Hair repair composition

Abstract

To provide a method for mending split ends of hair.SOLUTION: Provided is a method comprising contacting the hair with split ends with a composition comprising at least one non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative containing at least one hydroxyalkyl group, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative having a degree of hydroxyalkylation MS lower than 1.0.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority to European Patent Application Publication No. 16192199.4, filed October 4, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

[0002] The present invention relates to hair care compositions for repairing split ends, and more particularly to the use of certain non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives as agents for repairing split ends.

[0003] Hair is a keratinous material and is repeatedly subjected to a variety of stresses, including, in particular, environmental factors (such as exposure to ultraviolet light), damaging treatments (such as bleaching, coloring, perming or heat straightening) and mechanical stresses, especially during grooming procedures (for example, by frequent brushing, backcombing or combing against high combing resistance).

[0004] This causes various kinds of structural damage to the hair: the cuticle is lifted and the individual hair fibers can become porous and prone to tangling, kinking and / or intertwining with each other.

[0005] The effect on hair texture is noticeable, for example, by poor wet and dry combing, increased static, increased brittleness, decreased maximum tear force and breaking elongation of the hair and / or split ends, resulting in hair that looks generally unhealthy (dull, lifeless, etc.), is difficult to comb and / or feels rough.

[0006] Among these damages, the object of the present invention is to address the ever-increasing demand in the marketplace for hair care compositions that are useful in repairing split ends.

[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an ingredient useful for repairing split ends.

[0008] "Split ends" refers to a condition in which the end of the hair is split into two or more shafts.

[0009] More specifically, it is defined as longitudinal split ends of the hair fiber that develop after the protective cuticle is stripped from the ends of the hair fiber as a result of physical or chemical damage to the hair. Split ends are mainly formed by mechanical stress during grooming procedures, especially excessive combing forces.

[0010] Lubricants are already known to prevent or minimize the formation of split ends. Lubrication reduces friction on the hair during combing, thus reducing the intensity of the abrasive forces the hair is subjected to. This in turn reduces the number of tangles during the combing process.

[0011] However, the present invention does not attempt to prevent split ends from being damaged.

[0012] The present invention relates to split end repair, i.e., repair of existing damage by depositing a material that restores cohesion to axial cracks and "fills" the damaged area of the shaft.

[0013] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an ingredient that is effective in repairing (ie, repairing) split ends.

[0014] It is also an object of the present invention to provide ingredients that are more effective in repairing damage to the hair cuticle and / or aligning the hair fiber.

[0015] Repairing damage to the hair cuticle in the sense of the present invention means smoothing the hair cuticle. The visual effect can be observed, for example, by looking at the hair fiber through a scanning electron microscope.

[0016] U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2005 / 0089494 and 2006 / 0251603 disclose that the combination of polyquaternium-28 and methyl vinyl ether / maleic acid copolymer in specific ratios produces a polyelectrolyte complex useful for repairing split ends.

[0017] However, the stability of such polyelectrolyte complexes can be compromised when other ingredients are added to hair care formulations. In particular, it has been reported that charged compounds and polymers can disrupt the structure of such polyelectrolyte complexes.

[0018] U.S. Patent No. 6,258,348 discloses a split end repair composition comprising three polymers: guar, a betaine-based polyurethane surfactant, and a silicone polyurethane. As shown in EP 1,552,807, the amphoteric or cationic guar gums disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,258,348 do not achieve substantial split end repair without the other disclosed polymer substituents.

[0019] Applicants have now unexpectedly discovered that certain non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives are useful as agents for repairing split ends.

[0020] There has been no suggestion in the prior art that the specific non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention used alone would enable substantial split end repair to be achieved.

[0021] The subject of the present invention is therefore a method for repairing split ends in hair, comprising contacting hair having split ends with a composition comprising at least one non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative containing at least one hydroxyalkyl group, said non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative having a degree of hydroxyalkylation MS of less than 1.0.

[0022] The present invention also relates to a hair care composition for repairing split ends, comprising at least one non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative containing at least one hydroxyalkyl group, wherein the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative has a degree of hydroxyalkylation MS of less than 1.0.

[0023] The present invention also relates to the use of a non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative containing at least one hydroxyalkyl group, said non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative having a degree of hydroxyalkylation MS of less than 1.0, as an agent for repairing split ends.

[0024] The present invention also relates to a method for repairing split ends in hair, comprising applying to split ends a composition comprising one non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative containing at least one hydroxyalkyl group, wherein the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative has a degree of hydroxyalkylation MS of less than 1.0.

[0025] It has been found that certain non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention not only provide a high percentage of split end repair, but can also close split ends and smooth lifted cuticle scales to ensure durable repair, especially after combing or other stressors during hair styling, for example.

[0026] Advantageously, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention also provide split end repair and hair cuticle repair without the drawbacks of dry hair such as a sticky appearance or feel, greasiness, loss of shine, and / or thick coverage that many consumers experience when conventional cationic polymers with high charge density and high molecular weight are used.

[0027] To the extent that the disclosure of any of the patents, patent applications, and publications incorporated herein by reference contradicts the statements of this application to the extent that a term may be unclear, the statements of this application shall control.

[0028] Non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives According to any of the embodiments of the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative of the present invention is a galactomannan derivative.

[0029] Galactomannans are polysaccharides composed primarily of galactose and mannose units, with the mannose units linked by 1-4-b-glycosidic bonds and the galactose branches connected to the mannose units by 1-6a-linkages. Each ring of the galactose or mannose unit (or sugar unit) has three free hydroxyl groups available for chemical reactions. Galactomannans are typically found in the endosperm of legume seeds, such as guar, locust bean, honey locust, and flame tree.

[0030] According to any of the embodiments of the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide starting material used in the present invention is a galactomannan, such as guar gum, also known as guar.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative is a guar derivative.

[0032] This may be, for example, a galactomannan that has been modified by chemical means with one or more derivatizing agents that contain reactive groups.

[0033] Non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives can be obtained, for example, by reaction between the hydroxyl groups of the galactomannan and the reactive functional groups of the derivatizing agent.

[0034] Methods for preparing non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,663,159, 5,473,059, 5,387,675, 3,472,840, 4,031,307, 4,959,464, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0029929, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0035] The non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention contain at least one hydroxyalkyl group.

[0036] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the hydroxyalkyl group is, for example, a C1 to C6 hydroxyalkyl group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxymethyl group, a hydroxyethyl group, a hydroxypropyl group, and a hydroxybutyl group.

[0037] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the hydroxyalkyl group is a hydroxypropyl group.

[0038] According to any of the embodiments of the present invention, the degree of hydroxyalkylation (molar substitution or MS) of the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention refers to the number of alkylene oxide molecules consumed by the number of free hydroxyl functional groups present on the polysaccharide.

[0039] According to any of the embodiments of the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention have a degree of hydroxyalkylation (MS) of about 0.1 or greater, such as about 0.2 or greater.

[0040] According to any of the embodiments of the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention have a degree of hydroxyalkylation (MS) of about 1.0 or less, such as about 0.9 or less.

[0041] According to any of the embodiments of the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention have a degree of hydroxyalkylation (MS) comprised between about 0.1 and about 1.0, such as between about 0.2 and about 0.9.

[0042] The non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention containing at least one hydroxyalkyl group can be prepared, for example, by reacting the corresponding alkene oxide (such as propylene oxide) with the non-cellulosic polysaccharide to obtain a non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative modified with a hydroxyalkyl group (e.g., a hydroxypropyl group).

[0043] The expression "average molecular weight" of the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative of the present invention means the weight average molecular weight of said polysaccharide derivative.

[0044] The average molecular weight of non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives can be measured by SEC-MALS (size-exclusion chromatography with multi-angle light scattering detection). A value of 0.140 for dn / dc is used for molecular weight determination. The Wyatt MALS detector is calibrated using a 22.5 kDa polyethylene glycol standard. All calculations of molecular weight distribution are performed using Wyatt's ASTRA software. Samples are prepared as 0.05% solutions in the mobile phase (100 mM Na2NO3, 200 ppm NaN3, 20 ppm pDADMAC) and filtered through a 0.45 μm PVDF filter before analysis. Average molecular weights are expressed by weight.

[0045] According to any of the embodiments of the present invention, the average molecular weight of the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention is greater than about 100,000 g / mol, such as greater than about 150,000 g / mol, such as greater than about 200,000 g / mol.

[0046] According to any of the embodiments of the present invention, the average molecular weight of the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention is less than about 4,000,000 g / mol, such as less than about 3,500,000 g / mol, for example less than about 3,000,000 g / mol.

[0047] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the average molecular weight of the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative of the present invention is from about 100,000 g / mol to about 4,000,000 g / mol, for example, from about 100,000 g / mol to about 3,000,000 g / mol, for example, from about 150,000 g / mol to about 4,000,000 g / mol, for example, from about 150,000 g / mol to about 3,000,000 g / mol, for example, from about 200,000 g / mol to about 4,000,000 g / mol, for example, from about 200,000 g / mol to about 3,000,000 g / mol.

[0048] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the average molecular weight of the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative of the present invention is comprised between about 100,000 g / mol and about 2,000,000 g / mol, for example, between about 150,000 g / mol and about 1,750,000 g / mol, for example, between about 200,000 g / mol and 1,500,000 g / mol.

[0049] According to any of the embodiments of the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention may further contain at least one cationic group.

[0050] As used herein, the term "cationic" encompasses not only positively charged groups, but also groups that can become positively charged depending on the pH.

[0051] The cationic non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention are non-cellulosic polysaccharides that have been chemically modified to impart a net permanent positive charge to the polysaccharide in a pH-neutral aqueous medium. Non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives that are not permanently charged, for example, that may be cationic below a given pH and neutral above that pH, are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0052] Thus, the terms "cationizing agent," "cationic group," and "cationic site" include ammonium (which has a positive charge), as well as primary, secondary, and tertiary amines and their precursors, which can result in positively charged compounds.

[0053] According to the present invention, non-cellulosic polysaccharides can be derivatized or modified to contain cationic groups, the resulting compounds being non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives.

[0054] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention may result from the reaction of any galactomannan, such as guar, with a cationizing agent.

[0055] The cationizing agents of the present invention are defined as compounds capable of reacting with the hydroxyl groups of a non-cellulosic polysaccharide to provide a non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative comprising at least one cationic group according to the present invention.

[0056] Cationizing agents of the present invention are defined as compounds containing at least one cationic moiety. Cationizing agents include agents capable of resulting in cationically modified non-cellulosic polysaccharides.

[0057] A group of suitable derivatization reagents typically includes a reactive functional group such as an epoxy group, a halide group, an ester group, an anhydride group, or an ethylenically unsaturated group, and at least one cationic moiety or a precursor of such a cationic moiety.

[0058] As used herein, the term "derivatizing agent" refers to an agent that contains at least a cationic moiety that is grafted to a non-cellulosic polysaccharide. The term "derivatizing agent" encompasses the terms "cationizing agent" and "grafting agent."

[0059] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cationic moiety may be attached to the reactive functional group of the derivatizing agent by a divalent linking group such as an alkylene or oxyalkylene group. Suitable cationic moieties include primary, secondary, or tertiary amino groups or quaternary ammonium, sulfonium, or phosphinium groups.

[0060] The derivatizing agent can comprise a cationic moiety or a precursor of a cationic moiety containing a cationic nitrogen moiety, more typically a quaternary ammonium moiety. Typical quaternary ammonium moieties are ammonium moieties in which the nitrogen atom is a member of a ring structure, such as trialkylammonium moieties, such as trimethylammonium moieties, triethylammonium moieties, or tributylammonium moieties, aryldialkylammonium moieties, such as benzyldimethylammonium moieties, and pyridinium moieties and imidazoline moieties, each in combination with a counterion, typically chloride, bromide, or iodide counterion.

[0061] According to one embodiment of the present invention, examples of cationizing agents that result in the cationic non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention are as follows: Cationic epoxides such as 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride, 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium bromide, and 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium iodide; chlorohydrin-functional cationic nitrogen compounds such as 3-halogeno-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride, e.g., 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride; Cationic ethylenically unsaturated monomers or their precursors, such as dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide (a tertiary amine) precursors of cationic monomers such as trimethylammonium propyl methacrylamide chloride salt, trimethylammonium propyl methacrylamide methyl sulfate salt, diallyldimethylammonium chloride, vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride, N-vinylformamide, N-vinylacetamide (these units can be hydrolyzed to vinylamine units after polymerization or grafting).

[0062] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cationizing agents that result in the cationic non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention are cationic epoxides, such as 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride, 2,3-epoxybutyryldimethylammonium bromide, and 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium iodide.

[0063] According to the present invention, cationic groups can be introduced into a non-cellulosic polysaccharide by reacting the non-cellulosic polysaccharide starting material with a derivatizing agent that contains a reactive functional group and at least one cationic moiety (or a precursor to a cationic moiety).

[0064] According to the present invention, cationic groups present in a non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative are incorporated into the non-cellulosic polysaccharide starting material by reaction of the hydroxyl groups of said polysaccharide with a cationizing agent.

[0065] Preferred cationic groups are selected from the group consisting of primary, secondary or tertiary amino groups, quaternary ammonium, sulfonium or phosphinium groups and their mixtures.In a particularly preferred embodiment, cationic groups are selected from trialkylammonium groups such as trimethylammonium groups, triethylammonium groups, tributylammonium groups, aryldialkylammonium groups such as benzyldimethylammonium groups, and ammonium groups in which nitrogen atoms are members of a ring structure, such as pyridinium groups and imidazoline groups, each of which is combined with a counterion, typically chloride, bromide or iodide counterion.Preferably, each cationic group contains at least one cationic charge.

[0066] The degree of cationicity of the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives can be expressed in terms of the degree of substitution.

[0067] As used herein, the expression "degree of cationic substitution" (DScat) refers to the average number of moles of cationic groups per mole of sugar unit. (DScat) can be measured by H-NMR (solvent: DO).

[0068] When a 1H NMR spectrum is obtained, the integrals of the multiplet peaks corresponding to the anomeric protons on all guar units, typically between 3.2 and 4.3 ppm, are normalized to 1. The reference peak, corresponding to the methyl protons of the quaternary ammonium groups on the guar units, is centered at approximately 1.8 ppm. This peak is integrated to accommodate nine protons, given the presence of three methyl groups on the ammonium functional group. Therefore, for the cationizing agent 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride, the calculation of (DScationic) is as follows: TIFF2025121916000001.tif21161

[0069] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention have a degree of cationic substitution (DScat) equal to zero.

[0070] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention have a degree of cationic substitution (DScat) of about 0.02 or more, such as about 0.05 or more, for example about 0.08 or more, such as about 0.09 or more, for example about 0.10 or more.

[0071] According to any of the embodiments of the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention have a degree of cationic substitution (DScat) of about 0.30 or less, such as about 0.20 or less, such as 0.19 or less.

[0072] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative of the present invention has a degree of cationic substitution (DScat) comprised between about 0.02 and about 0.30, for example, between about 0.05 and about 0.20, for example, not more than about 0.14.

[0073] The degree of cationicity of the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention can also be expressed in terms of charge density. The degree of cationic substitution can be converted to charge density by several methods.

[0074] A preferred method for calculating the charge density of cationic non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives uses a method that specifically quantifies the equivalent number of quaternary ammonium groups on the polysaccharide.

[0075] For cationic guars obtained by reacting guar gum with 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride or 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride, the cationic charge density can be calculated from the degree of cationic substitution using the following formula: TIFF2025121916000002.tif19161

[0076] In general, the above formula depends on the group that is grafted onto the non-cellulosic polysaccharide.

[0077] As used herein, the term "charge density" refers to the ratio of positive charges on the monomer units that make up a polymer to the molecular weight of said monomer units. The charge density multiplied by the molecular weight of the polymer determines the number of positively charged sites on a given polymer chain.

[0078] According to the present invention, the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative has a charge density of about 0.35 to about 1.45 meq / g.

[0079] According to any of the embodiments of the present invention, the composition of the present invention comprises 0.01 to 2 pbw of the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative of the present invention, based on the total weight of the composition.

[0080] The compositions of the present invention can also contain mixtures of two or more different non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives, provided that at least one of these non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives is a non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative of the present invention.

[0081] In one embodiment, the subject of the present invention is a hair care composition for repairing split ends, comprising at least one non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative as defined above, and not comprising any other ingredient that acts as a split end repair agent.

[0082] In other words, in one embodiment, the hair care composition for repairing split ends of the present invention comprises a non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative as defined above as the only agent for repairing split ends, and does not contain any other ingredients for that purpose (0 pbw).

[0083] Advantageously, the specific non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention can be combined with a wide range of other hair benefit agents, including charged hair benefit agents. Thus, it is possible to prepare hair care compositions for repairing split ends that contain a stable combination of the specific non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention with other hair care ingredients that provide additional desirable properties.

[0084] Advantageously, the specific non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention can be formulated into either rinse-off or leave-on hair care compositions, and performance in treating split ends is satisfactory in both formulations.

[0085] According to any of the embodiments of the present invention, hair care compositions comprising the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention can be formulated as rinse-off or leave-on products.

[0086] As used herein, the expression "rinse-off composition" refers to a composition that is rinsed off from the hair after application, and conversely, the expression "leave-on composition" refers to a composition that is not rinsed off from the hair after application.

[0087] Non-limiting examples of rinse-off products include shampoos, conditioners, hair straighteners, permanent waves, and hair color (including permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary hair color).

[0088] Representative examples of leave-on hair care products include, but are not limited to, setting lotions, serums, hair sprays, mousses, hair lacquers, hair gels, hair waxes, styling creams, pomades, and tonics. As used herein, the term "hair spray" refers to any hair care product delivered in a spray format, whether pressurized or non-pressurized.

[0089] It is also contemplated to use the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives of the present invention in the following non-limiting types of hair care and / or hair styling based end user formulations, such as 2-in-1 shampoos, leave-on and rinse-off conditioners, hair perm products, hair styling products, permanent hair dye systems, hair styling mousses, semi-permanent hair dye systems, temporary hair dye systems, hair bleaches, permanent hair wave systems, hair setting formulations, uncolored hair formulations, hair frizz-control gels, hair leave-in conditioners, hair detangling products, hair fixatives, hair conditioning mists, hair care pump sprays and other non-aerosol sprays, hair cuticle coats.

[0090] The improved split-end repair achieved when using specific non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives according to the present invention can be highlighted in any communication aids used by suppliers of chemical ingredients in hair care compositions, including animations or films, presentations, leaflets, flyers, posters, technical data sheets, formularies, papers, and websites. This can relate to the complete or semi-complete composition or the specific ingredients used to prepare the composition. The improved split-end repair achieved when using specific non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives according to the present invention can likewise be highlighted in any communication aids used to sell hair care compositions, including commercial claims, labels, literature related to the composition, commercials, scientific studies supporting the commercial claims, papers, labels, websites, films, or animations. Examples of commercial claims can include curing split ends, deep hair repair, split-end seal, etc. The film or animation can, for example, show hair fibers (or representations thereof) with split ends and products (or representations thereof) that address the treatment of hair fibers and repair (i.e., repair) split ends. [Example]

[0091] The invention will now be described in further detail by the following non-limiting examples. Abbreviations have their usual meaning in the art. The amount of water shown as "qs" is intended to be "the amount needed to make up to 100 pbw."

[0092] All ingredients are expressed as weight percent of the total formulation and as the level of active ingredient.

[0093] The following cleansing compositions were prepared:

[0094] TIFF2025121916000003.tif198170

[0095] (a) Hydroxypropyl guar having a molecular weight of 2,000,000 g / mole to 3,000,000 g / mole and a degree of hydroxyalkylation of 0.1 to 1.0, available from Rhodia. (b) Hydroxypropyl guar having a molecular weight of 1,000,000 g / mole to 2,000,000 g / mole and a degree of hydroxyalkylation of 0.1 to 1.0, available from Rhodia. (c) Hydroxypropyl guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride having a molecular weight of less than 2,000,000 g / mole, a degree of cationic substitution of less than 0.15, and a degree of hydroxyalkylation of 0.1 to 1.0, available from Rhodia. (d) Hydroxypropyl guar having a molecular weight of 2,000,000 g / mole to 3,000,000 g / mole and a degree of hydroxyalkylation greater than 1.0, available from Rhodia. (e) Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride having a molecular weight greater than 1,500,000 g / mol and a degree of cationic substitution of about 0.15.

[0096] Formulation Procedure Disperse the cationic guar derivative in water. Add glycerin and panthenol. Adjust the pH to 4.5-5. Add preservatives and adjust the pH to 4.7. Add ethanol to check the pH (≦5). Add water to make up to 100g.

[0097] Evaluation of hair tress performance The hair tresses were purchased from Kerling International. They were natural European human hair with the following characteristics: color 5 / 0. Total length 19 cm, 17 cm of free hair. Width 2.5 cm. Weight of free hair 4 g.

[0098] Hair Treatment Protocol Wet the tress under running water for 1 minute (or soak in water for 10 minutes if using several tresses). Apply 3ml of 10pbw active sodium diethoxylated dodecyl sulfate (SLE2S) solution to the entire tress. Shampoo for 1 minute, 30 seconds per side. Rinse for 1 minute. Squeeze between index and middle fingers. Detangle using a medium-toothed comb followed by a fine-toothed comb. Leave overnight in a climate-controlled room (RH=50%±10, T=23°C).

[0099] Hair Damage Protocol for Getting Split Ends A custom-made repetitive grooming device is used. The device consists of 10 compartments, allowing 10 tresses to be combed simultaneously. Four combs per compartment are mounted at a 90° angle, allowing the tress to be combed three times in exactly one rotation. A collection drawer is placed under each tress to collect broken debris. All experiments were carried out in an environmentally controlled room under temperature and humidity controlled conditions (RH=50%±10, T=23°C).

[0100] To create split ends, the pre-treated tresses are subjected to repeated grooming at 19 rpm for 7.5 hours.

[0101] Measuring the percentage of split ends repaired All procedures were performed in an environmentally controlled room (RH = 50% ± 10, T = 23°C). A 4g damaged hair tress was used after pre-treatment according to the aforementioned protocol. Ten hair fibers, all with split ends, were selected and glued together with Scotch tape to obtain a 10-fiber kit. The split ends were counted under a lighted magnifying glass. Using a 0.5ml disposable transfer pipette dropper on a high-precision balance, 2mg of product (Formulation 1, Formulation 2, or the comparative formulation) was weighed into a plastic weighing cup. Gather 10 fibers by holding them closely to the split ends and immersing them in the product to collect the maximum amount. Spread the product over the split ends with your fingers (approximately the last centimeter toward the tip) until absorbed. Smooth the fibers again and place the 10-fiber kit in an oven for 1 minute. If necessary, smooth the fibers once more to align the fibers and count remaining split ends under a lighted magnifying glass.

[0102] The percentage of split ends repaired (% repair) was calculated as follows: TIFF2025121916000004.tif17161

[0103] The results were as follows:

[0104] TIFF2025121916000005.tif240170

[0105] Formulations 1, 2 and 3, which contain specific non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives according to the present invention, show significantly improved split end repair compared to the comparative formulations (which contain prior art non-cellulosic polysaccharides outside the scope of the present invention) and the control formulation (which does not contain any ingredients that specifically act as agents for repairing split ends).

[0106] These examples demonstrate that certain non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives according to the present invention, i.e., non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives containing at least one hydroxyalkyl group, wherein said non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivatives have a degree of hydroxyalkylation MS of less than 1.0, are highly effective in repairing split ends.

Claims

1. 1. A method for repairing split ends in hair, comprising contacting hair having split ends with a composition comprising at least one non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative comprising at least one hydroxyalkyl group and comprising at least one cationic group, said non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative having a degree of hydroxyalkylation MS of less than 1.0, a degree of cationic substitution (DScat) of less than 0.15, and an average molecular weight comprised between about 100,000 g / mol and 2,000,000 g / mol.

2. The method described in claim 1, wherein the non-cellulose polysaccharide derivative is a galactomannan derivative.

3. The method described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the non-cellulose polysaccharide derivative is a guar derivative.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hydroxyalkyl group is, for example, a C 1 -C 6 hydroxyalkyl group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxymethyl group, a hydroxyethyl group, a hydroxypropyl group, and a hydroxybutyl group.

5. The method described in claim 4, wherein the hydroxyalkyl group is a hydroxypropyl group.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative has a degree of hydroxyalkylation comprised between about 0.1 and about 1.0, for example between about 0.2 and about 0.

9.

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative has an average molecular weight comprised between about 150,000 g / mol and about 1,750,000 g / mol, for example between about 200,000 g / mol and 1,500,000 g / mol.

8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the cationic group is selected from the group consisting of primary, secondary or tertiary amino groups, quaternary ammonium, sulfonium or phosphinium groups and mixtures thereof.

9. The method described in claim 7 or 8, wherein the non-cellulose polysaccharide derivative has a degree of cation substitution DScat of about 0.14 or less.

10. A method described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the composition comprises 0.01 to 2 pbw of the non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative relative to the total weight of the composition.

11. A hair care composition for repairing split ends, comprising at least one non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative containing at least one hydroxyalkyl group described in any one of claims 1 to 10 and containing at least one cationic group.

12. The composition of claim 11, which is a leave-on composition.

13. The composition of claim 11, which is a rinse-off composition.

14. Use of a non-cellulosic polysaccharide derivative containing at least one hydroxyalkyl group described in any one of claims 1 to 10 and containing at least one cationic group as an agent for repairing split ends.