Cleansing agent

Abstract

To provide a cleansing agent which has sufficient detergency and achieves high stability and usability.SOLUTION: A cleansing agent contains a smectite mineral (A), mica (B) having a hydrophilic surface, and water (C). Untreated mica is suitably used as the mica having the hydrophilic surface.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning agent that is effective for cleaning the skin and the like and has a high cleaning effect and high high-temperature stability.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, the development of environmentally considerate cleaning agents has been desired. This is because the wastewater after using synthetic detergents and the like leads to environmental pollution, and it is desirable to prevent this. Such detergents are being studied not only for laundry or dish / food detergents, but also for body soaps, shampoos, or facial cleansers.

[0003] Many environmentally considerate cleaning agents use a large amount of natural materials. This is because cleaning agents using natural materials generally have a lower environmental impact compared to those using synthetic materials.

[0004] Examples of such cleaning agents using natural materials include those containing powders such as clay minerals, which are inorganic substances, as scrubbing agents. Such scrubbing agents physically adsorb and remove sebum and sweat on the skin and also exert an effect of massaging the skin. Therefore, such cleaning agents can provide an excellent feeling of use because they give both a cleaning effect and a massaging effect on the skin.

[0005] However, among such cleaning agents containing powders, liquid cleaning agents tend to have the problem that the powders easily settle. In order to solve such problems, increasing the viscosity of the cleaning agent to make it a so-called gel-like cleaning agent or solid cleaning agent has also been studied. Generally, thickeners are used to increase the viscosity of the cleaning agent, but depending on the combination of the thickener contained in the cleaning agent and other components, phenomena such as insufficient viscosity being obtained or the viscosity decreasing during storage may occur.

[0006] Therefore, technologies for combining other components such as powders with a cleaning agent containing clay minerals to achieve sufficient viscosity and improve the stability of the cleaning agent have been studied. However, according to the studies of the present inventors, further improvement has been desired.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a cleaning agent that contains clay minerals, has sufficient detergency, and can achieve high stability and usability.

[0009] According to the present invention, the following inventions are provided. [1] (A) Smectite mineral, (B) Mica whose surface is hydrophilic, and (C) Water A cleaning agent comprising the same. [2] The cleaning agent according to [1], wherein the component (B) is untreated mica. [3] The cleaning agent according to [1] or [2], wherein the average particle diameter of the component (B) is 10 μm or more. [4] The cleaning agent according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the component (A) is selected from the group consisting of montmorillonite, beidellite, saponite, stevensite, and hectorite. [5] The cleaning agent according to any one of [1] to [4], further comprising (D) inorganic powder other than the component (A) or (B). [6] The cleaning agent according to any one of [1] to [5], further comprising (E) organic powder. [7] (F) The cleansing agent according to any one of [1] to [6], further comprising a moisturizer. [8] The cleansing agent according to any one of [1] to [7], which has a viscosity of 10,000 mPa s or more as measured at 30°C using a B-type rotational viscometer. [9] The cleansing agent according to any one of [1] to [8], which has a pH of 7 to 12 at 25°C.

[10] The cleansing agent according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein the content of component (B) is 1 to 20 mass % based on the total mass of the cleansing agent.

[11] The cleansing agent according to any one of [1] to

[10] , wherein the ratio B / A of the content of the component (B) to the content of the component (A) is 0.1 to 20.

[0010] According to the present invention, a cleansing agent is provided that fully exerts the cleaning power of clay minerals and also exhibits excellent stability and usability. The cleansing agent according to the present invention also has the effect of improving the appearance of the skin after cleansing, and can bring brightness to the skin after cleansing.

[0011] The cleansing agent according to the present invention comprises: (A) smectite minerals, (B) Mica having a hydrophilic surface, and (C)Water Each of these components, as well as further components that can be added, will be described below.

[0012] (A) Smectite minerals The cleansing agent according to the present invention contains a smectite mineral (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as component (A)). Smectite mineral is a type of clay mineral.

[0013] Clay minerals generally mainly consist of layered silicate minerals and are also used in applications such as cosmetics. Clay minerals classified as layered silicate minerals are further classified into 1:1 type minerals such as kaolinite minerals, 2:1 type minerals such as smectite minerals, and 2:1:1 minerals such as chlorite. In the present invention, among these, smectite minerals are used. Further, among smectite minerals, those selected from the group consisting of montmorillonite, beidellite, saponite, stevensite, and hectorite are preferably used. Among such smectite minerals, high-purity clays from which impurities have been removed from natural products or synthetic clay minerals can also be used. Also, synthetic saponite in which part of the magnesium of saponite is replaced with aluminum is also known.

[0014] Specifically, natural or synthetic montmorillonite groups such as montmorillonite, saponite, and hectorite (Kunipia (trade name, manufactured by Kunimine Industries Co., Ltd.), Veegum (trade name, manufactured by Vanderbilt), Laponite (trade name, manufactured by BYK-Chemie Japan Co., Ltd.), etc.) can be used. Among these, synthetic smectite minerals are preferably used because the effects of the present invention can be more strongly exhibited and the performance can be stabilized.

[0015] (A) The content rate can be arbitrarily selected according to the purpose, but in order to achieve sufficient detergency, it is preferably 0.1 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 5% by mass, based on the total mass of the cleaning agent.

[0016] (B) Mica with a hydrophilic surface The cleaning agent according to the present invention contains mica (hereinafter sometimes referred to as component (B)) having a hydrophilic surface. Mica can be selected and used from those generally used in cosmetics and cleaning agents, but it is necessary that the surface is hydrophilic.

[0017] Examples of mica include mica, sericite, muscovite, phlogopite, synthetic mica, red mica, biotite, lithium mica, and calcined mica, and these can be selected and used. In the present invention, it is necessary for mica to be hydrophilic. Generally, since the surface of natural mica is hydrophilic, untreated mica can be used as it is. Also, although the surface state of synthetic mica can vary depending on the synthesis method and treatment method, mica with a hydrophobic surface can also be used in the cleaning agent according to the present invention by subjecting the surface to a hydrophilic treatment. For mica with a hydrophilic surface, it is preferably used as it is without treatment, but further hydrophilic treatment can be performed, such as attaching a special substituent to the surface of the mica particles, or surface treatment can be carried out to maintain the hydrophilicity of the surface to a sufficient degree.

[0018] In the present invention, by combining the component (A) with the component (B), it is possible to achieve high stability of the cleaning agent and further exert the effect of improving the appearance of the skin after washing.

[0019] The size of the mica particles can be arbitrarily selected according to the purpose. However, in order to achieve high detergency and improve the appearance after washing, the average particle diameter is preferably 10 μm or more, and more preferably 15 μm or more. In the present invention, the average particle diameter can be measured using, for example, a laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution analyzer and means the D50 (median diameter).

[0020] (B) The content of the component can be arbitrarily selected according to the purpose. However, in order to achieve sufficient detergency, it is preferably 1 to 20% by mass, and more preferably 5 to 15% by mass based on the total mass of the cleaning agent.

[0021] In the present invention, excellent effects can be achieved by the interaction between component (A) and component (B), but the effects vary depending on the mixing ratio of component (A) and component (B). Here, in order to significantly exhibit the effects according to the present invention, the ratio B / A of the content of component (B) to the content of component (A) is preferably 0.1 to 20, and more preferably 0.5 to 10.

[0022] (C) Water The cleaning agent according to the present invention further contains water in addition to the above components. As the water, water generally used in cleaning agents can be used. For example, purified water, ion-exchanged water, tap water, etc. can be used.

[0023] (D) Inorganic powder The cleaning agent according to the present invention contains the above components as essential components, but may further contain an inorganic powder (hereinafter sometimes referred to as component (D)). Component (D) is selected from those other than the above component (A) or component (B). Specifically, zinc oxide, red iron oxide, talc, vermiculite, magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, aluminum silicate, barium silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, strontium silicate, metal tungstate, silica, zeolite, glass, barium sulfate, calcined calcium sulfate, calcium phosphate, fluorapatite, hydroxyapatite, ceramic powder, and boron nitride, etc. can be mentioned. Inorganic pigments such as yellow iron oxide and black iron oxide can also be used as the inorganic powder. These inorganic pigments can further improve the cleaning effect by the scrubbing effect.

[0024] The content of component (D) can be arbitrarily selected according to the purpose, but in order to more strongly exhibit the effect of improving detergency, it is preferably 3 to 20% by mass, and more preferably 5 to 15% by mass based on the total mass of the cleaning agent.

[0025] (E) Organic powder The cleaning agent according to the present invention may further contain an organic powder (hereinafter sometimes referred to as component (E)). Examples of the organic powder include cellulose powders such as crystalline cellulose, polyamide resin powders such as nylon powder, polyethylene powder, polymethyl methacrylate powder, polystyrene powder, copolymer resin powders of styrene and acrylic acid, benzoguanamine resin powder, polytetrafluoroethylene powder, silicone resin powder, silk powder, wool powder, and urethane powder. In order to further improve the scrubbing effect, the average particle size of such an organic powder is preferably 10 to 200 μm.

[0026] The content of component (E) can be arbitrarily selected according to the purpose, but in order to more strongly exhibit the effect of improving detergency, it is preferably 1 to 15% by mass, more preferably 3 to 10% by mass based on the total mass of the cleaning agent.

[0027] (F) Humectant The cleaning agent according to the present invention may further contain a humectant (hereinafter sometimes referred to as component (F)). As the humectant, those generally used in cleaning and cosmetics can be used, and polyhydric alcohols and low-molecular-weight betaine compounds can be used. As the polyhydric alcohol, dihydric alcohols such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and 1,3-butylene glycol, trihydric alcohols such as glycerin, and further tetravalent or higher alcohols can be used. As the low-molecular-weight betaine compound, specifically, those having a molecular weight of 200 or less and forming zwitterions with inner salts such as quaternary ammonium bases, sulfonium bases, and phosphonium bases can be used. Attention is required because if the molecular weight is too high, it may cause rough skin.

[0028] When using a polyhydric alcohol as the humectant, it is preferable to use glycerin. Further, in addition to glycerin, it is preferably further combined with at least one selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, and dipropylene glycol.

[0029] (G) Other components In addition to the above components, the cleaning composition of the present invention can contain other optional components as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Such optional components include components generally blended in cleaning compositions, such as lower alcohols, polysaccharides, drugs, surfactants, antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, pigments, fragrances, protein derivatives, etc. In particular, lower alcohols such as ethanol are preferably used because they can impart a refreshing feeling of use.

[0030] The usage form of the cleaning composition according to the present invention is not particularly limited. However, since it has excellent touch when applied to human skin and also has a high skin cleaning effect, it is particularly suitable as a human skin cleaning composition. Also, the dosage form is not limited, but a dosage form such as a gel form or a cream form with a relatively high viscosity is preferred. Specifically, the viscosity is preferably 10,000 mPa·s or more, more preferably 15,000 mPa·s or more, and particularly preferably 20,000 mPa·s or more. Here, the viscosity can be measured using a B-type rotational viscometer under the conditions of spindle number 6, rotation speed 10 rpm, and 30°C.

[0031] However, the cleaning composition according to the present invention is not limited to such a dosage form or usage form, and other optional dosage forms such as solution form and emulsion form can be adopted. Also, the usage form can be used, for example, in hair shampoos, rinse-in shampoos, body soaps, etc.

[0032] In addition, the cleaning composition according to the present invention is preferably neutral to weakly basic in order to suppress irritation to the skin. Specifically, the pH at 25°C is preferably 7 to 12.

Examples

[0033] The present invention will be described as follows using examples. Note that the present invention is not limited by these examples. Also, the content is mass% with respect to the total amount unless otherwise specified.

[0034] [Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3] Gel-like cleaning agents were prepared by blending the respective components as shown in Table 1. The physical properties of the obtained cleaning agents were evaluated as follows.

[0035] [Stability] After preparing the cleaning agent, the state of the cleaning agent after being held at 50°C for 30 days was visually evaluated. a: Maintaining the gel b: Partially liquefied gel c: Completely liquefied gel

[0036] [Appearance of skin after washing] The appearance (brightness) of the skin after applying to the skin and washing was visually evaluated by two judges with Comparative Example 1 as the reference (STD). A: Significantly brighter than STD B: Slightly brighter than STD C: The same level as STD D: Slightly darker than STD E: Significantly darker than STD

[0037]

Table 1

[0038] From the above results, it can be seen that when mica with a hydrophilic surface is combined with smectite minerals, the stability of the cleaning agent is achieved. When mica with a hydrophobic surface is combined, no improvement in stability is observed. Furthermore, it is found that when the average particle size of mica is 10 μm or more, the improvement effect is significant. Also, when mica is combined, it can be seen that even though the mica is removed after washing, brightness is imparted to the skin.

Claims

1. A cleaning agent comprising: (A) a smectite mineral, a mica having a hydrophilic surface, and water.

2. The cleaning agent according to Claim 1, wherein the component (B) is untreated mica.

3. The cleaning agent according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the average particle diameter of the component (B) is 10 µm or more.

4. The cleaning agent according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the component (A) is selected from the group consisting of montmorillonite, beidellite, saponite, stevensite, and hectorite.

5. The cleaning agent according to Claim 1 or 2, further comprising (D) an inorganic powder other than the component (A) or (B).

6. The cleaning agent according to Claim 1 or 2, further comprising (E) an organic powder.

7. The cleaning agent according to Claim 1 or 2, further comprising (F) a humectant.

8. The cleaning agent according to Claim 1 or 2, having a viscosity of 10,000 mPa·s or more as measured at 30 °C using a B-type rotational viscometer.

9. The cleaning agent according to Claim 1 or 2, having a pH of 7 to 12 at 25 °C.

10. The cleaning agent according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of the component (B) is 1 to 20% by mass based on the total mass of the cleaning agent.

11. The cleaning agent according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio B / A of the content of the component (B) to the content of the component (A) is 0.1 to 20.

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