. The dense personal care composition is formulated so as to be able to be conveniently diluted by a user, and when diluted, provides a desired cleaning experience.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to low-viscosity, concentrated personal care compositions that transform into high-viscosity compositions when used as intended. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a low-viscosity, concentrated personal care composition that comprises a linear anionic surfactant and a branched anionic surfactant, which are tailored to provide a suitable high viscosity when the concentrated composition is diluted with water by a user. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] Personal care 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, which are configured to dispense the composition conveniently. However, the negative environmental impact of plastic packaging remains a concern for environmentally conscious consumers and companies. Thus, some manufacturers have turned to selling concentrated products (i.e., products containing less water) to reduce the amount of plastic packaging used in their products.

[0003] While manufacturing 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, feeling that such products are "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 product aesthetics (e.g., a cloudy appearance), and the viscosity of the diluted concentrated product is too thin to be easily applied to the body. Thus, there remains a need for a concentrated personal care composition that is easy to dilute (e.g., pourable) and use and provides desired application properties (e.g., evenness, foaming, cleansing, richness) to facilitate the reduction of plastic waste.

[0004] US20210220243 discloses pourable concentrated surfactant compositions having a lamellar phase that thickens and transforms into an isotropic phase upon dilution. According to US20210220243, the compositions can be used as a small-volume concentrate and diluted at the time of use, or the compositions 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 drawbacks. For example, during rinsing, especially in hard water, fatty acids can form soap residues, resulting in unpleasant consumer performance. In addition, the shear-thinning nature of the lamellar phase can make it more difficult for a user to dilute the concentrated composition compared to concentrated compositions that are only moderately shear-thinning or exhibit near-Newtonian behavior. In fact, most users want thick, rich compositions, not thin, watery compositions.

[0005] In another example, US1119783 discloses a stable, concentrated hair care composition having a low viscosity, which can be delivered to the hair in a variety of forms, including as a foam. However, not all consumers prefer foaming compositions, and when the concentrated composition of US1119783 is diluted and applied as a conventional shampoo, the resulting composition does not have the desired consistency.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a desire to provide low viscosity, concentrated personal cleansing compositions that can be diluted by the user to provide high viscosity, diluted personal care compositions. There is also a desire 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

[0007] Disclosed herein is a dense aqueous personal care composition comprising at least 20% total surfactant, wherein more than about 50% of the total surfactant is an anionic surfactant, wherein about 20% to about 70% of the anionic surfactant is a linear sulfated surfactant, and about 30% to about 80% of the anionic surfactant is a branched anionic surfactant. The surfactant system further comprises about 10% to about 40% amphoteric surfactant. 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. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] There is a need for environmentally friendly products that use less plastic. Dense 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 dense compositions. For example, in terms of the amount of surfactant that can be added, dense shampoo formulations can exhibit relatively distinct boundaries before the viscosity becomes too thick to process. Dense personal care compositions need to be dilute enough to be processed but thick enough when diluted to provide the desired application cleansing experience. In addition, formulation problems need to be solved without increasing product cost and complexity. Conventional pre-diluted personal care compositions thin out when diluted with water and therefore do not provide any guidance for solving the above formulation problems.

[0009] Surprisingly, it has now been found that selecting a specific ratio of linear anionic surfactant to branched anionic surfactant in a dense personal care composition can help solve the above problems. The absence of branched surfactants results in too thick dense compositions, and the absence of linear surfactants results in too thin diluted compositions.

[0010] It has also unexpectedly been found that including an amphoteric surfactant and / or an electrolyte in a specific ratio relative to an anionic surfactant will deliver a composition having a desired "thin-to-thick" transition upon dilution. 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 unpleasant properties (e.g., formation of soap scum), and they can reduce the ability of the composition to thicken upon dilution.

[0011] References in the specification to "embodiments" or similar language mean that the specific materials, features, structures, and / or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment, optionally in multiple embodiments, but this does not mean that all embodiments include the described materials, features, structures, and / or characteristics. Additionally, the materials, features, structures, and / or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in different embodiments, and the materials, features, structures, and / or characteristics may be omitted or substituted for those described. Thus, unless otherwise stated or declared to be incompatible, the embodiments and aspects described herein 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, even though not explicitly illustrated in the combination.

[0012] Unless otherwise specifically stated, all ingredient percentages described herein are by weight of the cosmetic composition and may be expressed as "wt%". Unless otherwise specifically stated, all ratios are weight ratios. The number of significant figures presented is not intended to express a limitation on the indicated amounts nor on the precision of the measurements. 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 ambient conditions, where "ambient conditions" means conditions at about 1 atmosphere and about 50% relative humidity. All numerical ranges are inclusive of the end values and represent narrower ranges not explicitly disclosed, and the upper and lower limits of the described ranges are interchangeable to form additional ranges not explicitly described.

[0013] The compositions of the present invention may comprise the essential components described herein and optional ingredients, consist essentially of, or consist of them. As used herein, "consisting essentially of" means that the 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.

[0014] Definition

[0015] "About" modifies a particular value by indicating a range of 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).

[0016] "Administering," as used in reference to a composition, means applying or spreading the composition onto the surface of human keratin, such as skin or hair.

[0017] "Branched surfactant" means a surfactant having an alkyl tail with at least one branch.

[0018] "Charge density" ("CD") means the ratio of the positive charge on a polymer to the molecular weight of that polymer.

[0019] "Dense composition" means a composition containing more than 20% surfactant.

[0020] "Dense viscosity" means the viscosity of a dense composition as described herein.

[0021] "Cosmetic agent" refers to any substance and any of its components intended to be rubbed, poured, sprayed, applied, introduced, or otherwise administered to the body of a mammal or any part thereof to provide a cosmetic effect. Cosmetic agents can include substances generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and food additives.

[0022] "Diluted composition" means a dense composition in which every two parts of the dense 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 dense composition).

[0023] "Diluted viscosity" means the viscosity of a diluted composition as described herein.

[0024] "Linear surfactant" means a surfactant having a straight, unbranched alkyl tail.

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

[0026] "Suitable for application to human hair" means that a 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 a composition or ingredient contains less than 3% by weight of the subject material (e.g., less than 2%, 1%, or even less than 0.5%) of the composition or ingredient. "Free of" means that a composition or ingredient contains 0% of the subject material.

[0028] "Sulfated surfactant" means a surfactant containing a sulfate moiety. Some non-limiting examples of sulfated surfactants are sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium laureth sulfate.

[0029] Personal care composition

[0030] The personal care compositions herein are provided in the form of a concentrated composition which is intended to be diluted with water by the user 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 (such as water), and an optional electrolytic viscosity modifier. The surfactant system utilizes a specific combination of linear and branched anionic surfactants to help provide the desired composition viscosity. The viscosity of the concentrated composition and the diluted composition can be adjusted by adding a specific amount of amphoteric surfactant and / or electrolytic viscosity modifier. The personal care composition can be prepared using conventional methods for preparing the desired type of composition (e.g., shampoo or bath product).

[0031] The diluted personal care composition can be used to clean and / or condition hair or other body surfaces such as skin. The personal care composition can be provided, for example, in the form of a liquid soap, bath product, shampoo, or conditioner. The personal care compositions herein can be formulated as cosmetic, cosmeceutical, or pharmaceutical (therapeutic) compositions and can be leave-on 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 from 3:1 to 1:4 (e.g., 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, or 1:3) to provide a composition that is 25% to 80% diluted. It may be desirable to formulate the concentrated composition such that the resulting diluted composition has a total surfactant level in the range of from 12% to 15% (e.g., 13%). Without being bound 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 understood 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 performance or aesthetic properties suitable for the user.

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

[0034] In some aspects, a label or other marking can be placed on a container intended to hold the diluted composition, which can be, for example, a clear plastic bottle or a glass bottle. The label can be constructed such that it is not clearly visible through the dense composition until the dense composition has been diluted by a predetermined amount (e.g., 3:1 to 1:4). At the attainment of 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 dense composition is diluted as intended.

[0035] The personal care compositions herein can optionally include one or more additional ingredients commonly present in compositions of that 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, antidandruff 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 dense composition should be low enough to enable the user to pour it conveniently for dilution and high enough to provide the desired cleaning experience. "Low viscosity" means less than 2000 mPa-s (e.g., less than 1500 mPa-s, 1,000 mPa-s, 500 mPa-s or even less than 300 mPa-s), and "high viscosity" means greater than 2000 mPa-s (e.g., greater than 2500 mPa-s, 3000 mPa-s, 5000 mPa-s, 10,000 mPa-s or even greater than 20000 mPa-s), but usually less than 50000 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] The personal care compositions herein are stable after dilution, which is important because product instability is generally perceived by consumers as a sign of poor product quality. Product instability can manifest as the formation of precipitates, phase separation, a cloudy appearance, and / or a decrease in the optical transparency of the composition. In some aspects, it may be important to select appropriate preservatives and / or counterions to improve product stability. Methods for determining product instability are described in more detail below.

[0038] The personal care composition can have a pH ranging from 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. Thus, the hair care composition can also be effective in washing 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 dense composition herein contains 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 surfactant present in the dense composition should be selected such that the composition has good cleaning and foaming properties upon dilution and the dense viscosity is 2000 mPa-s or less. The amounts of surfactants disclosed herein refer to the amount of "active substance" and do 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 8440605; US2009 / 155383 and US2009 / 0221463.

[0041] The personal care compositions of the present disclosure include anionic surfactants having an alkyl tail with 12 or more (e.g., 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, or 22) carbons. 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 wt% of the total surfactant in the compact composition (e.g., 50% to 100%, 55% to 95%, 60% to 90%, or even 65% to 80%) is an anionic surfactant. In some aspects, 20% to 70% of the anionic surfactant (e.g., 25% to 70%, 30% to 65%, 35% to 60%, or even 40% to 55%) is a linear sulfated surfactant, and 30% to 80% (e.g., 35% to 75%, 40% to 70%, 45% to 65%, or even 50% to 60%) of the anionic surfactant is a branched surfactant (sulfated or sulfate-free). The weight ratio of the linear anionic surfactant to the branched anionic surfactant can be in the range of 1:10 to 10:1 (e.g., 1:8, 1:5, 1:4, 1:3, 1:2, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 8:1, or 10:1).

[0042] Some non-limiting examples of branched anionic surfactants applicable to the present disclosure include sodium trideceth sulfate, sodium tridecyl sulfate, C12-13 alkyl sodium sulfate, C12-15 alkyl sodium sulfate, C12-18 alkyl sodium sulfate, C12-13 alkyl polyoxyethylene ether sodium sulfate, C12-13 alkyl polyoxyethylene-n sodium sulfate, C12-14 alkyl polyoxyethylene-n sodium sulfate, salts of these surfactants (e.g., TEA, DEA, ammonium salts, sodium salts, or potassium salts), and combinations thereof. Some non-limiting examples of anionic surfactants without branched sulfates include branched hydroxyethyl sulfonates, sulfonates, ether sulfonates, sulfosuccinates, sulfacetates, glycine salts, sarcosine salts, glutamate salts, alanine salts, carboxylates, taurine salts, phosphate esters, and combinations thereof. The sodium, ammonium, and potassium salts of these surfactants may also be useful. 123 brand C12-C13 fatty alcohol sulfate from Sasol Company and 27-23AL brand sodium C12-C13 fatty alcohol sulfate may be particularly applicable to the present disclosure.

[0043] ​Some non-limiting examples of linear sulfated anionic surfactants applicable to the present text include ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, triethylamine lauryl sulfate, triethylamine laureth sulfate, triethanolamine lauryl sulfate, monoethanolamine lauryl sulfate, monoethanolamine laureth sulfate, diethanolamine lauryl sulfate, diethanolamine laureth sulfate, sodium glycerol monostearate sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, potassium lauryl sulfate, potassium laureth sulfate, ammonium cocoyl sulfate, ammonium lauroyl sulfate, sodium cocoyl sulfate, sodium lauroyl sulfate, potassium cocoyl sulfate, potassium lauroyl sulfate, monoethanolamine cocoyl sulfate, monoethanolamine lauroyl sulfate, and combinations thereof.

[0044] Amphoteric surfactant

[0045] Based on the total weight of the surfactant in the composition, the surfactant may include 10% to 40% of an amphoteric surfactant (e.g., 15 - 35% or 20 - 30%). Some non-limiting examples of amphoteric detersive surfactants applicable to the present text include those surfactants widely described as derivatives of aliphatic secondary and tertiary amines, where the aliphatic group may be straight or branched, and where 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 ("CAPB"), cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, alkanolamides (such as coconut mono-isopropanolamide), and mixtures thereof.

[0046] Optional additional surfactant

[0047] The personal care composition may include optional additional surfactants to provide desired cleaning and foaming properties. Any optional additional surfactant should be physically and chemically compatible with the other components of the personal care composition described herein and should not otherwise unduly impair product stability, aesthetics, or performance. Based on the total weight of the surfactant, the optional additional surfactant may be present in the concentrated composition at 5% to 25% (e.g., 8% to 20% or 9% to 15%).

[0048] Viscosity regulator

[0049] The personal care compositions of the present disclosure can comprise from 0.1% to 10% of a viscosity modifier (e.g., from 0.5% to 8%, from 1% to 5%, or from 2% to 4%). Electrolytic viscosity modifiers can be particularly suitable for the present disclosure because they are generally inexpensive, readily available, and safe to use. When present, the electrolytic viscosity modifier can be selected to act in combination with an amphoteric surfactant to "modulate" the viscosity of the neat and diluted composition products. Surprisingly, for a particular combination of linear and branched anionic surfactants, there is a specific range of amphoteric surfactant and electrolyte levels that delivers the desired viscosity characteristics. For example, the concentration of the electrolytic viscosity modifier in the diluted composition can be selected to deliver surfactant microstructures (e.g., elongated micelles) having a high viscosity at 13% surfactant. In this example, formulating to achieve a desired electrolyte level of 13% in the diluted composition means that the electrolyte level for the concentrate will be significantly higher and within a range that prevents the formation of surfactant microstructures in the concentrate, resulting in a low neat viscosity.

[0050] Some non-limiting examples of electrolytic viscosity modifiers include sodium salts, ammonium salts, and potassium salts having a suitable counterion. In some aspects, sodium chloride and ammonium chloride can be particularly suitable.

[0051] In some aspects, the personal care compositions of the present disclosure are substantially free or free of hydrotropes, water-miscible solvents, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and / or polymeric thickeners that are commonly used to modify the viscosity of conventional compositions. This is desirable because these types of viscosity modifiers tend to be more expensive, exhibit properties that are unpleasant to consumers, and / or do not provide a suitable neat viscosity or diluted viscosity.

[0052] 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.

[0053] Some non-limiting examples of hydrotropes include alkali metal salts or ammonium salts of lower alkylbenzenesulfonates, such as sodium xylenesulfonate (SXS), sodium isopropylbenzenesulfonate, sodium toluenesulfonate, and mixtures thereof.

[0054] Some non-limiting examples of fatty acid thickeners include lauric acid and stearic acid.

[0055] Some non - limiting examples of polymeric thickeners include acrylic thickening polymers such as sodium polyacrylate, ethyl polyacrylate, polyacrylamide, cross - linked (meth) acrylic 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 cross - linked copolymers of (meth) acrylic acid and C1 - C6 alkyl acrylates, and in particular cross - linked 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 Aqua SF - i).

[0056] Additional non - limiting examples of viscosity modifiers can be found in US20170157008 and US4,741,855.

[0057] Conditioner

[0058] The personal care compositions herein may optionally contain conditioning agents. Conditioning agents include substances that provide specific conditioning benefits 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, emulsifiable liquid particles. The conditioning agent can be present in the dense composition in an amount of 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 starch, cellulose, and guar gum. Some non - limiting examples of conditioning agents are disclosed in US Publication Nos. 20180078476 and 20190105247.

[0059] Antidandruff agent

[0060] The personal care compositions of the present invention may optionally contain an anti-dandruff agent. It is understood 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., clotrimazole, ketoconazole, itraconazole, econazole, and neoconazole), hydroxypyridines (e.g., octopirox ethanolamine, ciclopirox, lulopirox, and MEA-hydroxyoctyloxy pyridone), keratolytic agents (such as salicylic acid and other hydroxy acids), strobilurins (such as azoxystrobin), metal chelating agents (such as 1,10-phenanthroline and hinokitiol), pyrithione particles (such as zinc pyrithione), octopirox ethanolamine, sulfur, and combinations thereof.

[0061] Sunblock

[0062] The personal care compositions of the present invention 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 clarity (%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 stearic acid monoethanolamide, stearic acid diethanolamide, stearic acid monoisopropanolamide, and stearic acid monoethanolamide; alkyl (C16-C22) dimethylamine oxides such as stearyl dimethylamine oxide; and combinations thereof.

[0063] Kit

[0064] The concentrated personal care compositions of the present invention may be sold as part of a kit that includes a main container containing the concentrated composition and a secondary container adapted to receive and hold at least a portion of the concentrated composition for dilution. The construction of the containers is not particularly limited. The containers may be the same or different sizes and made of the same or different materials, and the containers may be disposable or reusable (e.g., transparent plastic or glass). The first container and the second container may be constructed in a variety of ways to facilitate the use of the product. For example, the first container and / or the second container may include markings or indicia to show the appropriate levels of the personal care composition for dilution and / or use.

[0065] Of course, it should be understood that the concentrated composition may also be sold as a stand-alone product.

[0066] Method of use

[0067] The concentrated personal care compositions of the present invention are intended to be diluted prior to use. In some aspects, to prepare 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 second container to dilute the concentrated composition to an appropriate amount (e.g., 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1 or even 10:1 dilution). It may be desirable to dilute the concentrated composition such that the diluted composition contains 13% total surfactant. Of course, it should be understood 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).

[0068] 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. An 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 of 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 moistened with water, and then the composition can be rinsed off. Applying to hair typically includes working the composition into 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) moistening 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 to achieve the desired cleaning and conditioning benefits.

[0069] Method

[0070] Viscosity method 。

[0071] This method can be used to determine the dynamic viscosity of the concentrated and diluted personal care compositions of the present invention. Using a Brookfield Rheometer R / S Plus TM brand cone and plate controlled stress rheometer (or equivalent) in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions to measure viscosity. The cone (spindle C-75-1) has a diameter of 75 mm and an angle of 1°. Viscosity is measured using a steady state flow experiment at a temperature of 26.5 °C at 2 s -1Determination at a constant shear rate. The sample size is 2.5 ml, and the total measurement reading time is 3 minutes.

[0072] Clarity method (%T) 。

[0073] This method can be used to determine the clarity of the concentrated and diluted personal care compositions herein. The method uses a spectrophotometer (e.g., SpectraMax M-5 or equivalent purchased from Molecular Devices) 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, visible flat bottom plate such as Greiner part #655-001), ensuring no air bubbles are present in the sample. Place the flat bottom plate inside the spectrophotometer and measure the %T at 600 nm using suitable software (e.g., Software Pro v.5TM software purchased from Molecular Devices).

[0074] Example

[0075] Example 1: Exemplary shampoo formulation

[0076] Table 1 provides 13 examples of the concentrated personal care compositions of the present invention described herein and a comparative example (C1) of a non-invention composition. C1 demonstrates a conventional formulation technique using a relatively high level of hydrotrope (i.e., 4% dipropylene glycol) to reduce the viscosity of the concentrated composition. The compositions were made in 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 performed as follows: Pour approximately 60 g of the concentrated composition into an 8-ounce glass jar, pour in an appropriate amount of water to reach a final surfactant level of 13%, screw the lid onto the wide-mouth bottle, and then shake the closed bottle by wrist for about five to ten seconds.

[0077] Table 1

[0078]

[0079]

[0080]

[0081] Table 1 continued

[0082]

[0083]

[0084]

[0085] 1 123, purchased from Sasol 2 Branched C13 alkyl sulfate from Chemithon

[0086] Example 2: Comparative non-invention composition

[0087] Table 2 shows examples of comparative compositions from U.S. Patent No. 11,129,783 that do not have the desired properties of the personal care compositions of the present invention herein. 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 by viscometry. As can be seen in Table 2, these adjustments did not result in a suitable diluted composition.

[0088] Table 2

[0089]

[0090]

[0091] Table 2 continued

[0092]

[0093]

[0094] Example 3: Comparative non-invention composition

[0095] Table 3 shows additional examples of comparative compositions that do not have the desired properties of the personal care compositions of the present invention herein. For compositions DW1 and DW2, the concentrates were too thick. For the remaining compositions, the resulting diluted compositions were too thin, or for DW4, the diluted composition resulted in a fracturing gel, which is undesirable.

[0096] Table 3

[0097]

[0098]

[0099] Example / Combination

[0100] 1. A dense personal care composition, the dense personal care composition comprising:

[0101] a) at least 20 wt% total surfactant, wherein

[0102] i) More than 50 wt% of the total surfactant is an anionic surfactant, wherein 20 wt% to 70 wt% of the anionic surfactant is a linear sulfated anionic surfactant, and

[0103] 30 wt% to 80 wt% of the anionic surfactant is a branched anionic surfactant, and

[0104] ii) 10% to 40% of the total surfactant is an amphoteric surfactant; and

[0105] b) water,

[0106] 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.

[0107] 2. The composition according to paragraph 1, wherein the linear anionic surfactant and the branched anionic surfactant each contain an alkyl tail with at least 12 carbon atoms.

[0108] 3. The composition according to paragraph 1 or 2, wherein the branched anionic surfactant is selected from: sodium trideceth sulfate, sodium tridecyl sulfate, C12-13 alkyl sodium sulfate, C12-15 alkyl sodium sulfate, C12-18 alkyl sodium sulfate, C12-13 alkyl polyoxyethylene ether sodium sulfate, C12-13 alkyl polyoxyethylene ether-n sodium sulfate, C12-14 alkyl polyoxyethylene ether-n sodium sulfate, and combinations thereof.

[0109] 4. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein the linear anionic surfactant is sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, or a combination thereof.

[0110] 5. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein the amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of betaine, lauroamphoacetate, alkanolamide, and combinations thereof.

[0111] 6. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, the composition further comprising a conditioning agent.

[0112] 7. The composition according to paragraph 6, wherein the conditioning agent is a cationic conditioning polymer.

[0113] 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.

[0114] 9. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, the composition further comprising an electrolytic viscosity regulator.

[0115] 10. The composition according to paragraph 9, wherein the electrolytic viscosity regulator is selected from sodium chloride, ammonium chloride, and combinations thereof.

[0116] 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, octopirox ethanolamine, sulfur, ciclopirox, lulopirox, MEA-hydroxyoctyloxy pyridone, salicylic acid, azoxystrobin, and 1,10-phenanthroline.

[0117] 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 regulator selected from the group consisting of hydrotropes, water-miscible solvents, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and polymers.

[0118] 13. The composition according to claim 12, wherein the composition does not contain a viscosity regulator selected from the group consisting of hydrotropes, water-miscible solvents, fatty acids, and acrylic polymers.

[0119] 14. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, wherein according to the clarity method, the concentrated composition has a %T of less than 50.

[0120] 15. The composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs, the composition further comprising a sunscreen.

[0121] 16. A method for preparing a diluted personal cleansing composition, the method comprising:

[0122] a) adding a quantity of the concentrated personal cleansing composition according to any one of the preceding paragraphs to a container; and

[0123] 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.

[0124] 17. The method according to paragraph 16, wherein according to the clarity method, the diluted composition has a %T of greater than 75.

[0125] 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 concentrated personal care composition.

[0126] 19. The method according to any one of paragraphs 16 to 18, wherein the diluted personal care composition comprises elongated micelles.

[0127] 20. A method according to any one of paragraphs 16 to 19, wherein the diluted personal care composition comprises from about 11% to about 15% total surfactant, preferably from 12% to 14%, and more preferably 13%.

[0128] 21. A method of cleansing hair, the method comprising:

[0129] a) dispensing the diluted personal cleansing composition according to any one of paragraphs 16 to 20 onto the hand or a tool;

[0130] b) applying the diluted personal care composition to the body surface; and

[0131] c) rinsing the diluted personal care composition from the body surface.

[0132] 22. A method according to paragraph 21, wherein the diluted personal care composition is applied to the body surface for more than 1 minute after preparation of the diluted composition

[0133] 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 both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm".

[0134] 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 its benefits, 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 any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this invention shall govern.

[0135] While specific embodiments of the 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 that all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A dense personal care composition, the dense personal care composition comprising: a) at least 20 wt% surfactant, based on the weight of the composition, the surfactant comprising: i) more than 50 wt% anionic surfactant, based on the weight of the surfactant, wherein 20 wt% to 70 wt% of the anionic surfactant is a linear sulfated anionic surfactant, and 30 wt% to 80 wt% of the anionic surfactant is a branched-chain anionic surfactant; and ii) 10% to 40% zwitterionic 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.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the linear anionic surfactant and the branched anionic surfactant each comprise an alkyl tail with at least 12 carbon atoms.

3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the branched anionic surfactant is selected from: sodium trideceth sulfate, sodium tridecyl sulfate, C12-13 alkyl sodium sulfate, C12-15 alkyl sodium sulfate, C12-18 alkyl sodium sulfate, C12-13 alkyl polyoxyethylene ether sodium sulfate, C12-13 alkyl polyoxyethylene ether-n sodium sulfate, C12-14 alkyl polyoxyethylene ether-n sodium sulfate, or combinations thereof.

4. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the linear anionic surfactant is sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, or combinations thereof.

5. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the zwitterionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of betaine, lauroamphoacetate, alkanolamide, and combinations thereof.

6. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, the composition further comprising a conditioner, preferably a cationic conditioning polymer, more preferably 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 about 2.5 meq / g.

7. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, the composition further comprising an electrolytic viscosity regulator, preferably selected from sodium chloride, ammonium chloride, or combinations thereof.

8. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, the composition further comprising an anti-dandruff agent, preferably selected from azoles, hydroxypyridones, zinc pyrithione, octopirox ethanolamine, sulfur, ciclopirox, luliconazole, MEA-hydroxyoctyloxy pyridone, salicylic acid, azoxystrobin, 1,10-phenanthroline, and combinations thereof.

9. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, 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 regulator, the viscosity regulator selected from hydrotropes, water-miscible solvents, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, or polymers.

10. The composition according to claim 9, wherein the composition is free of a viscosity regulator.

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

12. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition further comprises a sunscreen agent.

13. A method for preparing a diluted personal care composition, the method comprising: a) placing the concentrated personal care composition according to any one of the preceding claims in a container; and b) adding water to the container to form a diluted personal care composition having a weight ratio of composition to water of from 3:1 to 1:4, preferably from 2:1 to 1:4, and more preferably from 1:1 to 1:

4.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the diluted personal care composition has a %T greater than 75 according to the clarity method.

15. Use of the diluted personal care composition according to claim 13 or 14 for cleaning hair, the use comprising: a) dispensing the diluted personal care composition according to claim 13 or 14 onto the hand or a tool; b) applying the diluted personal care composition to the body surface, preferably more than 1 minute after the diluted composition has been prepared; and c) rinsing the diluted personal care composition from the body surface.

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