Personal care composition

Abstract

A sulfate-free aqueous personal care composition that provides good cleaning, foaming, lathering, viscosity, and stability. The composition contains acyl taurate surfactants and N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactants in a weight ratio of acyl taurate to N-alkyl acyl taurate of 1:4 to 50:1. The composition also contains auxiliary surfactants and water. The N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactants and auxiliary surfactants are specially formulated to solubilize the acyl taurate surfactants in the composition, thereby producing the desired effects of the composition.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure relates, in general, to personal care compositions comprising acyl taurate surfactants and N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactants. More specifically, this disclosure relates to personal care compositions comprising a combination of acyl taurate surfactants, N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactants, and auxiliary surfactants in a ratio that provides improved solubility and foaming. [Background technology]

[0002] Human hair becomes dirty due to contact with the surrounding environment and sebum secreted by the scalp. Dirty hair can have an undesirable feel and / or appearance. As a result, people may wash their hair with shampoo compositions that restore it to a clean and attractive appearance. Many conventional shampoos use sulfated surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and / or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) to cleanse hair. While sulfated surfactants are generally very good at removing oil and other contaminants from hair, they also have drawbacks. For example, sulfated surfactants can sometimes lead to a poor quality hair feel after washing, dry hair, and / or dry skin. This is commonly referred to as "harshness," and harsh shampoos are generally unacceptable to consumers.

[0003] Surfactants that do not contain sulfates, such as isethionate-based surfactants, are sometimes used to avoid some of the perceived harshness of sulfated surfactants. For example, Indian Patent Application No. 3544 / DEL / 2015 discloses that sodium cocoyl isethionate (SCI) is a sulfate-free primary surfactant selected for its low irritation to hair and skin. SCI can provide good cleaning and low irritation, but due to its relatively low solubility in water, it may not be suitable for use in certain liquid personal care compositions. Compositions using SCI as the main detergency surfactant typically require the addition of a high concentration of co-surfactants to prevent the precipitation of SCI. In addition, SCI is prone to hydrolysis, resulting in a decrease in foaming, cleaning, and stability, so it may not be suitable for use at acidic pH (e.g., <pH 6).

[0004] Another class of relatively mild surfactants known for use in personal care is N-alkyl acyl taurates such as sodium methyl cocoyl taurate (SMCT) and sodium methyl lauroyl taurate (SMLT). SMCT and SMLT are readily available on a commercial scale, exhibit better solubility in water than SCI, and do not hydrolyze at acidic pH like some other amino acid-based surfactants (e.g., glycinates, sarcosinates, alanines, and glutamates). SMCT and SMLT are less irritating than most sulfated surfactants and generally provide good cleansing effects on skin and hair. However, the methyl group bonded to the amide nitrogen in SMCT and SMLT makes it difficult to increase the viscosity in aqueous personal care compositions using inorganic salts, which is typically a method for increasing viscosity in surfactant-based compositions such as shampoos and body washes. Viscosity is important in personal care compositions because compositions with insufficient viscosity may be difficult to distribute and apply in a controlled manner and / or may be perceived as low quality.

[0005] Another taurate surfactant that can be used in personal care compositions is acyl taurate surfactant, such as sodium cocoyl taurate (SCT) or sodium lauroyl taurate (SLT). SCT and SLT do not have an alkyl group bonded to the amide nitrogen and therefore do not have the drawback of increased viscosity of their N-alkyl counterparts. However, acyl taurates tend to be less soluble in water than N-alkyl acyl taurates and may not be commercially available in the quantities required for the mass production of personal care products. Due to these drawbacks, acyl taurate surfactants are undesirable for use in many personal care products.

[0006] Sulfate-free conditioning shampoos (i.e., shampoos that provide cleansing and conditioning effects to hair) face further challenges. Conditioning shampoos typically use cationic conditioning polymers to form coacervates with anionic surfactant systems during use, which adhere to the hair and provide conditioning effects (e.g., easier wet combing and detangling). However, coacervate formation confines some of the surfactant within the coacervate, thus reducing the amount of surfactant available to provide foaming and cleansing. Since non-sulfated surfactants tend to be less effective than sulfated surfactants in foaming and cleansing to begin with, the addition of cationic polymers only places an additional burden on the surfactant system, further reducing foaming and cleansing. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Indian Patent Application No. 3544 / DEL / 2015 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Therefore, particularly in conditioning shampoos, there is a need for a gentle cleansing composition that uses naturally derived surfactants to provide desirable foaming and cleansing properties.

[0009] Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a personal cleansing composition containing a sulfate-free surfactant having suitable solubility, stability, foaming, and cleansing properties. It would also be desirable to provide a sulfate-free personal care composition containing a cationic polymer that does not compromise foaming and cleansing. It would be even more desirable to provide a personal care composition containing a sulfate-free surfactant that does not hinder viscosity increase. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] This specification discloses aqueous personal care compositions comprising an acyl taurate surfactant and an N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactant in a weight ratio of acyl taurate to N-alkyl acyl taurate of about 1:4 to about 50:1. The composition also comprises an auxiliary surfactant and water. The N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactant and the auxiliary surfactant are specially formulated to solubilize the acyl taurate surfactant in the composition, thereby yielding a composition with suitable cleaning, foaming, lathering, viscosity, and stability. The composition has a consumer-friendly viscosity of about 2000 mPa·s to about 20,000 mPa·s according to the rheological method. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This chart illustrates the solubility of SMCT, SCT, and SCI. [Figure 2] This chart illustrates the solubility of SCT / SMCT mixtures and SCI. [Figure 3] This chart illustrates the synergistic foam height characteristics of an SCT / SMCT mixture. [Figure 4A] This example illustrates the effect of auxiliary surfactants on the solubility of acyl taurates. [Figure 4B] This example illustrates the effect of auxiliary surfactants on the solubility of acyl taurates. [Figure 4C] This example illustrates the effect of auxiliary surfactants on the solubility of acyl taurates. [Figure 4D] This example illustrates the effect of auxiliary surfactants on the solubility of acyl taurates. [Figure 4E] This example illustrates the effect of auxiliary surfactants on the solubility of acyl taurates. [Figure 4F] This example illustrates the effect of auxiliary surfactants on the solubility of acyl taurates. [Figure 4G] This example illustrates the effect of auxiliary surfactants on the solubility of acyl taurates. [Figure 4H] This example illustrates the effect of auxiliary surfactants on the solubility of acyl taurates. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Recent trends indicate that consumers desire to replace sulfated cleansing compositions with milder, sulfate-free versions. However, conventional sulfate-free personal care compositions are sometimes perceived as having lower performance, for example, due to less foaming. In addition, some sulfate-free surfactants interact with other components (e.g., viscosity-increasing inorganic salts and / or cationic conditioning agents), resulting in poor solubility. Surprisingly, it has now been found that certain combinations of acyl taurates and N-alkyl acyl taurates (e.g., methyl acyl taurate) can provide the desired foaming properties, gentle cleansing, and suitable solubility without interfering with viscosity-increasing inorganic salts. Furthermore, it has been found that these taurate combinations can also be combined with cationic polymers (e.g., cationic conditioning polymers) with little to no undesirable effect on foaming properties.

[0013] References to "embodiments" and the like in this specification mean that the particular materials, features, structures, and / or characteristics described in connection with those embodiments are included in at least one embodiment, optionally in a number of embodiments, but do not mean that the described materials, features, structures, and / or characteristics are incorporated into all embodiments. Further, the materials, features, structures, and / or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner across different embodiments, and the materials, features, structures, and / or characteristics may be excluded from or substituted for those described. Thus, the embodiments and aspects described herein may include or be combined with elements or components of other embodiments and / or aspects, even if not explicitly exemplified in combination, unless otherwise explicitly described or incompatibility is described.

[0014] All component percentages described herein are by weight of the cosmetic composition, unless otherwise specifically stated, and may be expressed as "weight % (wt%)". Unless otherwise specifically stated, all ratios are weight ratios. All such percentages or weights associated with the listed components are based on the active level and thus do not include carriers or by-products that may be included in commercially available materials. Significant figures do not represent limitations on the amounts shown or on the accuracy of the measured values. Unless otherwise indicated, all measurements are understood to be made at about 25 °C and ambient conditions, and "ambient conditions" means conditions under about 1 atmosphere and about 50% relative humidity. All ranges include their endpoints and are combinable. For example, all numerical ranges include narrower ranges, and the upper and lower limits of the explicitly stated ranges are interchangeable to further create ranges not explicitly stated.

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

[0016] Definitions "About" modifies a particular value by referring to a range of ±20% or less (e.g., ±15% or less, 10% or less, or 5% or less) of the stated value.

[0017] "Apply" or "application" as used in connection with a composition means to apply or spread the composition onto the human keratin surface such as the skin or hair.

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

[0019] A "cleansing composition" refers to a personal care composition or product intended for use in cleansing the body surface such as the skin or hair. Some non-limiting examples of cleansing compositions are shampoos, conditioners, conditioning shampoos, shower gels, liquid hand cleansers, facial cleansers, etc.

[0020] "Cosmetic agent" means any substance, or any component thereof, intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, sprayed, introduced, or otherwise applied to the body or any part thereof of a mammal in order to produce a cosmetic effect. Cosmetic agents may include substances and food additives that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

[0021] "Suitable for application to human hair" means that the personal care composition or its components are acceptable for use in contact with human hair, scalp, and skin without excessive toxicity, incompatibility, instability, allergic reactions, etc.

[0022] "Substantially free of" means that the composition or component contains less than 3% by weight of the subject material (e.g., less than 2% by weight, less than 1% by weight, or less than 0.5% by weight). "Free of" means that the composition or component contains 0% of the subject material.

[0023] A "sulfated surfactant" refers to a surfactant that contains a sulfate portion. Some non-specific examples of sulfated surfactants include sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium laureth sulfate. A "sulfate-free surfactant" refers to a surfactant that does not contain a sulfate component.

[0024] Personal care composition The sulfate-free personal care compositions described herein contain cleansing taurate surfactants for cleansing target body surfaces such as hair and skin. In some examples, personal care compositions may contain auxiliary surfactants, for example, to help solubilize the cleansing surfactant or other components in the composition. Examples of taurate surfactants include acyl taurate surfactants and N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactants (e.g., N-methyl, N-ethyl, N-propyl, or N-butyl acyl taurate surfactants). The compositions may also contain cationic conditioning polymers to enhance the appearance and / or feel of the hair. Surprisingly, it has been found that combining a suitable acyl taurate surfactant with an N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactant results in improved foaming, even in the presence of cationic polymers. In addition, the combination of acyl taurate surfactants and N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactants exhibits unexpected solubility and stability effects.

[0025] The personal care compositions described herein may be provided in various product forms, such as solutions, suspensions, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, creams, gels, toners, sticks, sprays, aerosols, ointments, cleansing liquids, solid bars, pastes, foams, mousses, shaving creams, wipes, strips, patches, hydrogels, film-forming products, and facial and skin masks (with and without insoluble sheets). The form of the composition may depend on a selected dermatologically acceptable specific carrier. In some embodiments, the personal care compositions described herein may include a dispersed gel network phase, combined with a cleansing taurate surfactant, to provide a less irritating yet effective conditioning effect on the hair.

[0026] Liquid personal care compositions according to this specification, such as shampoos, conditioners, and body washes, may have viscosities ranging from 2,000 mPa·s to 20,000 mPa·s (e.g., 2,500 to 15,000 mPa·s, 3,000 to 10,000 mPa·s, or 3,500 to 9,000 mPa·s) according to the rheological method described in more detail below. Viscosities within this range are generally considered preferred by users of liquid personal care compositions.

[0027] In some embodiments, the compositions herein may contain inorganic salt thickeners, such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, ammonium chloride, sodium bromide, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the inorganic salt may be present in an amount of 0-2% (e.g., 0.05-1% or 0.1-0.5%). In some sulfate-free cleansing compositions, the inorganic salt may introduce instability into the composition by assisting in the formation of coacervates between the anionic surfactant and cationic polymer, if present. Coacervates typically have a gel-like viscosity that can precipitate and can affect the rheological and performance properties of the composition, as well as the quality of the product as perceived by the consumer. Therefore, it may be important to specifically adjust the amount of inorganic salt in the composition formulation. Naturally, when a cleansing composition is used as intended, it should be recognized that, when diluted, it forms coacervates to provide the desired conditioning effect.

[0028] Taurate surfactant The sulfate-free surfactant systems of the personal care compositions herein include combinations of acyl taurate surfactants and N-alkyl acyl taurates to provide the personal care compositions herein with foaming and cleansing properties. Such surfactants are sometimes referred to as cleansing surfactants. Cleansing surfactants facilitate cleansing due to their amphiphilic properties, which allow the surfactants to break down and form micelles around hair oils and other contaminants. The "entrapped" contaminants can then be more easily washed away with water.

[0029] The composition may contain 1-20% (e.g., 2-15%, 3-12%, or 4-10%) of a taurate surfactant. The taurate surfactant may include weight ratios of acyl taurate to N-alkyl acyl taurate of 1:4-50:1 (e.g., 1:4, 1:3, 1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1, 10:1, 11:1, 12:1, 13:1, 15:1, 20:1, 25:1, 30:1, 35:1, 40:1, or 45:1). It may be important not to include too much N-alkyl acyl taurate, as N-alkyl acyl taurate may interfere with the ability to increase viscosity in the composition using inorganic salts such as sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride. Compositions with insufficient viscosity (i.e., "too fluid") may be considered low quality by consumers.

[0030] Acyl taurate surfactants that may be suitable for use in this specification are generally exemplified by the following formula I.

[0031] [ka] In the formula, R is an alkyl group having 5 to 23 carbon atoms (e.g., 7 to 21, 7 to 17, 7 to 15, 7 to 13, 11 to 17, 11 to 15, 11 to 13, or even 11 carbon atoms), and X is a preferred counterion (e.g., sodium, potassium, magnesium, ammonium, or triethanolamine).

[0032] Some non-exclusive examples of acyl taurates include capric acid taurate, cocoyl taurate, lauroyl taurate, myristoyl taurate, caproyl taurate, oleoyl taurate, capryloyl taurate, palmitoyl taurate, stearoyl taurate, linoleyl taurate, their salts, and combinations thereof.

[0033] The N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactants described herein are generally illustrated by the following formula II.

[0034] [ka] In the formula, R1 is an alkyl group having 5 to 23 carbon atoms (e.g., 7 to 21, 7 to 17, 7 to 15, 7 to 13, 11 to 17, 11 to 15, 11 to 13, or even 11 carbon atoms), X is a suitable counterion (e.g., sodium, potassium, magnesium, ammonium, or triethanolamine), and R2 is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. Some non-limiting examples of N-alkyl acyl taurates that may be suitable for use herein include methyl capric acid taurate, methyl cocoyl taurate, methyl lauroyl taurate, methyl myristoyl taurate, methyl caproyl taurate, methyl oleoyl taurate, methyl capryloyl taurate, methyl palmitoyl taurate, methyl stearoyl taurate, methyl linoleoyl taurate, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.

[0035] It should be recognized that the taurate surfactants described herein are typically not single compounds as suggested by their general formulas (I) or (II), but rather mixtures of several homologs having varying chain lengths and molecular weights. Furthermore, the taurate surfactants herein may be either saturated or unsaturated.

[0036] auxiliary surfactants The personal care compositions described herein may include anionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and auxiliary surfactants selected from combinations thereof. Some non-limiting examples of anionic surfactants include non-taurine, non-sulfate anionic surfactants, e.g., isethionates, carboxylates, sulfonates (e.g., alpha-olefin sulfonates, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, alkylglyceryl sulfonates, sodium lauryl glucoside hydroxypropyl sulfonate), branched alkyl sulfates, sulfosuccinates, sulfoacetates, sulfolaurates, amino acid surfactants (e.g., glycinates, sarcosinates, alaninates, glutamates), lactate surfactants and lactylate surfactants (e.g., sodium lauroyl lactalyte), phosphate ester surfactants, and combinations thereof.

[0037] Some non-limiting examples of amphoteric and / or zwitterionic surfactants include derivatives of aliphatic secondary and tertiary amines in which one of the aliphatic substituents contains 8 to 18 carbon atoms and one of the aliphatic substituents contains an anionic group such as a carboxy, sulfonate, phosphate, or phosphonate group. Zwitterionic surfactants are surfactants whose polar functional groups have two permanent charges that do not change with pH. Amphoteric surfactants have polar functional groups whose charge depends on the pH of the solution and can exhibit different charges ranging from cationic to zwitterionic and potentially anionic as the pH changes from acidic to neutral to basic. Some non-limiting examples of zwitterionic surfactants include amide sulfobetaine, hydroxysultaine, amide propyl hydroxysultaine, and combinations thereof. Some non-exclusive examples of amphoteric surfactants include amphoacetates, amphodiacetates, betaines, amide betaines (e.g., cocamidopropyl betaine and lauramidopropyl betaine), propionates, hydroxysultaines, and combinations thereof.

[0038] Some non-limiting examples of nonionic surfactants include glyceryl esters of alkanates, polyglyceryl esters of alkanates, propylene glycol esters of alkanates, sorbitol esters of alkanates, alkanolamides, alkoxylated amides, alkyl glycosides, alkyl polyglucosides, acyl glucamides, amine oxides, and combinations thereof. Some particularly preferred examples of nonionic surfactants include cocamides, cocamide MEA, PPG-2 cocamide, PPG-2 hydroxyethyl cocamide, PPG-2 hydroxyethyl isostearamide, lauroyl / myristoyl methyl glucamide, capryloyl / caproyl methyl glucamide, cocoyl methyl glucamide, decyl glucosides, coco-glucosides, lauryl glucosides, lauramine oxides, cocamine oxides, and combinations thereof.

[0039] More specific examples of the optional auxiliary surfactants described above are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0105246, No. 2018 / 0098923, U.S. Patent No. 9,271,908, International Publication No. 2020 / 016097, and McCutcheon's Emulsifiers and Detergents, 2019, MC Publishing Co.

[0040] Auxiliary surfactants may be present in personal care compositions at concentrations of 1% to 15% (e.g., 2-10%, 3-9%, 4-8%, or even 5-7%). The amount of auxiliary surfactants in the composition can be important and should be adjusted to balance solubility and / or viscosity increase with cleaning and / or conditioning effects. For example, too much amphoteric auxiliary surfactant may reduce the salt tolerance of the surfactant system, which may hinder the ability of the surfactant system to form a suitable coacervate when diluted with water. This can be particularly problematic if the composition contains cationic polymers, as reduced salt tolerance of the surfactant system can cause cationic polymers to precipitate. In some embodiments, the composition may include weight ratios of total taurate surfactant to auxiliary surfactant of 12:1 to 3:10 (6:1 to 3:10, 4:1 to 1:3, or even 2:1 to 1:2).

[0041] Cationic polymers The personal care compositions herein may contain 0.05–3% (e.g., 0.1–2% or even 0.2–0.8%) of cationic polymers to provide improved appearance, feel, or adhesion to hair or skin. The cationic polymers may have a weight-average molecular weight of 50 kDa–about 5 MDa (e.g., 500 kDa–4 MDa, 1–3 MDa, 1.2–2 MDa, or even 1.4–1.8 MDa) and a charge density of 0.2 meq / g–12 meq / g (e.g., 0.4–10 meq / g, 0.4–5 meq / g, 0.4–4 meq / g, 0.4–3 meq / g, or even 0.4–2 meq / g). The charge density can be measured at the pH of the intended use of the personal care composition, which may be pH 3–pH 9 (e.g., pH 4–8 or pH 4.5–6.5).

[0042] Cationic polymers may contain a cationic nitrogen-containing moiety, such as a quaternary ammonium, or a cationic protonated amino moiety. Cationic protonated amines may be primary, secondary, or tertiary amines, depending on the specific chemical species and the selected pH of the composition. Anionic counterions can be used in combination with cationic polymers, as long as the polymer remains soluble. Examples of suitable counterions include halide counterions (e.g., chlorides, fluorides, bromides, iodides).

[0043] Some non-limiting examples of cationic polymers include copolymers of water-soluble spacer monomers such as acrylamide, methacrylamide, alkyl and dialkylacrylamide, alkyl and dialkylmethacrylamide, alkyl acrylate, alkyl methacrylate, vinylcaprolactone, or vinylpyrrolidone with vinyl monomers having cationic protonated amines or quaternary ammonium functional groups. Some non-limiting examples of cationic protonated amino and quaternary ammonium monomers include vinyl compounds substituted with dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate, dialkylaminoalkyl methacrylate, monoalkylaminoalkyl acrylate, monoalkylaminoalkyl methacrylate, trialkylmethacryloxyalkylammonium salt, trialkylacryloxyalkylammonium salt, diallyl quaternary ammonium salt, and vinyl quaternary ammonium monomers having cyclic cationic nitrogen-containing rings such as pyridinium, imidazolium, and quaternary pyrrolidone, for example, alkylvinylimidazolium, alkylvinylpyridinium, and alkylvinylpyrrolidone salts.

[0044] An additional, non-limiting example of a cationic polymer is a copolymer of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and 1-vinyl-3-methylimidazolium salts (e.g., chloride salts) (in the industry, the Personal Care Products Council). Examples of amphoteric copolymers of acrylic acid include polyquaternium-16 (as referred to by the Council, PCPC), a copolymer of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (polyquaternium-11), for example, a dimethyldiallylammonium chloride homopolymer, a copolymer of acrylamide and dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (polyquaternium-6 and polyquaternium-7), a cationic diallyl quaternary ammonium-containing polymer, a copolymer of acrylic acid and dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (polyquaternium-22), a terpolymer of acrylic acid, dimethyldiallylammonium chloride and acrylamide (polyquaternium-39), and a terpolymer of acrylic acid, methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride and methyl acrylate (polyquaternium-47). In some embodiments, preferred cationic substituted monomers include cationic substituted dialkylaminoalkylacrylamides, dialkylaminoalkylmethacrylamides, and combinations thereof. The cationic polymer may be AM:TRIQUAT, which is a copolymer (polyquaternium-76) of acrylamide and 1,3-propanediaminium,N-[2-[[[dimethyl[3-[(2-methyl-1-oxo-2-propenyl)amino]propyl]ammonio]acetyl]amino]ethyl]2-hydroxy-N,N,N',N',N'-pentamethyl-,trichloride. AM:TRIQUAT may have a charge density of 1.6 meq / g and a molecular weight of 1.1 MDa.

[0045] In some embodiments, the cationic monomer may be polymethylacrylamidopropyltrimonium chloride, available from Solvay (Brussels, Belgium) under the trademark name Polycare® 133. Copolymers of cationic monomers may also be preferred, with a total copolymer charge density of 2.0 meq / g to 4.5 meq / g.

[0046] Other cationic polymers include polysaccharide polymers such as cationic cellulose derivatives and cationic starch derivatives. In certain embodiments, the cationic cellulose polymer can be selected from salts of hydroxyethylcellulose reacted with trimethylammonium substituted epoxides, which are referred to in the industry (PCPC) as polyquaternium-10 and are available from Dow Chemical Company as UCARE® JR-30M, KG-30M, and LR-30M. Another example of a cationic cellulose polymer is a polymeric quaternary ammonium salt of hydroxyethylcellulose reacted with lauryldimethylammonium substituted epoxides, which are referred to in the industry (PCPC) as polyquaternium-24.

[0047] Further examples of cationic polymers include cationic guar gum derivatives, such as guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, for example, the Jaguar® series available from Solvay, and the N-Hance® and AquaCat® series from Ashland (Wilmington, Delaware). Additional disclosures of cationic guar gum derivatives can be found in U.S. Patent No. 6,930,078.

[0048] In some cases, cationic polymers may include synthetic cationic polymers or derivatives thereof present in concentrations of 0.025% to approximately 5%. Preferred synthetic cationic polymers are generally water-soluble or water-dispersible and non-crosslinked. In some cases, synthetic cationic polymers may be copolymers comprising one or more cationic monomer units and one or more nonionic or anionic monomer units, as long as the copolymer has a net positive charge. Synthetic cationic polymers may have a cationic charge density of 0.5 meq / g to 12 meg / g and an average molecular weight of 1 kDa to 5 MDa. Some non-limiting examples of synthetic cationic polymers are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003 / 0223951.

[0049] Carrier The composition may optionally contain 20-95% aqueous support, e.g., water and / or a water-miscible solvent. The type and amount of aqueous support should be selected to provide a composition having the desired rheological properties. The liquid support may be water with, for example, 10%, 7%, 5%, 3%, 1%, less than 0.5%, or even 0% miscible organic solvent. Some non-limiting examples of organic solvents include lower alkyl alcohols (e.g., ethanol and isopropanol) and polyhydric alcohols (e.g., propylene glycol, hexylene glycol, glycerin, and propanediol).

[0050] Selective components The personal care compositions described herein may, as desired, contain a variety of optional components to adjust the properties and characteristics of the composition to suit the purpose. Optional components may be materials commonly found in this type of composition. Optional components should be physically and chemically compatible with the essential components of the personal care composition and should not otherwise impair stability, aesthetics, or performance of the composition. The individual concentrations of optional components may generally range from 0.001% to 10%.

[0051] Some non-limiting examples of optional components that may be included in the personal care compositions herein are: adhesion enhancers, cationic polymers, conditioning agents (including gel networks, triglyceride oils, hydrocarbon oils, aliphatic esters, and silicones), anti-dandruff agents (e.g., zinc pyrithione, zinc carbonate, piroctone olamine, piroctone, cyclopirox, rilopyrox, MEA-hydroxyoctyloxypyridinone, azoxystrobin, sulfur, azole, salicylic acid, and selenium sulfide, 1,10-phenanthroline), antimicrobial agents, suspending agents, viscosity modifiers, dyes, pigments, non-volatile solvents or diluents (water-soluble and water-insoluble), pearlescent enhancers, foaming agents, lice killers, pH adjusters, fragrances, preservatives, chelating agents, proteins, vitamins, amino acids, skin surfactants, sunscreens, UV absorbers, stabilizers, and combinations thereof.

[0052] Method for preparing personal care compositions The personal care compositions described herein may be prepared using conventional methods for producing compositions of a desired type (e.g., shampoo, conditioner, or body wash). A particularly preferred method for preparing the compositions herein is described in Example 1 below. In some embodiments, the compositions may include a gel network to aid in conditioning the hair or scalp. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2006 / 269501 discloses a method for preparing a gel network that may be suitable for use herein.

[0053] How to use The personal care compositions described herein can be used in conventional ways to cleanse and condition hair or skin. The effective amount of composition for use is generally in the range of 1 g to 50 g (e.g., 1 g to about 20 g). Generally, methods of treating hair or skin may 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 water-soaked hair or skin, and then the composition can be rinsed off. Application to hair usually involves moving the composition through the hair so that most or all of the hair comes into contact with the composition. The personal care compositions can be used as liquids, solids, semi-solids, flakes, gels, or foams in a pressurized container with added propellants, or in the form of a pump spray. The viscosity of the product may be selected to correspond to the desired form.

[0054] In some embodiments, a method for treating hair or skin may include (a) wetting the hair or skin with water, (b) applying an effective amount of the personal care composition to the hair or skin, and (c) rinsing the applied area of ​​skin or hair with water. These steps may be repeated any number of times as desired to achieve the desired cleansing and conditioning effect.

[0055] method Blender foam height Consumers generally associate foaming and lathering with the quality of personal cleansing compositions such as shampoos. This method provides a way to quantify certain foaming characteristics by simulating the foam produced by surfactants when used on hair under typical shampooing conditions. Oil (e.g., sebum) is one of the most common contaminants found on hair that can undesirably affect the foaming characteristics of shampoo. Therefore, this method evaluates the effect of oil on foaming characteristics.

[0056] Add 100 mL of tap water with a water hardness of approximately 6-8 gpg (at 100°F) to a suitable blender (e.g., a KitchenAid KSB560CU1 brand food mixer or equivalent), followed by 2 mL of the test composition and 1 mL of extra virgin olive oil. Blend the mixture for 30 seconds on the "stir" setting, measure the foam height in centimeters, and record it as the foam height.

[0057] In some cases, it may be desirable to calculate the expected foam height from a mixture of acyl taurate and N-alkyl acyl taurate based on the weight-average foam height of the individual surfactants. At a certain auxiliary surfactant concentration, the weight-average foam height of a composition containing a mixture of acyl taurate and N-alkyl acyl taurate can be calculated using the following formula:

[0058]

number

[0059] Rheological method The viscosity of the personal care composition was measured using a Brookfield® RS brand cone and plate rheometer with a cone C75-1, at 2s. -1 A 2.5 mL sample can be measured in 3 minutes at 27°C.

[0060] solubility method This method can be used to determine the solubility properties of a material (e.g., acyl taurate) in a composition. The method uses heating and cooling cycles to simulate the environmental conditions commonly experienced by personal care products and accelerate processes that could lead to product instability.

[0061] The test composition (e.g., an aqueous surfactant composition consisting of an acyl taurate surfactant and an N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactant and / or an auxiliary surfactant, and / or a cationic polymer and water) is placed in a sealed container to prevent evaporation and heated at 40°C for at least 30 minutes, or until the composition is visually clear and free of precipitate. 1 mL of the test solution is added to a Crystal-16 vial, sealed with a basic cap, and placed in a Technobis Crystallization Systems Crystal16® Model 2.2 or equivalent. The % transmittance display value is set to record one measurement every 300 seconds. The vial is cooled to 5°C at a rate of 0.25°C / min and held at 5°C for 8 hours (cooling cycle). The vial is then heated to 20°C at a rate of 0.25°C / min and held at 20°C for 8 hours (heating cycle). After the cooling and heating cycles, the vial is removed from the machine and visually inspected for any precipitate. If the final %T recorded at the end of the heating cycle is 90% or higher and no precipitate is observed, the sample is considered soluble. [Examples]

[0062] Example 1: Formulation of the Example Table 1 provides predictive examples of formulations for the personal care compositions of the present invention. The compositions in Table 1 can be prepared by adding DI water to a mixing vessel and then adding each subsequent component while stirring. If low water solubility surfactants such as cocamide MEA or sodium cocoyl isethionate are present, the composition must be heated to 50-75°C and stirred until completely solubilized (i.e., no visible particles remain and the batch becomes clear). Then, the remaining components, excluding cationic polymers or volatile substances, are added to the mixing vessel and mixed until completely dissolved or solubilized. If heated, the composition is then cooled to below 35°C before adding volatile components such as fragrances. If cationic polymers are present, in a separate container, the cationic polymer is mixed with water in a 1:20 ratio (polymer:water) to form a slurry or dilute solution, which is then added to the cooled composition in the mixing vessel and mixed for 10 minutes. The pH of the composition is adjusted with citric acid (typically 0.2-0.5%). The viscosity is adjusted with sodium chloride. Add DI water to bring the final volume to 100%. Mix the mixture until homogeneous (about 10 minutes).

[0063] [Table 1] 1. Sodium lauroyl taurate manufactured by P&G Chemicals 2. Sodium lauroyl methyl taurate manufactured by P&G Chemicals or Geropon® TL 32 L manufactured by Solvay 3. Stepan Bio-terge® AS-40 HP 4. BASF Dehyton® AB 30 5. Comperlan® CMEA manufactured by BASF 6. BASF Plantaren® 2000 N UP 7. Solvay's Jaguar® C-500 (MW=500kDA, CD=0.8meq / g) 8. Ashland N-Hance™ 3000 (MW=1.7 MDa, CD=0.4 meq / g) 9. Ashland N-Hance (trademark) 3196 (MW=2MDa, CD=0.8meq / g) 10. Solvay Mirapol® AT 1 11. Flocare® C 106 MSS manufactured by SNF Inc. 12. Octopirox (registered trademark) by Clariant 13. Dow's Xiameter™ MEM-1872 emulsion 14. Kathon (trademark) broad-spectrum fungicide

[0064] Example 2: Improvement of solubility This example demonstrates the unexpected solubility effect provided by the combination of acyl taurate and N-alkyl acyl taurate. The anionic surfactants used in this example are sodium cocoyl isethionate (SCI), sodium cocoyl taurate (SCT), and sodium cocoyl methyl taurate (SMCT). The amphoteric auxiliary surfactant is cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB). The test compositions for each leg of this example are prepared as aqueous solutions, as shown in Tables 2A-2E. The test results are summarized in Tables 2B-2E and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

[0065] [Table 2]

[0066] [Table 3]

[0067] [Table 4]

[0068] [Table 5]

[0069] [Table 6] 1. Tego® Betain CK pH12 manufactured by Evonik 2. Clariant's Hostapon® SCI 85 C 3. Sodium cocoyl taurate manufactured by P&G Chemicals 4. Sodium cocoyl methyl taurate manufactured by P&G Chemicals or Pureact® WS Concentrate manufactured by Innospec. 5. Kathon (trademark) broad-spectrum fungicide

[0070] Figure 1 illustrates the solubility of SCT, SMCT, and SCI. As expected, SCT showed better solubility than SCI but worse solubility than SMCT. Therefore, more amphoteric auxiliary surfactants (cocamidopropyl betaine) are required to solubilize the less soluble anionic surfactants, which may be undesirable.

[0071] Figure 2 illustrates the solubility of combinations of SCT (91%) and SMCT (9%) in SCI. As can be seen in Figure 2, the combination of SCT and SMCT is soluble at concentrations where SCT alone is insoluble at lower levels. For example, composition Mix-2 (3% CAPB + 10% SCT + 1% SMCT) is soluble, while composition SCT-3 (3% CAPB + 8% SCT) is not. This is unexpected because composition Mix-2 contains 25% more SCT than composition SCT-3 (i.e., 10% vs. 8%), and therefore it is not expected that a larger amount of SCT would be soluble with the same amount of auxiliary surfactant (i.e., 3%).

[0072] Perhaps more surprising is the finding that the combination of SCT and SMCT is soluble at concentrations in which SMCT is insoluble. This is surprising because SMCT is generally more soluble than SCT. For example, composition Mix-5 (2.2%CAPB + 10.2%SCT + 1%SMCT) is soluble, while composition SMCT-4 (2.2%CAPB + 11.1%SMCT) is not. Generally, the solubility of a combination of SCT and SMCT is expected to be greater than that of SCT alone, but this combination is not expected to be more soluble than SMCT alone, especially considering that the amount of SMCT present is only a very small proportion of the total surfactants in composition Mix-5.

[0073] Example 3: This example demonstrates that even slight changes in N-alkyl acyl taurate levels can have a significant effect on the solubility of acyl taurate. Table 3 compares the solubility of sodium lauroyl taurate at three different levels (8%, 9%, and 11%) in compositions containing sodium lauroyl methyl taurate. The SLT to SMLT weight ratios range from 10.5:1 to 8:1. The auxiliary surfactant, cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB), is kept constant in each test leg. As can be seen from Table 3, a change in SMLT level as low as 0.08% SMLT may be the difference between the solubility and insolubility of SLT.

[0074] [Table 7]

[0075] Example 4: Effect of auxiliary surfactant on the solubility of acyl taurate. This example demonstrates how the selection of auxiliary surfactants can affect the solubility of acyl taurates in personal care compositions. The test compositions for each leg of this example are prepared as aqueous solutions, as shown in Table 4. The test results are summarized in Tables 4A and 4B and illustrated in Figures 4A to 4H. Unless otherwise noted, the materials used in these examples may be supplied by the same suppliers as those described in any of the previous examples.

[0076] [Table 8]

[0077] [Table 9] 1. StarSurf™ CAPHS manufactured by StarChem 2. Mirataine® LHS manufactured by Syensqo 3. Miranol® Ultra L-32 MB manufactured by Syensqo

[0078] As shown in Tables 4A and 4B and Figures 4A to 4H, it may be important to select an appropriate auxiliary surfactant to ensure proper acyl taurate solubility. While it is generally desirable to minimize the amount of auxiliary surfactant added to the composition to increase viscosity, it is also desirable to have formulation flexibility to add an appropriate amount of auxiliary surfactant (e.g., 0.5% to 10% or 1% to 5%).

[0079] In this example, the zwitterionic surfactant cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine (CAPHS) and the amphoteric surfactant sodium lauroamphoacetate did not provide the desired solubility. This result is unexpected, considering the suitability of other amphoteric / zwitterionic surfactants. The result for CAPHS is particularly unexpected due to its chemical / structural similarity to lauryl hydroxysultaine (LHS) and cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB). The solubility curve for CAPHS is included in Figures 4A-4H to provide the context of the solubility effects of other auxiliary surfactants.

[0080] Example 6: Comparative Example This example demonstrates that certain auxiliary surfactants cannot provide the desired viscosity increase in personal care compositions. Examples A1 and A5 from Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 116098821 were reproduced as shown in Table 6. The component amounts shown in Table 6 are based on 100% activity and reflect the activity level calculated by multiplying the component level by the component activity shown as the raw material specification in Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 116098821. Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 116098821 indicates that PEG-150 stearate was used in these examples. However, PEG-150 stearate is not readily available, and therefore the formulations in the examples were prepared using PEG-100 stearate and PEG-150 distearate instead. The molecular structures of PEG-100 stearate and PEG-150 distearate are such that their effects on the viscosity of the composition are collectively those of PEG-150 stearate. In other words, the viscosity of PEG-150 stearate should be between the viscosity of PEG-100 stearate and the viscosity of PEG-150 distearate shown in Table 6. The viscosity of the composition was measured according to the rheological method described herein. When measured using a cone at the shear rate shown by the rheological method, the rheometer has a detection limit of approximately 750 mPa·s. Therefore, viscosities lower than this amount are indicated as <750.

[0081] [Table 10] 1. StarSurf™ CAPHS manufactured by StarChem. 2. Merquat® 550 PR polymer manufactured by Lubrizol. 3. Hallstar® PEG 6000 DS manufactured by Hallstar 4. Hallstar® PEG 4400 MS MB (Hallstar® registered trademark)

[0082] As can be seen from Table 6, the composition does not have a suitable viscosity, which further emphasizes the importance of selecting an appropriate combination of acyl taurate, N-alkyl acyl taurate, and auxiliary surfactant.

[0083] Example 7 - Foaming effect This example demonstrates the ability of the SCT / SMCT surfactant system of the present invention to provide good foaming and lathering. Foaming is an important characteristic of personal care compositions such as shampoos or body washes, as consumers generally associate foaming properties (e.g., volume and creaminess) with the performance and quality of a product. The compositions tested in this example were prepared as described above and tested according to the Blender foam height method. The test results are summarized in Table 7 below and illustrated in Figure 3. Compositions of the present invention are indicated as "Invention," and comparative compositions are indicated as "C." A foam height greater than 7.5 cm is desirable, a foam height of 6-7.5 cm may be acceptable in some cases but is generally undesirable, and a foam height of less than 6 cm is undesirable.

[0084] [Table 11]

[0085] [Table 12]

[0086] [Table 13] 1. Sodium cocoyl taurate manufactured by P&G Chemicals 2. Sodium cocoyl methyl taurate or Geropon® TC 95 P or Geropon® TC 30 manufactured by P&G Chemicals 3. Sodium lauroyl taurate manufactured by P&G Chemicals 4. Sodium lauroyl methyl taurate manufactured by P&G Chemicals or Geropon® TL 32 L manufactured by Solvay 5. Tego® Betain CK pH 12 by Evonik 6. Mirataine(registered trademark) DAB ULS MB manufactured by Syensqo 7. Dow-made UCARE (trademark) JR30M 8. Clariant's Hostapon® SCI 85 C 9. Kathon (trademark) broad-spectrum fungicide

[0087] As shown in Table 7 and Figure 3, personal care compositions containing a combination of acyl taurate surfactants and N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactants provide better foaming than compositions containing a single type of taurate surfactant or isethionate surfactant. In fact, the data summarized in Table 7 and illustrated in Figure 3 demonstrate that the combination of acyl taurate and N-alkyl acyl taurate works synergistically to provide better foaming. For example, comparative compositions 7 (9% SCT) and 9 (9% SMCT) exhibited foam heights of 8.3 and 7.5 cm, respectively. Therefore, it is expected that a combination of SCT and SMCT with the same total amount of anionic surfactant (i.e., 9%) would provide a foam height that is a weighted average of the individual foam height values. However, composition 8 (8.2% SCT + 0.8% SMCT) of the present invention exhibited a foam height greater than the individual foam heights of compositions 7 and 9, and greater than the weighted average foam height of these two compositions, which is 8.2 cm as calculated below.

[0088] Here, w a = 8.2 wt%, X a = 8.3 cm, w b = 0.8 wt%, X b = 7.5 cm;

[0089]

Number

[0090] Another example of synergy can be seen when comparing Compositions 10 and 20 with Compositions 11 - 19 of the present invention, which is illustrated in FIG. 3. Comparative Composition 10 (9% SCT) and Comparative Composition 20 (9% SMCT) exhibited foam heights of 8.5 cm and 5.5 cm, respectively. Thus, a mixture of SCT and SMCT with the same total amount of anionic surfactant is expected to provide a foam height that is the weighted average of the individual foam height values. However, as can be seen from Table 7 and FIG. 3, Compositions 11 and 12 of the present invention provide a foam height equal to or higher than that of SCT alone. The foam heights exhibited by Compositions 13 - 19 of the present invention are lower than that of Comparative Composition 10 but still higher than expected, demonstrating a synergistic effect.

[0091] The data in Table 7 also suggests that the foaming effect provided by a mixture of SCT and SMCT can be increased with a smaller amount of anionic surfactant (e.g., 6%). For example, when comparing Composition 21 of the present invention with Comparative Compositions 22 and 23, at 6% anionic surfactant, the combination of SCT and SMCT appears to provide good foaming (i.e., a foam height of 8 or more), while SCI and SMCT exhibit insufficient foaming.

[0092] Example / Combination 1. An aqueous personal care composition comprising: a) an acyltaurate surfactant and an N - alkylacyltaurate surfactant in a weight ratio of acyltaurate to N - alkylacyltaurate of 1:4 to about 50:1, preferably 1:1 to 50:1, more preferably 3:1 to 50:1; b) auxiliary surfactants, c) An aqueous personal care composition comprising water, wherein an N-alkyl taurate surfactant and an auxiliary surfactant solubilize the acyl taurate surfactant in the composition, and the composition has a viscosity of 2,000 mPa·s to 20,000 mPa·s according to the rheological method. 2. The personal care composition according to paragraph 1, wherein the combination of acyl taurate and N-alkyl acyl taurate exhibits a synergistic foam height according to the Blenda foam height method. 3. The personal care composition according to paragraph 1 or 2, wherein the combination of acyl taurate and N-alkyl acyl taurate exhibits synergistic solubility according to the solubility method. 4. The personal care composition according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, wherein the acyl taurate surfactant is a C8-C24 acyl taurate surfactant, preferably selected from the group consisting of capric acid ester taurate surfactant, cocoyl taurate surfactant, lauroyl taurate surfactant, myristoyl taurate surfactant, caproyl taurate surfactant, oleoyl taurate surfactant, capryloyl taurate surfactant, palmitoyl taurate surfactant, stearoyl taurate surfactant, linoleyl taurate surfactant, salts thereof, and combinations thereof. 5. The personal care composition according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, wherein the N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactant is selected from the group consisting of methyl-substituted acyl taurate, ethyl-substituted acyl taurate, propyl-substituted acyl taurate, butyl-substituted acyl taurate, salts thereof, and combinations thereof, preferably selected from the group consisting of methyl capric acid ester taurate, methyl cocoyl taurate, methyl lauroyl taurate, methyl myristoyl taurate, methyl caproyl taurate, methyl oleoyl taurate, methyl capryloyl taurate, methyl palmitoyl taurate, methyl stearoyl taurate, methyl linoleoyl taurate, salts thereof, and combinations thereof. 6. A personal care composition according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, wherein the composition further comprises auxiliary surfactants selected from alkylamidopropyl betaine, alkyl betaine, alkyl hydroxysultaine, alpha-olefin sulfonate, alkyl glucoside, or a combination thereof, preferably cocamidopropyl betaine, lauramidopropyl betaine, coco-betaine, lauryl betaine, lauryl hydroxysultaine, coco-hydroxysultaine, sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, sodium C12-14 olefin sulfonate, sodium C12-16 olefin sulfonate, decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside, coco-glucoside, and combinations thereof. 7. A personal care composition according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, further comprising: adhesion aids, conditioning agents, anti-dandruff agents, antibacterial agents, suspending agents, viscosity modifiers, dyes, pigments, non-volatile solvents, diluents, pearlescent agents, foaming agents, pH adjusters, fragrances, preservatives, chelating agents, proteins, vitamins, amino acids, skin surfactants, sunscreens, UV absorbers, stabilizers, and additional components selected from combinations thereof, preferably, an anti-dandruff agent selected from the group consisting of azole, hydroxylpyridone, zinc pyrithone, zinc carbonate, piroctone olamine, piroctone, sulfur, cyclopirox, lilopirox, MEA-hydroxyoctyloxypyridinone, salicylic acid, selenium sulfide, azoxystrobin, and 1,10-phenanthroline. 8. A personal care composition according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, wherein the composition substantially does not contain a sulfated surfactant. 9. Use of any of the compositions described in paragraphs 1 to 8 for washing hair or skin. 10. Personal care composition, a) A surfactant system comprising an acyl taurate surfactant and an N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactant, b) Cationic polymers, c) A personal care composition comprising water. 11. The personal care composition according to paragraph 10, wherein the cationic polymer has at least one of a weight-average molecular weight of 50 kDa to 5 MDa and a charge density of 0.2 meq / g to 12 meq / g. 12. The personal care composition according to paragraph 10 or 11, further comprising cocamidopropyl betaine, lauramidopropyl betaine, coco-betaine, lauryl betaine, lauryl hydroxysultaine, coco-hydroxysultaine, alpha-olefin sulfonate or its salt, decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside, coco-glucoside, and auxiliary surfactants selected from combinations thereof. 13. A personal care composition according to any one of paragraphs 10 to 12, wherein the combination of an acyl taurate surfactant and an N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactant exhibits a synergistic foam height according to the Blenda foam height method.

[0093] The dimensions and values ​​disclosed herein should not be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values ​​listed. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the listed value and the functionally equivalent range encompassing that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "approximately 40 mm."

[0094] All documents cited herein, including cross-referenced or related patents or applications, are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. No citation of any document shall be deemed prior art to any invention disclosed or claimed herein, nor shall it be deemed to teach, suggest or disclose any such invention, either alone or in combination with any other reference(s). Furthermore, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in any document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition given to that term in this document shall prevail.

[0095] While specific embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that all such changes and modifications within the scope of the invention be covered in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A water-based personal care composition, a) Acyl taurate surfactants and N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactants having a weight ratio of acyl taurate to N-alkyl acyl taurate of 1:4 to about 50:1, preferably l:1 to 50:1, more preferably 3:1 to 50:1, b) auxiliary surfactants, c) Water and, An aqueous personal care composition comprising the N-alkyl taurate surfactant and the auxiliary surfactant, wherein the N-alkyl taurate surfactant and the auxiliary surfactant solubilize the acyl taurate surfactant in the composition, and the composition has a viscosity of 2,000 mPa·s to 20,000 mPa·s according to the rheological method.

2. The personal care composition according to claim 1, wherein the combination of the acyl taurate and the N-alkyl acyl taurate exhibits a synergistic foam height according to the Prenda foam height method.

3. The personal care composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the combination of the acyl taurate and the N-alkyl acyl taurate exhibits synergistic solubility according to the solubility method.

4. The personal care composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the acyl taurate surfactant is a C8 to C24 acyl taurate surfactant, preferably selected from the group consisting of capric acid ester taurate surfactant, cocoyl taurate surfactant, lauroyl taurate surfactant, myristoyl taurate surfactant, caproyl taurate surfactant, oleoyl taurate surfactant, capryloyl taurate surfactant, palmitoyl taurate surfactant, stearoyl taurate surfactant, linoleyl taurate surfactant, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.

5. The personal care composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactant is selected from the group consisting of methyl-substituted acyl taurate, ethyl-substituted acyl taurate, propyl-substituted acyl taurate, butyl-substituted acyl taurate, salts thereof, and combinations thereof, and preferably selected from the group consisting of methyl capric acid ester taurate, methyl cocoyl taurate, methyl lauroyl taurate, methyl myristoyl taurate, methyl caproyl taurate, methyl oleoyl taurate, methyl capryloyl taurate, methyl palmitoyl taurate, methyl stearoyl taurate, methyl linoleoyl taurate, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.

6. The personal care composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the composition further comprises auxiliary surfactants selected from alkylamidopropyl betaine, alkyl betaine, alkyl hydroxysultaine, alpha-olefin sulfonate, alkyl glucoside, or a combination thereof, preferably cocamidopropyl betaine, lauramidopropyl betaine, coco-betaine, lauryl betaine, lauryl hydroxysultaine, coco-hydroxysultaine, sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, sodium C12-14 olefin sulfonate, sodium C12-16 olefin sulfonate, decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside, coco-glucoside, and combinations thereof.

7. A personal care composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: an adhesion aid, a conditioning agent, an anti-dandruff agent, an antibacterial agent, a suspending agent, a viscosity modifier, a dye, a pigment, a non-volatile solvent, a diluent, a pearlescent agent, a foaming agent, a pH adjuster, a fragrance, a preservative, a chelating agent, a protein, a vitamin, an amino acid, a skin activator, a sunscreen, a UV absorber, a stabilizer, and additional components selected from combinations thereof, preferably an anti-dandruff agent selected from the group consisting of azole, hydroxylpyridone, zinc pyrithone, zinc carbonate, piroctone olamine, piroctone, sulfur, cyclopyrrox, lilopyrrox, MEA-hydroxyoctyloxypyridinone, salicylic acid, selenium sulfide, azoxystrobin, and 1,10-phenanthroline.

8. The personal care composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the composition substantially does not contain a sulfated surfactant.

9. Use of the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 8 for washing hair or skin.

10. Personal care composition, a) A surfactant system comprising an acyl taurate surfactant and an N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactant, b) Cationic polymers, c) Water and, A personal care composition containing the following:

11. The personal care composition according to claim 10, wherein the cationic polymer has at least one of a weight-average molecular weight of 50 kDa to 5 MDa and a charge density of 0.2 meq / g to 12 meq / g.

12. The personal care composition according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising cocamidopropyl betaine, lauramidopropyl betaine, coco-betaine, lauryl betaine, lauryl hydroxysultaine, coco-hydroxysultaine, alpha-olefin sulfonate or its salt, decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside, coco-glucoside, and auxiliary surfactants selected from combinations thereof.

13. The personal care composition according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the combination of the acyl taurate surfactant and the N-alkyl acyl taurate surfactant exhibits a synergistic foam height according to the Blender foam height method.

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