Personal care compositions and methods of use thereof

Abstract

To provide a personal care composition having not only a low environmental impact and a good skin feel but also a high cleansing property.SOLUTION: The object can be achieved by a personal care composition containing water and low substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, wherein the low substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose has an average particle size (D50) on a volume basis by dry laser diffraction of 30 μm to 200 μm and an aspect ratio equal to or more than 1.0 and less than 5.0.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to personal care compositions and methods of use thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Personal care compositions containing a scrubbing agent, which are used for the purposes of removing dirt from the skin, improving the appearance of the skin, providing a moderate massage effect, and the like, have been known.

[0003] Known scrubbing agents that can be incorporated into personal care compositions include synthetic resins such as polystyrene, polyethylene, and nylon (e.g., Patent Document 1), crushed seeds or seed shells of plants such as apricots, peaches, and walnuts (e.g., Patent Document 2), and water-absorbing and swelling polymers such as glucomannan (e.g., Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-017048 A [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-338625 [Patent Document 3] JP 2000-344801 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, many of the synthetic resins described in Patent Document 1, such as polystyrene, are difficult to decompose, and therefore personal care compositions containing such synthetic resins are problematic in that they can cause marine pollution and impose a high environmental load.

[0006] The crushed material of plant seeds and plant seed shells such as apricot shells described in Patent Document 2 is relatively hard. Thus, a personal care composition containing the crushed material has excellent cleansing properties, but has a problem of being uncomfortable to the touch.

[0007] The personal care composition containing water-absorbing and swelling particles such as glucomannan described in Patent Document 3 has a pleasant feel on the skin, but has a problem of weak cleaning power.

[0008] In view of the above, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has an object to provide a personal care composition which has a low environmental impact, a pleasant feel on the skin, and high detergency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the present inventors have conducted extensive research into scrubbing agents, of which there are said to be thousands or tens of thousands of types. As a result, they have focused on low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, which is both biodegradable and swellable. However, they have found that personal care compositions containing low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose tend to have poor cleansing properties, although they have a relatively good feel on the skin.

[0010] Therefore, the present inventors conducted further trial and error and surprisingly found that a personal care composition containing a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a particle size and aspect ratio in a dry state within a certain range has a good feel on the skin and also has a high detergency.

[0011] Even more surprisingly, it has been found that by adjusting the content of hydroxypropoxy groups in low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose within a certain range, the resulting personal care composition exhibits superior detergency.

[0012] Based on this knowledge, the inventors have succeeded in creating a personal care composition containing low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a particle size and aspect ratio in a certain range in a dry state, or a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a particle size and aspect ratio in a certain range in a dry state and a hydroxypropoxy group content in a certain range, and water. The present invention has been completed based on the knowledge and successful examples first discovered by the inventors.

[0013] Therefore, according to the present invention, the following aspects are provided. [1] A personal care composition comprising water and low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a volume-based average particle diameter (D 50 ) is 30 μm to 200 μm and the aspect ratio is 1.0 to 4.0. [2] The personal care composition according to [1], wherein the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose has a hydroxypropoxy group content of 4.0% by mass to 11.0% by mass. [3] The personal care composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the ratio of the mass of the water to the mass of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is 3.0 or more. [4] The low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose has a volume-based average particle diameter (D 50 ) is 50 μm to 400 μm. [5] The personal care composition according to any one of [1] to [4], further comprising a surfactant. [6] The personal care composition according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the personal care composition is a personal care liquid. [7] A method for cleaning skin, comprising applying the personal care composition according to any one of [1] to [6] to skin and cleaning the skin. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a personal care composition that has a small environmental impact, is pleasant to the touch, and has a strong detergency. Furthermore, according to the personal care composition and method of one aspect of the present invention, the condition of the skin can be maintained or improved through daily application to the skin. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Each aspect of the present invention will be described in detail below, but the present invention can take various forms as long as it achieves its object.

[0016] Unless otherwise specified, each term in this specification is used in the sense commonly used by those skilled in the art in the fields of cellulose, toiletries, cosmetics, etc., and should not be interpreted as having an unduly restrictive meaning. In addition, the speculations and theories made in this specification are based on the inventors' knowledge and experience to date, and therefore the present invention is not limited solely to such speculations and theories.

[0017] The term "composition" is not particularly limited to the meaning in which it is usually used, and is, for example, a combination of two or more components. "Personal care" means caring for the body, and "personal care composition" means a composition for caring for the body. "And / or" means any one or any or all combinations of two or more of the associated listed items. "Content" is synonymous with concentration and usage amount (amount added), and refers to the ratio of the amount of a component to the total amount of a composition. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the unit of content means "mass%" and "% (w / w)". However, the total amount of the content of the components does not exceed 100%. In a numerical range, "to" means a range that includes the numerical values ​​before and after it, for example, "0% to 100%" means a range that is equal to or greater than 0% and equal to or less than 100%. "More than" and "less than" mean a lower limit and an upper limit, respectively, without including the numerical value before it, for example, "more than 1" means a numerical value greater than 1, and "less than 100" means a numerical value less than 100. "Comprising" means that elements other than the elements explicitly stated as being included can be added (same meaning as "comprising at least"), but also encompasses "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of." In other words, "comprising" can mean including the elements explicitly stated and any one or more elements, consisting of the elements explicitly stated, or consisting essentially of the elements explicitly stated. Elements include limitations such as ingredients, steps, conditions, parameters, etc.

[0018] The number of digits in an integer value is the same as the number of significant digits. For example, 1 has one significant digit, and 10 has two significant digits. Also, the number of digits after the decimal point in a decimal value is the same as the number of significant digits. For example, 0.1 has one significant digit, and 0.10 has two significant digits.

[0019] <Overview of Personal Care Compositions> The personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention includes water and low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose. By adopting low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, which is biodegradable, swellable, and cleansing, as a scrubbing agent, the personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention can be a personal care composition that has a small environmental impact, is pleasant to the touch, and has a high cleaning power.

[0020] <Low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose> In the personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention, low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, which is insoluble in water but has the property of absorbing water and swelling, is used as a scrubbing agent.

[0021] Generally, cellulose is insoluble in water. However, cellulose derivatives having alkoxy groups and / or hydroxyalkoxy groups obtained by substituting the hydrogen atoms of the hydroxyl groups of the glucose rings constituting cellulose with alkyl groups or hydroxyalkyl groups become water-soluble depending on the degree of substitution. However, cellulose derivatives with a low degree of substitution do not show solubility in water, but have the property of absorbing water and swelling (swelling property). Low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, which is a type of cellulose derivative, tends to have swelling property because of the low degree of substitution with hydroxypropoxy groups.

[0022] When the powder of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having swelling properties is dispersed in water, a part of it becomes swollen. In contrast, cellulose derivatives having a high degree of substitution of hydroxypropoxy groups become water-soluble. Even if such water-soluble hydroxypropyl cellulose is used, a personal care composition having the property of removing dirt from the skin (cleaning property) cannot be obtained. Therefore, in the personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention, the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose adopted in expectation of scrubbing action is a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having swelling properties.

[0023] The personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by containing low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, which can impart excellent detergency to the personal care composition in addition to swelling properties.

[0024] Low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose has a volume-based average particle size (D) measured by dry laser diffraction method in order to impart excellent cleaning properties to personal care compositions. 50 ) is 30 μm to 200 μm, preferably 35 μm to 150 μm, more preferably 35 μm to 100 μm, even more preferably 35 μm to 60 μm, and still more preferably 35 μm to 55 μm.

[0025] The volume-based average particle size (D 50A personal care composition containing low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a volume-based average particle diameter (D ) of less than 30 μm cannot exhibit a sufficient cleaning effect because the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is smaller than the size of dirt. 50 A personal care composition containing low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a particle size exceeding 200 μm is highly irritating to the skin, and the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose does not easily penetrate into pores, so that a sufficient cleansing effect cannot be achieved.

[0026] The volume-based average particle size (D 50 ) is the same as that in the dry method described in the Examples below. 50 It is measured by the method described in the item.

[0027] In order to impart excellent detergency to the personal care composition, the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose has an aspect ratio of 1.0 or more and less than 5.0, preferably 1.0 to 4.5, more preferably 1.0 to 4.0, even more preferably 1.5 to 4.0, and still more preferably 2.0 to 4.0.

[0028] A personal care composition containing a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having an aspect ratio of 5.0 or more is highly irritating to the skin, and furthermore, the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose does not easily penetrate into pores, so that a sufficient cleansing effect cannot be achieved.

[0029] The aspect ratio of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is the ratio (L / D) of the major axis (L) to the minor axis (D) measured from a scanning electron microscope photograph. The aspect ratio of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is measured by the method described in the section [Aspect ratio] in the Examples below.

[0030] Low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose preferably has advantageous properties as an ingredient that exerts a scrubbing action in personal care compositions. For example, the item "low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose" in the 18th revised Japanese Pharmacopoeia states that the content of hydroxypropoxy groups in low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is 4.0% by mass to 16.0% by mass. However, according to the findings of the present inventors, the lower the content of hydroxypropoxy groups in the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, the higher the cleaning properties of the resulting personal care composition. Therefore, the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose preferably has a hydroxypropoxy group content of 4.0% by mass to 11.0% by mass, more preferably 4.5% by mass to 11.0% by mass, and even more preferably 5.0% by mass to 11.0% by mass.

[0031] A personal care composition containing a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose with a hydroxypropoxy group content of less than 4.0% by mass may have problems such as poor skin feel and low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose settling in the personal care composition due to the low swelling of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose. Conversely, a personal care composition containing a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose with a hydroxypropoxy group content of more than 11.0% by mass may not be able to exhibit good cleaning power because the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose has high swelling and the particles are too soft.

[0032] The content of hydroxypropoxy groups in low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is measured by the measurement method for low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose in the 18th Revised Edition of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, as described in the section [Hydroxypropoxy Group Content] in the Examples described later.

[0033] The volume-based mean particle size (D) of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose in a swollen state in a personal care composition was measured by wet laser diffraction. 50) is preferably 50 μm to 400 μm, more preferably 55 μm to 300 μm, even more preferably 60 μm to 200 μm, and still more preferably 60 μm to 150 μm, 60 μm to 120 μm, or 60 μm to 100 μm, from the viewpoint of the cleansing ability and feel on the skin of the personal care composition.

[0034] The swollen state of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose in the personal care composition refers to a state in which the particles of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose have absorbed water, the water has penetrated into the particles, and the particle size has increased compared to the dry state.

[0035] A specific embodiment of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a volume-based average particle diameter (D 50 ) is 30 μm to 200 μm, and the aspect ratio is 1.0 or more and less than 5.0; or, in addition to these properties, the content of hydroxypropoxy groups is 4.0% by mass to 11.0% by mass, and / or the volume-based average particle diameter (D 50 ) is a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a particle size of 50 μm to 400 μm.

[0036] Another specific embodiment of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a volume-based average particle diameter (D 50 ) is 35 μm to 100 μm and the aspect ratio is 1.0 to 4.0; or, in addition to these properties, the content of hydroxypropoxy groups is 4.5% by mass to 11.0% by mass, and / or the volume-based average particle diameter (D 50 ) is a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a particle size of 60 μm to 150 μm.

[0037] Another specific embodiment of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a volume-based average particle diameter (D 50) is 35 μm to 55 μm and the aspect ratio is 2.0 to 4.0; or, in addition to these properties, the content of hydroxypropoxy groups is 5.0 mass% to 11.0 mass%, and / or the volume-based average particle diameter (D 50 ) is a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a particle size of 60 μm to 100 μm.

[0038] The method for producing low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose can be any known method and is not particularly limited.The method for producing low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is described, for example, in JP-B-57-53100.A non-limiting specific example of the method for producing low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is shown below.

[0039] First, alkali cellulose is prepared by immersing a pulp sheet as a starting material in an aqueous solution of an alkali such as caustic soda, adding pulp powder to an aqueous alkali solution and mixing it, dispersing pulp powder in an organic solvent and then adding an alkali, or the like.

[0040] Next, alkali cellulose and a hydroxypropylating agent such as propylene oxide are added to the reactor, and the reactor is heated to react the contents, thereby producing a cellulose ether reaction product.

[0041] The obtained cellulose ether reaction product is transferred to another tank, and the alkali is neutralized with an acid to obtain a solid low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, which is then washed, dried and pulverized to obtain a powdered low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose. Alternatively, the cellulose ether reaction product after the reaction is added to water or a mixed solution of water and acid to completely or partially dissolve, and then acid is added to neutralize, and the precipitated crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is washed, dried and pulverized to obtain a powdered low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose.

[0042] The content of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of the cleansing properties and viscosity of the personal care composition, it is preferably 0.01% by mass to 30.00% by mass, more preferably 0.10% by mass to 20.00% by mass, and even more preferably 1.00% by mass to 10.00% by mass, relative to the total amount of the personal care composition.

[0043] As long as the problem solving of the present invention is not hindered, the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose contained in the personal care composition may be, in addition to the above-mentioned low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having properties different from those of the above-mentioned low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, for example, a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a volume-based average particle diameter (D 50 ) may contain low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having an aspect ratio of less than 30 μm or more than 200 μm and / or an aspect ratio of less than 1.0 or greater than 5.0, but preferably consists entirely or substantially of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose described above.

[0044] <Water> The water is not particularly limited as long as it is water that is usually used in the production of personal care compositions, and examples thereof include tap water and purified water. From the viewpoint of not containing impurities, purified water is preferred.

[0045] The amount of water used is not particularly limited as long as it is an amount normally used in personal care compositions. For example, in order for low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose to swell well in a personal care composition, the ratio of the mass of water to the mass of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is preferably 3.0 or more, more preferably 4.5 to 99.0, even more preferably 6.0 to 95.0, and even more preferably 7.5 to 90.0.

[0046] The content of water in the personal care composition is, for example, preferably 2.0% by mass to 99.0% by mass, more preferably 3.0% by mass to 95.0% by mass, and even more preferably 5.0% by mass to 90.0% by mass, from the viewpoints of the swelling property of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose and the skin irritation, cleaning power, and stability of the personal care composition. Since the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose in the personal care composition does not need to be in a completely swollen state, the content of water may be about twice the amount of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose.

[0047] <Surfactant> The personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention preferably further comprises a surfactant to enhance cleaning properties.

[0048] The surfactant is not particularly limited as long as it is a surfactant that is usually used as a component of personal care compositions, and examples thereof include anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, and nonionic surfactants.

[0049] Specific examples of anionic surfactants include fatty acid salts such as sodium laurate (carbon number: 12), potassium laurate (carbon number: 12), potassium myristate (carbon number: 14), potassium palmitate (carbon number: 16), potassium stearate (carbon number: 18), and triethanolamine laurate (carbon number: 18); amino acid salts such as sodium cocoyl glutamate, sodium N-lauroyl-L-aspartate, coconut oil fatty acid sarcosine sodium, coconut oil fatty acid sarcosine triethanolamine, sodium lauroyl sarcosine, and sodium lauroyl methyl alanine; alkyl sulfate salts such as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium stearyl sulfate; alkyl ether sulfates such as polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfates such as sodium laureth sulfate; phosphate salts such as sodium lauryl phosphate; sulfonate salts such as sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate; and sulfosuccinate salts such as disodium laureth sulfosuccinate.

[0050] Specific examples of the cationic surfactant include alkyl-type quaternary ammonium salts such as stearyltrimethylammonium chloride and behentrimonium chloride; and benzalkonium-type quaternary ammonium salts such as benzalkonium chloride and benzethonium chloride.

[0051] Specific examples of amphoteric surfactants include alkyl betaines such as lauryl dimethyl aminoacetate betaine and stearyl dimethyl aminoacetate betaine; imidazoline type betaines such as sodium cocoamphoacetate; betaine type amphoteric surfactants such as alkyl amidopropyl betaine (lauroyl propyl betaine) and cocamidopropyl betaine; and sodium β-lauryl aminopropionate amino acid type amphoteric surfactants.

[0052] Specific examples of nonionic surfactants include sorbitan fatty acid esters such as sorbitan isostearate, sorbitan laurate, and sorbitan palmitate; polyoxyalkylene fatty acid esters such as polyethylene glycol monostearate and polyethylene glycol distearate; polyglycerin fatty acid esters such as decaglyceryl monostearate and decaglyceryl monolaurate; glycerin fatty acid esters such as glyceryl stearate, glyceryl isostearate, glyceryl oleate, and glyceryl caprylate; fatty acid polyoxyethylene glyceryl such as polyethylene glycol-20 glyceryl isostearate, polyethylene glycol-60 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-120 methyl glucose triisostearate, polyethylene glycol-5 glyceryl stearate, and polyethylene glycol-7 glyceryl coconut oil fatty acid; polysorbates such as polysorbate 20, polysorbate 60, and polysorbate 80; and alkyl alkanol-type nonionic surfactants such as cocamide methyl MEA.

[0053] The surfactant may be one of the above surfactants alone or a combination of two or more of them. The surfactant may be either a commercially available surfactant or a surfactant obtained by extraction from a natural product or synthesis.

[0054] The content of the surfactant in the personal care composition is not particularly limited as long as it is an amount usually used in personal care compositions. For example, from the viewpoints of cleansing ability and feel on the skin, the content is preferably 10 parts by mass to 10,000 parts by mass, more preferably 100 parts by mass to 1,000 parts by mass, and even more preferably 200 parts by mass to 600 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose.

[0055] <Additives> In order to provide desired properties, the personal care composition may further contain other components in addition to water and low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose.The other components include additives such as solvents, thickeners, antioxidants, pH adjusters, preservatives, moisturizers, pearlizing agents, clay minerals, astringents, whitening agents, colorants, fragrances, beauty ingredients, refreshing agents, powders, etc., other than the components usually blended in personal care compositions, such as water and low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose.Specific examples of each additive are listed below, but the additives are not limited to the following.

[0056] Specific examples of the solvent include polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin, diglycerin, butylene glycol, propylene glycol, and dipropylene glycol; alcohols such as ethanol, hydrocarbons such as liquid paraffin and squalane; natural oils such as sunflower oil, macadamia nut oil, avocado oil, almond oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, and coconut oil; ester oils such as 2-ethylhexyl isononanoate, isononyl isononanoate, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, octyl palmitate, isopropyl isostearate, cetyl 2-ethylhexanoate, tri(caprylic / capric acid)glycerin, and tri-2-ethylhexanoic acid glycerin; and silicone oils such as decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, aminopropyl dimethyl silicone, dimethyl silicone, and diphenyl silicone.

[0057] Specific examples of thickeners include water-soluble polymers such as xanthan gum, guar gum, gellan gum, locust bean gum, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydrophobized hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, methyl cellulose, cationized hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxyvinyl polymer, and polyvinyl alcohol.

[0058] Specific examples of pH adjusters include citric acid, sodium citrate, gluconic acid, succinic acid, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide.

[0059] Specific examples of the antioxidant include tocopherol, tocopherol acetate, butylhydroxyanisole, and dibutylhydroxytoluene.

[0060] Specific examples of preservatives include methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and phenoxyethanol.

[0061] Specific examples of moisturizing agents include hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, polyethylene glycol, mucopolysaccharides, urea, sorbitol, chondroitin sulfate, pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, sodium lactate, polyaspartic acid, and the like.

[0062] Specific examples of pearlizing agents include ethylene glycol monostearate, ethylene glycol monobehenate, ethylene glycol distearate, and ethylene glycol dibehenate.

[0063] Specific examples of clay minerals include mica, sericite, talc, kaolin, montmorillonite, saponite, hectorite, and smectite.

[0064] Specific examples of astringents include zinc oxide, zinc paraphenolsulfonate, aluminum hydroxychloride, allantoin dihydroxyaluminum, peppermint extract, aloe extract, witch hazel extract, rosemary extract, lavender extract, and eucalyptus extract.

[0065] Specific examples of whitening agents include arbutin, α-arbutin, ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid fatty acid esters such as sodium ascorbyl phosphate, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, and ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, kojic acid, ellagic acid, tranexamic acid, and derivatives thereof.

[0066] Specific examples of the flavoring include natural flavorings and synthetic flavorings.

[0067] Specific examples of natural fragrances include rose oil, jasmine oil, lavender oil, ylang-ylang oil, peppermint oil, geranium oil, patchouli oil, sandalwood oil, cinnamon oil, lemon oil, orange oil, and bergamot oil.

[0068] Specific examples of synthetic fragrances include limonene, β-caryophyllene, cis-3-hexenol, linalool, farnesol, β-phenylethyl alcohol, 2,6-nonadienal, citral, α-hexylcinnamic aldehyde, ι-carvone, cyclopentadecanone, linalyl acetate, γ-undecalactone, aurantiol, and l-menthol.

[0069] The personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention may contain one or more scrubbing agents other than low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose as an additive, as long as the problem solving of the present invention is not hindered. Specific examples of scrubbing agents include gelatinized starch powder, cellulose powder, cellulose acetate powder, silica powder, polyhydroxyalkanoate particles, polylactic acid derivative particles, etc. However, in order to improve the feel on the skin, it is preferable that the personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention contains only low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose as a scrubbing agent.

[0070] The additive may be one of the above-mentioned additives alone or a combination of two or more of them. The additive may be either a commercially available additive or an additive obtained by extraction from a natural product or synthesis.

[0071] The content of the additive in the personal care composition is not particularly limited as long as it is an amount normally used in personal care compositions, but for example, it is preferably 0 to 10,000 parts by mass, more preferably 1 to 1,000 parts by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 500 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose.

[0072] <Personal Care Composition> The personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention contains the above-mentioned low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose and water, and thus has the technical characteristics of being environmentally friendly, having a good texture, and having a high detergency. As long as the personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention has such technical characteristics, other properties are not particularly limited.

[0073] The personal care composition can be produced, for example, by mixing water, low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, and, if necessary, surfactants and other additives. The method of mixing each component of the personal care composition is not particularly limited, and the means and conditions for uniformly mixing each component can be appropriately selected.

[0074] The personal care composition is not particularly limited in its application, so long as it is used for caring for the body. The personal care composition may be a formulation that remains on the body after application, or a formulation that is washed off from the body after application.

[0075] The application site of the personal care composition is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, the site targeted by external preparations such as the skin and hair, mucosal tissues such as the eyes and oral cavity, etc. However, this does not prevent oral application for purposes such as cleansing the gastrointestinal tract.

[0076] The dosage form of the personal care composition is not particularly limited as long as it exhibits cleaning properties and a pleasant feel on the skin, and examples thereof include liquid, cream, gel, lotion, and foam, but in order to exhibit excellent cleaning properties and a pleasant feel on the skin, a liquid is preferable. The personal care composition may be one in which the above-mentioned dosage form is encapsulated in a capsule or the like.

[0077] Specific embodiments of the personal care composition include, but are not limited to, makeup removers (cleansing agents), facial cleansers, beauty serums, lotions, milky lotions, shampoos, conditioners, hair treatments, hair styling products, shaving foams, face washes, hand washes, mouthwashes, eye washes, skin toners, skin fresheners, soluble bath oils, solid soaps, sunscreens, and body milks.

[0078] In the personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention, instead of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, a volume-based average particle diameter (D 50 The composition has better cleansing properties and a better feel on the skin than a personal care composition having the same properties as the composition (hereinafter referred to as the comparative personal care composition) except that it contains low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a particle size not in the range of 30 μm to 200 μm and an aspect ratio not in the range of 1.0 or more and less than 5.0.

[0079] The cleansing properties and skin feel of the personal care composition according to one embodiment of the present invention can be evaluated by the cleansing property evaluation and sensory evaluation described in the Examples below.

[0080] The cleansing property of the personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention is, for example, preferably such that the colored area ratio measured by a cleansing property evaluation is less than 4.9%, more preferably 4.8% or less, even more preferably 4.5% or less, and even more preferably 4.0% or less, or 3.5% or less.

[0081] The feel on the skin of the personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention is, for example, preferably 2.0 points or more, more preferably 2.5 points or more, in terms of a sensory evaluation of the feel on the skin.

[0082] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is a personal care composition having a colored area ratio of less than 4.9% as measured by a cleaning performance evaluation and a sensory evaluation of skin feel of 2.0 points or more. Another preferred embodiment of the present invention is a personal care composition having a colored area ratio of 3.5% or less as measured by a cleaning performance evaluation and a sensory evaluation of skin feel of 2.5 points or more.

[0083] <Other aspects of the present invention> Another aspect of the present invention is a method of cleansing the body, comprising applying to the body a personal care composition of an aspect of the present invention and cleansing the body.

[0084] Another aspect of the present invention is a method of cleansing a body area comprising applying a personal care composition according to an aspect of the present invention to at least one body area selected from the group consisting of skin, hair and mucous membranes, and cleansing the body area.

[0085] The method of applying the personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention to the body is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include applying the personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention to a part of the body so that the part of the body is in sufficient contact with the personal care composition of one embodiment of the present invention by dropping the composition onto the part of the body and spreading or blending the composition with fingers, hands, an applicator, etc. Alternatively, for example, a certain amount may be applied to the eyes and oral cavity, and the composition may be blended with voluntary movements such as blinking or gargling. EXAMPLES

[0086] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to Synthesis Examples, Examples, and Comparative Examples, but the present invention is not limited to the Synthesis Examples and Examples.

[0087] <Preparation of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose> [Synthesis Example 1: Preparation of L-HPC1] Wood-derived sheet pulp was immersed in a 43% by mass aqueous sodium hydroxide solution at 35°C for 5 seconds, and then squeezed to remove excess sodium hydroxide solution, yielding alkali cellulose containing 22.0% by mass sodium hydroxide (the mass ratio of sodium hydroxide to anhydrous cellulose in the alkali cellulose was 0.479).

[0088] The obtained alkali cellulose was shredded by a slitter cutter. 100 parts by mass of the shredded alkali cellulose as anhydrous cellulose was charged into an internally stirred pressurized reactor, and the inside of the reactor was fully replaced with nitrogen. 27 parts by mass of propylene oxide was charged into the reactor after nitrogen replacement, and the contents of the reactor were reacted at 50°C for 3 hours to obtain a reaction product.

[0089] Next, 100 parts by mass of the reaction product was added as anhydrous cellulose to a kneader containing a mixed solution of 500 parts by mass of 45°C hot water and 14.4 parts by mass of acetic acid (20% of the neutralization equivalent), and dispersed in the mixed solution to obtain a reaction product-containing dispersion. The reaction product-containing dispersion in the kneader was mixed for 40 minutes at a jacket temperature of 45°C (rotation speed: 43 rpm) to dissolve a part of the reaction product. 57.5 parts by mass of acetic acid (80% of the neutralization equivalent) was added to the obtained solution to completely neutralize it, thereby precipitating crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose.

[0090] The obtained precipitate of crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose was dispersed in 3,000 parts by mass of hot water at about 90°C to obtain a crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose-containing dispersion. The crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose-containing dispersion was subjected to a centrifugation treatment (rotation speed: 3,000 rpm) using a batch centrifuge to wash and dehydrate the crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose. The crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose after centrifugation was dried at 80°C for 18 hours using a tray dryer. The dried crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose was pulverized with an impact pulverizer ("Victory Mill VP-1", manufactured by Hosokawa Micron Corporation) and then sieved through a sieve with an opening of 75 μm to obtain low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose as a pulverized product.

[0091] The low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose thus obtained was subjected to the following tests: 50 , D in wet method 50 The results are shown in Table 1.

[0092] [Synthesis Example 2: Preparation of L-HPC2] A reaction product was obtained in the same manner as in Synthesis Example 1, except that the amount of propylene oxide charged was 20 parts by mass.

[0093] Next, 100 parts by mass of the reaction product was added as anhydrous cellulose to a kneader containing a mixed solution of 500 parts by mass of 45°C hot water and 7.2 parts by mass of acetic acid (10% of neutralization equivalent), and dispersed in the mixed solution to obtain a reaction product-containing dispersion. The reaction product-containing dispersion in the kneader was mixed for 40 minutes at a jacket temperature of 45°C (rotation speed: 43 rpm) to dissolve a part of the reaction product. 64.7 parts by mass of acetic acid (90% of neutralization equivalent) was added to the obtained solution to completely neutralize it, thereby precipitating crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose.

[0094] Using the obtained precipitate of crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose was obtained in the same manner as in Synthesis Example 1.

[0095] The low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose thus obtained was subjected to the following tests: 50 , D in wet method 50 The results are shown in Table 1.

[0096] [Synthesis Example 3: Preparation of L-HPC3] In an internally stirred pressurized reactor, 100 parts by mass of wood-derived powdered pulp was charged as anhydrous cellulose, and then 75 parts by mass of a 35% by mass aqueous sodium hydroxide solution was charged while mixing. The contents in the reactor were then mixed for 30 minutes at a jacket temperature of 45°C to obtain an alkali cellulose containing 15.0% by mass of sodium hydroxide (the mass ratio of sodium hydroxide to anhydrous cellulose in the alkali cellulose was 0.281). Next, after sufficient nitrogen replacement in the reactor, 19 parts by mass of propylene oxide was charged in the reactor, and the contents in the reactor were reacted at a jacket temperature of 60°C for 2 hours while stirring to obtain a reaction product.

[0097] Next, 4,220 parts by mass of acetic acid with a concentration of 1% by mass (100% of the neutralization equivalent) was charged into the reactor and neutralized by stirring to precipitate crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose. The precipitate of crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose was washed and dehydrated by centrifugal separation using a batch centrifuge (rotation speed: 3,000 rpm), and then dried in a tray dryer at 80° C. for 18 hours.

[0098] The dried crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose was pulverized using a batch-type planetary ball mill ("P-5", FRITSCH) at 255 rpm for 60 minutes, and then sieved through a sieve with 106 μm openings to obtain low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose as a pulverized product.

[0099] The low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose thus obtained was subjected to the following tests: 50 , D in wet method 50 The results are shown in Table 1.

[0100] [Synthesis Example 4: Preparation of L-HPC4] A reaction product was obtained in the same manner as in Synthesis Example 1, except that the amount of propylene oxide charged was 16 parts by mass.

[0101] Next, 100 parts by mass of the reaction product was added as anhydrous cellulose to a kneader containing a mixed solution of 600 parts by mass of 45°C hot water and 1.4 parts by mass of acetic acid (2% of neutralization equivalent), and dispersed in the mixed solution to obtain a reaction product-containing dispersion. The reaction product-containing dispersion in the kneader was mixed for 50 minutes at a jacket temperature of 45°C (rotation speed: 43 rpm) to dissolve a part of the reaction product (low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose). The obtained solution was completely neutralized by adding 70.5 parts by mass of acetic acid (98% of neutralization equivalent), to precipitate crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose.

[0102] Using the obtained precipitate of crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose was obtained in the same manner as in Synthesis Example 1.

[0103] The low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose thus obtained was subjected to the following tests: 50 , D in wet method 50 The results are shown in Table 1.

[0104] [Comparative Synthesis Example 1: Preparation of L-HPC5] A low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose was obtained in the same manner as in Synthesis Example 1, except that the product was sieved through a sieve having an opening of 38 μm.

[0105] The low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose thus obtained was subjected to the following tests: 50 , D in wet method 50 The results are shown in Table 1.

[0106] [Comparative Synthesis Example 2: Preparation of L-HPC6] A reaction product was obtained in the same manner as in Synthesis Example 1, except that the amount of propylene oxide charged was 30 parts by mass.

[0107] Next, 100 parts by mass of the reaction product was added as anhydrous cellulose to a kneader containing a mixed solution of 500 parts by mass of 45°C hot water and 25.1 parts by mass of acetic acid (35% of neutralization equivalent), and dispersed in the mixed solution to obtain a reaction product-containing dispersion. The reaction product-containing dispersion in the kneader was mixed for 40 minutes at a jacket temperature of 45°C (rotation speed: 43 rpm) to dissolve a part of the reaction product. The obtained solution was completely neutralized by adding 46.7 parts by mass of acetic acid (65% of neutralization equivalent), to precipitate crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose.

[0108] The obtained precipitate of crude low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose was washed, dehydrated, dried and pulverized in the same manner as in Synthesis Example 1, and then sieved through a sieve with 100 μm openings to obtain low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose.

[0109] The low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose thus obtained was subjected to the following tests: 50 , D in wet method 50 The results are shown in Table 1.

[0110] <Measurement of physical properties of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose> [Hydroxypropoxy group content] The hydroxypropoxy group content was measured according to the quantitative determination method described in the 18th Edition of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia under the heading "Low-substituted hydroxypropylcellulose."

[0111] [D in the dry method 50 ] D in the dry method 50 Using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer (Mastersizer 3000, manufactured by Malvern), the particle size corresponding to the 50% cumulative value of the volume-based cumulative distribution curve was measured using a dry method based on the Fraunhofer diffraction theory under conditions of a dispersion pressure of 2 bar and a scattering intensity of 2 to 10%.

[0112] [D in wet method 50 ] D in wet process 50 Using a relative concentration laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer (LS13 320, manufactured by Beckman Coulter), the particle size corresponding to the 50% cumulative value of the volume-based cumulative particle size distribution curve was measured by the wet method under conditions of a pump speed of 43% and a relative concentration of 8 to 12%, based on the Fraunhofer diffraction theory.

[0113] Aspect Ratio The aspect ratio was measured by taking pictures of 50 randomly selected particles at a measurable magnification using a scanning electron microscope ("JSM-6010LA", manufactured by JEOL Ltd.) and measuring the long diameter (L) and short diameter (D) of each particle. The aspect ratio (L / D) was calculated from the obtained values, and the average value (average aspect ratio) was calculated from the calculated aspect ratio values ​​(n=50).

[0114] <Preparation of personal care composition> [Materials used] As the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, L-HPC1 to 6 (listed in Table 1) prepared in Synthesis Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Synthesis Examples 1 and 2 were used. Pure water was used. The surfactants used were sodium lauroyl sarcosine ("Fillet L", NOF Corporation), lauroyl propyl betaine ("Nissan Anon BD1-SF", NOF Corporation), sodium lauroyl methyl alanine ("Softilt AS-L", NOF Corporation), cocamide methyl MEA ("Aminone C-11S", Kao Corporation), and a mixture of PEG-120 methyl glucose triisostearate / tocopherol / water ("Macbio Bright MG-T", NOF Corporation). The pH adjuster used was citric acid (a reagent, manufactured by Kishida Chemical Co., Ltd.). The viscosity modifier used was HPMC (methoxy group content: 23.2 mass %, hydroxypropoxy group content: 9.5 mass %, viscosity of 2 mass % aqueous solution at 20° C.: 85,000 mPa·s, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.).

[0115] [Example 1] Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate (30.0 g), lauroyl propyl betaine (20.0 g), sodium lauroyl methyl alanine (20.0 g), and a mixture of PEG-120 methyl glucose triisostearate / tocopherol / water (1.5 g) were accurately weighed and added to a 200 ml beaker. The beaker containing the surfactants was heated in a water bath at 80° C. until the temperature was constant.

[0116] Pure water (26.95 g) heated to 98°C was accurately measured and added to a 50 ml beaker. HPMC (0.75 g) was added to this hot water and thoroughly dispersed. This beaker was transferred to a thermostatic bath at 5°C, and the dispersion in the beaker was cooled while being gently stirred, thereby dissolving the HPMC in the hot water and obtaining an aqueous HPMC solution.

[0117] The prepared HPMC aqueous solution was added to a 200 ml beaker containing a surfactant, and stirred until homogenized. Next, citric acid (0.3 g), cocamide methyl MEA (2.0 g), and low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose L-HPC1 (5.0 g) obtained in Synthesis Example 1 were further added to the beaker, and stirred until homogenized, to obtain a liquid personal care composition.

[0118] The resulting personal care compositions were evaluated for cleansing ability (colored area ratio) and skin feel.

[0119] [Example 2] A personal care composition was obtained and its cleansing properties and texture were evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose L-HPC2 obtained in Synthesis Example 2 was used. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0120] [Example 3] A personal care composition was obtained and its cleansing properties and texture were evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose L-HPC3 obtained in Synthesis Example 3 was used. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0121] [Example 4] A personal care composition was obtained and its cleansing properties and texture were evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose L-HPC4 obtained in Synthesis Example 4 was used. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0122] [Comparative Example 1] A personal care composition was obtained and its cleansing properties and texture were evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose L-HPC5 obtained in Comparative Synthesis Example 1 was used. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0123] [Comparative Example 2] A personal care composition was obtained and its cleansing properties and texture were evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose L-HPC6 obtained in Comparative Synthesis Example 2 was used. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0124] <Method of Evaluating Personal Care Compositions> [Washability evaluation (colored area ratio)] The cleaning performance was evaluated based on the colored area ratio. In other words, the smaller the colored area ratio, the higher the cleaning performance was evaluated. The colored area ratio was measured using the personal care compositions of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 and a digital microscope "VHX-7000" (manufactured by Keyence Corporation) as follows, and the average value and standard deviation were calculated (n=5 to 7).

[0125] An artificial skin Bioskin Plate "#W" (manufactured by Bealux) was divided into sections measuring 4 cm x 6 cm. 0.1 g of foundation ("media Cream Foundation PO-B1", manufactured by Kanebo) was evenly applied to each section of the Bioskin Plate. The Bioskin Plate with the foundation applied was dried at room temperature for 10 minutes and then blow-dried at room temperature.

[0126] 0.1 g of the personal care composition was weighed and dropped onto the center of each section of the Bioskin Plate, and then spread with a finger in a circular motion 20 times to allow it to be absorbed. The Bioskin Plate to which the personal care composition had been applied was rinsed with running tap water and then blow-dried at room temperature.

[0127] The dried BIOSKIN plate was observed under a digital microscope. From the obtained observation image, the white area of ​​the BIOSKIN plate and the colored area due to the remaining dirt were binarized, and the colored area ratio (= [area of ​​colored area] / [total area of ​​white area and colored area] × 100) was calculated.

[0128] [Sensory evaluation: feel on the skin] The feel on the skin was confirmed by the following sensory evaluation using the personal care compositions of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, with five panelists who excel in evaluating the usability of cosmetics containing personal care compositions.

[0129] Each panelist placed 0.5 g of the personal care composition on the inner arm, spread it, and then scored the feel when used according to the following evaluation criteria. The average and standard deviation were calculated from the scores of the panelists.

[0130] [Evaluation Criteria] 3: Smooth and does not irritate the skin. 2: Feels rough but does not irritate the skin. 1: Severe skin irritation.

[0131] <Evaluation results of personal care compositions> The personal care compositions of Examples 1 to 4 were measured for a volume-based average particle size (D 50 By containing low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose L-HPC1 to 4 having an aspect ratio of less than 5.0 and a particle size of 30 μm or more, the colored area ratio indicating cleansing properties was significantly reduced. Furthermore, the personal care compositions of Examples 1 to 4 had an excellent texture and were hardly rough or irritating to the skin. Furthermore, in Examples 2 and 4, the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose used had a low HPO substitution degree and low swelling property, and thus the dirt removal effect was enhanced, and superior detergency was demonstrated.

[0132] More specifically, the personal care composition of Comparative Example 1 had a hydroxypropoxy group content of 11% by mass, and D 50 The low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a diameter of 28 μm and an aspect ratio of 3.6 had no particular problems with the feel on the skin, but was inferior in cleansing properties. 50When the aspect ratio and the amount of the hydroxypropyl cellulose were changed to a larger one, the obtained personal care composition of Comparative Example 2 had an improved feel on the skin, but the cleaning properties were further deteriorated. From these results, it is clear that personal care compositions containing low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose tend to have a good feel on the skin, and that this tendency is due to the content of hydroxypropoxy groups in the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose used, the D 50 It was found that increasing the aspect ratio improves cleaning performance, but the cleaning performance is rather deteriorated.

[0133] In addition, for the personal care composition of Comparative Example 1, the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose used was 50 When the aspect ratio was changed to one having a larger diameter and a similar aspect ratio, the personal care composition of Example 1 obtained was superior in both cleansing properties and skin feel to the personal care composition of Comparative Example 1.

[0134] Furthermore, for the personal care composition of Comparative Example 1, the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose used was 50 When the aspect ratio was changed to one having a larger diameter and a smaller aspect ratio, the resulting personal care composition of Example 3 had excellent feel on the skin and excellent cleansing properties.

[0135] From the above results, the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose used in the personal care composition of Comparative Example 1 was found to have a D 50 It was found that by increasing the aspect ratio and keeping the aspect ratio at the same level or less, the resulting personal care composition has excellent cleaning power and skin feel. This is presumably because the swelling property and particle properties of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose used act synergistically rather than independently, resulting in the excellent cleaning power and skin feel of the personal care composition.

[0136] On the other hand, when the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose used in the personal care composition of Example 1 was changed to one having a smaller content of hydroxypropoxy groups, the resulting personal care composition of Example 2 had better cleaning properties. When the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose used was changed to one having an even smaller content of hydroxypropoxy groups, the resulting personal care composition of Example 4 had remarkably superior cleaning properties.

[0137] From the above results, it was found that the obtained personal care composition has excellent cleaning properties by using a low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose with a hydroxypropoxy group content of the same level or less than that of the personal care composition of Example 1. This is presumed to be because the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose used has a low swelling property when the hydroxypropoxy group content is small, which enhances the dirt removal effect and shows a superior cleaning power.

[0138] [Table 1]

[0139] [Table 2] [Industrial Applicability]

[0140] According to the personal care composition of one aspect of the present invention, a personal care composition that has a small environmental impact, a good feel on the skin, and high detergency can be produced. The personal care composition of one aspect of the present invention can be widely distributed. The personal care composition of one aspect of the present invention can be produced and used on an industrial scale.

Claims

1. A personal care composition comprising water and low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a volume-based average particle diameter (D ５０ ) is 30 μm to 200 μm, and the aspect ratio is 1.0 or more and less than 5.

0.

2. 2. The personal care composition of claim 1, wherein the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose has a hydroxypropoxy group content of 4.0% to 11.0% by mass.

3. 3. The personal care composition according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the mass of the water to the mass of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is 3.0 or more.

4. The low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose has a volume-based average particle diameter (D ５０ 4. The personal care composition of claim 1, wherein the particle size is from 50 μm to 400 μm.

5. The personal care composition of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a surfactant.

6. The personal care composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the personal care composition is a personal care liquid.

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