PODS, methods for making PODS, and methods for using pods

Abstract

The present disclosure describes pods, the methods of making pods, and the methods for using pods. The pods may be used for a variety of cosmetic purposes. Cosmetic purposes may include a purpose involving a quality of appearance. This may include protection from the sun, as to avoid the harmful cosmetic affects that the sun may impose. A use of the pods includes the use of a sunscreen to protect against harmful UV rays from the sun.

Description

PODS, METHODS FOR MAKING PODS, AND METHODS FOR USING PODSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 672,519, having the title “Pods, Methods for Making Pods, and Methods for Using Pods” filed on July 17, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND

[0002] The dangers of UV radiation from the sun have been known for years now. Sunscreen is a very popular choice amongst people looking to protect themselves from these harmful rays. Sunscreens vary in their sun protection factor (SPF), the measurement used to show how well a sunscreen can protect against UV radiation.

[0003] Some of the most popular ways that sunscreen is packaged include plastic bottles, aerosol cans, and sunscreen bars / sticks. However, these forms of packaging each present their own issues. The plastic sunscreen bottles are often improperly disposed of on the beach, causing environmental issues. The degradation of plastic sunscreen bottles in the oceans has contributed to the growing issue of microplastic pollution in our waterways. Not only do plastic bottles themselves end up in the waterways, but the sunscreen itself works to further degrade other plastics in these waterways, exacerbating microplastic pollution. Aerosol cans also lead to pollution and can explode when heated. Further, individuals using these forms of sunscreen packaging often do not apply enough sunscreen, using well below the recommended amount. Although package-free sunscreen bars may be made at home, they have been reported as difficult to spread across the skin, making them not ideal for commercial use.

[0004] Despite advances in sunscreen packaging technology, there is still a need for a zerowaste alternative to traditional sunscreen packaging methods. These needs and other needs can be satisfied by the present disclosure.SUMMARY

[0005] The present disclosure describes pods, the methods of making pods, and the methods for using pods.

[0006] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides for a pod comprising: a core material; and a shell surrounding the core material; wherein mixing together the core material and theshell forms a cosmetic paste.

[0007] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides for a pod comprising: a core material comprising a cosmetic liquid; and a shell surrounding the core material, the shell comprising: a wax, an oil, a butter, or a combination thereof.

[0008] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a pod comprising: a core material comprising a sunscreen agent; and a shell comprising: a clay; a wax, an oil, a butter, or a combination thereof; zinc oxide; and aloe vera; optionally, wherein the pod is vegan; wherein the shell is configured to be crushed, combined with the sunscreen agent, and then spread on skin; and wherein the pod produces zero waste.

[0009] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for making a sunscreen pod, the method comprising the steps: creating an elastic mold for the sunscreen pod using a 3D printer; inserting liquid mixture components of the sunscreen pod into the elastic mold using a syringe; shaking the elastic mold so that the liquid mixture components cover an internal surface of the elastic mold; and freezing the elastic mold containing the liquid mixture components for a freezing time.

[0010] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for using the pod described here-in, the method comprising the steps: holding the sunscreen pod in a hand; closing the hand with at least about 50 kPa of force, thereby mixing the sunscreen pod; combining components of the crushed pod by rubbing the components together, creating a cosmetic paste; and rubbing the liquid paste on skin, thereby protecting skin from UV rays produced by the sun.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0011] Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a finished pod made from two halves sealed together.

[0013] FIG. 2 shows a top view of a finished pod made from a slip cast mold.

[0014] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a finished pod made from a slip cast mold.

[0015] FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of a finished pod made from a slip cast mold.

[0016] FIG. 5 shows a first half of a slip cast mold used to make a pod.

[0017] FIG. 6 shows a second half of slip cast mold, that may be used with the first half in FIG. 5.

[0018] FIG. 7 shows a first part of a two-part push mold that may be used for making a pod.

[0019] FIG. 8 shows a second part of the two-part push mold from FIG. 7.

[0020] FIG. 9 shows pre-mold liquid mixture components of a pod.

[0021] FIG. 10 shows heat resistance testing of a pod.

[0022] Additional advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or can be learned by practice of the disclosure. The advantages of the disclosure will be realized and attained by the elements and combinations particularly pointed out herein. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure, as claimed.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] This disclosure is not limited to particular embodiments described, and as such may, of course, vary. The terminology used herein serves the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present disclosure will be limited only by the appended claims.

[0024] Where a range of values is provided, each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range, is encompassed within the disclosure. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges and are also encompassed within the disclosure, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the disclosure.

[0025] As will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure, each of the individual embodiments described and illustrated herein has discrete components and features which may be readily separated from or combined with the features of any of the other several embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. Any recited method may be carried out in the order of events recited or in any other order that is logically possible.

[0026] Embodiments of the present disclosure will employ, unless otherwise indicated,techniques of, chemistry, biology, and the like, which are within the skill of the art. Such techniques are explained fully in the literature.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art of material science, chemistry, textiles, polymer chemistry, and the like. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosure, suitable methods and materials are described herein.

[0028] As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a support” includes a plurality of supports. In this specification and in the claims that follow, reference will be made to a number of terms that shall be defined to have the following meanings unless a contrary intention is apparent.DEFINITIONS

[0029] As used herein, “comprising” is to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more features, integers, steps, or components, or groups thereof. Moreover, each of the terms “by”, “comprising,” “comprises”, “comprised of,” “including,” “includes,” “included,” “involving,” “involves,” “involved,” and “such as” are used in their open, non-limiting sense and may be used interchangeably. Further, the term “comprising” is intended to include examples and aspects encompassed by the terms “consisting essentially of’ and “consisting of.” Similarly, the term “consisting essentially of’ is intended to include examples encompassed by the term “consisting of.”

[0030] As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Expressions such as “at least one of,” when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list.

[0031] As used herein, nomenclature for compounds, including organic compounds, can be given using common names, IUPAC, IUBMB, or CAS recommendations for nomenclature. When one or more stereochemical features are present, Cahn-lngold-Prelog rules for stereochemistry can be employed to designate stereochemical priority, E / Z specification, and the like. One of skill in the art can readily ascertain the structure of a compound if given a name, either by systemic reduction of the compound structure using naming conventions, or by commercially available software, such as CHEMDRAW™ (Cambridgesoft Corporation, U.S.A.).

[0032] It should be noted that ratios, concentrations, amounts, and other numerical data can be expressed herein in a range format. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint. It is also understood that there are a number of values disclosed herein, and that each value is also herein disclosed as “about” that particular value in addition to the value itself. For example, if the value “10” is disclosed, then “about 10” is also disclosed. Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and / or to “about” another particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms a further aspect. For example, if the value “about 10” is disclosed, then “10” is also disclosed.

[0033] When a range is expressed, a further aspect includes from the one particular value and / or to the other particular value. For example, where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the disclosure, e.g. the phrase “x to y” includes the range from ‘x’ to ‘y’ as well as the range greater than ‘x’ and less than ‘y’. The range can also be expressed as an upper limit, e.g. ‘about x, y, z, or less’ and should be interpreted to include the specific ranges of ‘about x’, ‘about y’, and ‘about z’ as well as the ranges of ‘less than x’, less than y’, and ‘less than z’. Likewise, the phrase ‘about x, y, z, or greater’ should be interpreted to include the specific ranges of ‘about x’, ‘about y’, and ‘about z’ as well as the ranges of ‘greater than x', ‘greaterthan y’, and ‘greater than z’. In addition, the phrase “about ‘x’ to ‘y’”, where ‘x’ and ‘y’ are numerical values, includes “about ‘x’ to about ‘y’”.

[0034] It is to be understood that such a range format is used for convenience and brevity, and thus, should be interpreted in a flexible manner to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. To illustrate, a numerical range of “about 0.1% to 5%” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 0.1% to about 5%, but also include individual values (e.g., about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, and about 4%) and the sub-ranges (e.g., about 0.5% to about 1.1 %; about 5% to about 2.4%; about 0.5% to about 3.2%, and about 0.5% to about 4.4%, and other possible sub-ranges) within the indicated range.

[0035] As used herein, the terms “about,” “approximate,” “at or about,” and “substantially” mean that the amount or value in question can be the exact value or a value that provides equivalent results or effects as recited in the claims or taught herein. That is, it is understood that amounts, sizes, formulations, parameters, and other quantities and characteristics are not and need not be exact, but may be approximate and / or larger or smaller, as desired, reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding off, measurement error and the like, and other factorsknown to those of skill in the art such that equivalent results or effects are obtained. In some circumstances, the value that provides equivalent results or effects cannot be reasonably determined. In such cases, it is generally understood, as used herein, that “about” and “at or about” mean the nominal value indicated ±10% variation unless otherwise indicated or inferred. In general, an amount, size, formulation, parameter or other quantity or characteristic is “about," “approximate,” or “at or about” whether or not expressly stated to be such. It is understood that where “about,” “approximate,” or “at or about” is used before a quantitative value, the parameter also includes the specific quantitative value itself, unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0036] As used herein, the terms “optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance can or cannot occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.

[0037] Unless otherwise specified, temperatures referred to herein are based on atmospheric pressure (i.e. one atmosphere).DISCUSSION

[0038] The present disclosure describes pods, the methods of making pods, and the methods for using pods. The pods may be used for a variety of cosmetic purposes. Cosmetic purposes may include a purpose involving a quality of appearance. This may include protection from the sun, as to avoid the harmful cosmetic effects that the sun may impose. A possible use of the pods is the use of a sunscreen to protect against harmful UV rays from the sun. The present disclosure is advantageous over existing technologies for a multitude of reasons.

[0039] In an aspect, the pods produce zero waste. Traditional forms of sunscreens and other cosmetics may come in a plastic bottle. Often, the plastic bottles of traditional sunscreens are discarded on the beach, and ultimately lead to plastics and microplastics infesting the ocean’s delicate ecosystem.

[0040] Additionally, the pods may provide a pre-portioned serving of sunscreen that is an adequate amount to cover an entire area of skin. A common issue with popular sunscreen use is that people may use an inadequate amount on their skin, leading to sunburns. In possible sunscreen applications, the present disclosure is designed to comprise a pre-portioned amount of sunscreen that provides an adequate amount to be applied to an area of skin, leading to better sun protection.

[0041] In one aspect, the present disclosure describes a pod, having a core material, and a shell surrounding the core material. The core material may comprise a sunscreen agent. Otheraspects may include one or more of the following within the core material: makeup, shaving cream, shampoo, soap, bug repellant, conditioner, shower gel, body wash, facial cleanser, lotion, ointment, cream, serums, or any other skincare formulation. In an aspect, the core material may comprise a cosmetic liquid.

[0042] In an aspect, the shell is designed to surround the core material. In one aspect, the shell may have a thickness of about 0.5 mm to about 50 mm, about 0.5 mm to 40 mm, about 0.5 mm to 30 mm, about 0.5 to 20 mm, about 1 mm to about 50 mm, about 1 mm to 40 mm, about 1 mm to 30 mm, about 1 to 20 mm.

[0043] In an aspect, the shell may comprise waxes, butters, and / or oils. The shell may include one or more types of waxes. The shell may include one or more types of butters. The shell may include one or more types of oils. In an aspect, the shell may comprise one or more of the following materials (optionally, in addition to those described above): clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, butter (e.g., shea butter), ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol.

[0044] In an aspect, the shell may comprise two or more of the following materials: clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol. In an aspect, the shell may comprise three or more of the following materials: clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol. In an aspect, the shell may comprise four or more of the following materials: clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol. In an aspect, the shell may comprise five or more of the following materials: clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol. In an aspect, the shell may comprise six or more of the following materials: clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol. In an aspect, the shell may comprise seven or more of the following materials: clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol. In an aspect, the shell may comprise eight or more of the following materials: clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol.

[0045] In another aspect, the shell may comprise soy wax and one or more of the following materials: clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol. In another aspect, the shell may comprise soy wax and two or more of the following materials: clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol. In another aspect, the shell may comprise soy wax and three or more of the following materials: clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol.

[0046] In another aspect, the shell may comprise clay and one or more of the following materials: zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol. In another aspect, the shell may comprise clay and two or more of the following materials: zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol. In another aspect, the shell may comprise clay and three or more of the following materials: zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, coconut oil, shea butter, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol. In an aspect, the shell may comprise clay, a plurality of waxes, a plurality of oils, zinc oxide, and aloe vera.

[0047] In an aspect, the wt.% of soy wax within the shell may be about 10 wt.% to about 50 wt.%, about 20 wt.% to about 40 wt.%, or about 30 wt.% to about 35 wt.%. In another aspect, the wt.% of clay within the shell may be about 0.5 wt.% to about 5 wt.%, about 2 wt.% to about 4 wt.%, or about 10 wt.% to about 50 wt.%.

[0048] In an aspect, the shell may contain ingredients that give the shell an SPF value greater than zero. In an aspect, the shell’s pH level may range from about 4 to about 7, about 4.5 to about 6.5, about 5 to about 6, and about 5.5.

[0049] In an aspect, the pod may be resistant to temperatures of about 0 degrees Celsius to about 40 degrees Celsius for a period of time of about of days to months. The pod may also be resistant to higher temperatures for a period of time. In an aspect, the pod may be resistant to temperatures of about 40 degrees Celsius to about 45 degrees Celsius for about 30 minutes to 6 hours, about 30 minutes to 2 hours, or about 1 hour. In an aspect, the pod may be resistant to temperatures of about 45 degrees Celsius to about 60 degrees Celsius for about 5 minutes to 30 minutes, about 5 minutes to 15 minutes, about 5 to 10 minutes, or about 10 minutes.

[0050] In an aspect, the pod may have a weight of about 0.1 oz to about 5 oz, about 0.25 oz to about 3 oz, about 0.5 oz to about 2 oz, about 0.5 oz to about 1 oz, about 0.25 oz to about 0.5 oz. The weight of the pod may vary depending on the intended use and the intended serving size. Because the pod may be used as a single serving size, the weight of the pod may vary depending on whether the pod is just meant to be spread on a face, spread over an entire body, or another use. In some aspects, the pod may come in sizes of about 0.25 oz, 0.5 oz, 1 oz, 2 oz, and other sizes.

[0051] The pod may come in a variety of three-dimensional shapes. In an aspect, some of the possibilities of shapes include but are not limited to: substantially a sphere or a sphere, substantially a spheroid, or a spheriod, substantially a cylinder or a cylinder, substantially a prolate spheroid or a spheroid, substantially an ellipsoid or an ellipsoid, and substantially a polygonal prism or a polygonal prism. Substantially here means that the shape of the pod is about 85% to about 99% the shape of the shape referred to. Regarding the shape of the pod in an aspect, the pod may have some imperfections, possibly as a result of manufacturing defects. In an aspect, the edges of the pod may also be rounded or smoothed. In an aspect, the color of the pod may vary, but the color may be a shade of a skin tone, serving the purpose of blending in with skin when applied to skin. In an aspect, the pod may be vegan. In an aspect, the longest dimension may be about 1 centimeter to 5 centimeters, about 1 centimeter to about 2.5 centimeters, about 0.1 centimeters to 1 centimeters, or about 0.1 centimeters to 0.5 centimeters.

[0052] In an aspect, the pod may have a compressive strength of about 50 kPa to about 100 kPa or about 70 kPa to about 75 kPa. This is so that the pod may be mixed or crushed in a hand, but not crushed at a very minimal amount of force so that it can be stored in a bag or the like.

[0053] The pod may be mixed, thereby combining the contents of the shell with those of the core material, forming a cosmetic paste. Mixed can include crushed, combined, compressed, smashed, or rubbed together. In an aspect, all the components of the pod, when combined together, may be used for a cosmetic purpose. After being mixed, the components of the pod may be rubbed together with friction, eventually creating a mostly uniform, homogenous mixture of all the components or uniform, homogenous mixture of all of the components, thereby creating the cosmetic paste. Here, “mostly” means about 80% to about 99% uniform or homogenous or about 90% to about 99% uniform or homogenous, about 95% to about 99% uniform or homogenous. The components of the shell may all be evenly distriubuted amongst the components of the core material creating the cosmetic paste. In an aspect, because both components of the shell and the core material may each contain SPF values greaterthan zero, the cosmetic paste may have a higher SPF than that of either the shell or the core materialindividually. After the pod is crushed and the cosmetic paste is formed, the cosmetic paste may be rubbed on the skin to serve a cosmetic purpose, such as providing sun protection, or another cosmetic purpose. Because all components of the pod are used for a cosmetic purpose, there is zero waste from the pod. In an aspect, the shell may be configured to be crushed, combined with the sunscreen agent, and then spread on skin.

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a finished pod made from two halves sealed together. FIGS. 2 and 3 shows a top view and side view, respectively, of a finished pod made from a slip cast mold. FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of a finished pod made from a slip cast mold.

[0055] Also described in the present disclosure is a method for making a pod. In an aspect, the pod may be made by using a mold. In an aspect, the mold may be elastic. The mold may be made using a 3D printer. There are also other possible ways to make the mold and other possible materials for the mold. In an aspect, the mold may have a hollow area on the inside. The shape of the hollow area would be the shape of the desired shape for the pod. In an aspect, the mold may come in two pieces, wherein each piece would have an indented area so that when the pieces are put together, the indented areas form a hollow center of the mold being the desired shape of a pod. Once the mold is ready, the components of the shell, in liquid form, may be inserted into the inside surface of the hollow part of the mold when the mold is open, meaning that the two pieces are not connected. This may be done by using a syringe. To make sure that the liquid components of the shell evenly coat the entire surface area of the surface of the hollow part of the mold, the mold may be shaken while the two pieces of the mold are connected. The mold, with the liquid components of the shell inside, may then be put into a freezer for about 10 minutes to about 15 minutes for a freezing time in order to solidify the components. After the freezing time, the mold may be removed from the freezer and then opened to reveal the solidified shell. In an aspect, the core material may be inserted into the mold before the freezing. In another aspect the core material may be inserted into the shell after the freezing. In an aspect, when the mold is opened after the freezing, the shell comes in two half pieces. In this aspect, the core material may be inserted into the shell, and then the shell may be sealed. In an aspect, the shell may be sealed with the use of more liquid shell material coating the edges of the shell, and then frozen again. In another aspect, the shell may be sealed by the use of heat along the edges, followed by more freezing. In another aspect, the shell may be sealed with the use of a glue. In an aspect, the core material may be inserted into the mold after the shell material, and then both materials may be frozen in the mold together.

[0056] In an aspect, the pod can be made using slip cast mold. FIG. 5 shows a first half of a slip cast mold used to make a pod, for example a pod as shown in FIGS. 1-4. FIG. 6 showsa second half of slip cast mold, that may be used with the first half in FIG. 5.

[0057] In another aspect, the pod can be made using a push mold. For example, FIG. 7 shows a first part of a two-part push mold that may be used for making a pod. FIG. 8 shows a second part of the two-part push mold from FIG. 7.

[0058] FIG. 9 shows pre-mold liquid mixture components of a pod, while FIG. 10 shows heat resistance testing of a pod.

[0059] In addition to the methods for making the pod described above, there are also other ways to make the mold and other possible materials for the mold. In an aspect, the mold may come in two pieces, wherein one piece of the mold would form the walls, and the other piece would form the base of the mold, fitting inside the first piece to create an open cavity in the shape of the pod. Once the mold is ready, the components of the shell, in liquid form, may be inserted into the inside surface of the cavity of the mold, ensuring all mold surfaces are covered. This may be done by using a syringe. The mold, with the liquid components of the shell inside, may then be put into a freezer for about 10 minutes to about 15 minutes for a freezing time in order to solidify the components. In another aspect, the core material may be inserted into the mold before the freezing. In yet another aspect the core material may be inserted into the shell after the freezing. In another aspect, the core material may be inserted into the open cavity of the mold leaving room at the top, and then the shell may be sealed. In yet another aspect, the shell may be sealed with the use of more liquid shell material covering the top of the core material and meeting the edges of the shell walls then frozen again. In another aspect, the pod can be left to set without freezing.

[0060] Also described in the present disclosure is a method for using a pod. In an aspect, the pod may be mixed using a certain amount of force. Here, mixed may mean crushed, combined, smashed, compressed, or rubbed together with friction. In an aspect, the required amount of force to crush the pod is directly related to the compressive force of the pod, which may be between about 50 kPa and about 100 kPa. In another aspect, the required force to mix the pod may be at least about 50 kPa. In another aspect, the required force to mix the pod may be at least about 70 kPa. In an aspect, the pod may be mixed with a hand, with multiple hands, against a human body, against another surface, or a number of other ways. In an aspect, the mixed components of the pod may then be rubbed together until the cosmetic paste forms. The cosmetic paste may have a number of uses. In an aspect, one of the uses may be for the cosmetic paste to provide sun protection. In an aspect, the cosmetic paste may then be rubbed over an area of skin on the body. In an aspect, this area can include the entire body, or just a portion of the body, such as a face or arms.

[0061] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variationscan be made in the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. Other aspects of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A pod comprising: a core material; and a shell surrounding the core material; wherein mixing together the core material and the shell forms a cosmetic paste.

2. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the core material comprises a sunscreen agent.

3. The pod of claims 1 or 2, wherein the shell comprises one or more of a clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, a butter, coconut oil, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol.

4. The pod of claims 1 or 2, wherein the shell comprises soy wax and one or more of a clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, a butter, coconut oil, green tea extract, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol.

5. The pod of claim 1 or 2, wherein the shell comprises clay and one or more of zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, a butter, coconut oil, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol.

6. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises the soy wax in the amount of about 10 wt.% to about 50 wt.%.

7. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises the clay in the amount of about 0.5 wt.% to about 5 wt.%.

8. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the shell is configured to be mixed, combined with the core material, and then spread on skin.

9. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the pod produces zero waste.

10. The pod of claim 1 , wherein all components of the pod are used together for a cosmetic purpose.

11. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the cosmetic paste is mostly homogenous in consistency.

12. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the cosmetic paste yields a higher SPF value than an SPF value of the core material individually.

13. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the pod is temperature resistant at temperatures from about 0 degrees Celsius to about 40 degrees Celsius.

14. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the pod is temperature resistant at temperatures of about 40 degrees Celsius to about 45 degrees Celsius for at least about 1 hour.

15. The pod of claimsl , wherein the pod is temperature resistant at temperatures of about 45 degrees Celsius to about 60 degrees Celsius for at least about 10 minutes.

16. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the shell has a pH of about 4 to about 7.

17. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the pod is configured to be tinted to be about a color and about a shade of a skin tone.

19. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the pod has a compressive strength of about 50 kPa to about 100 kPa.

20. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the pod is about 0.1 oz to about 5 oz.

21. The pod of claim 1 , wherein the pod has a 3-dimensional shape selected from the following: substantially a sphere, substantially a spheroid, substantially a cylinder, substantially a prolate spheroid, substantially an ellipsoid, and substantially a polygonal prism.

22. A pod comprising: a core material comprising a cosmetic liquid; and a shell surrounding the core material, the shell comprising: a wax, an oil, a butter, or a combination thereof.

23. The pod of claim 22, wherein the wax includes two or more types waxes, or wherein the oil includes two or more types oils, or wherein the butter includes two or more typesbutters.

24. The pod of claim 22, wherein the core material comprises a sunscreen agent.

25. The pod of claim 22, wherein the shell comprises one or more of a clay, zinc oxide, aloe vera, caffeine, a butter, coconut oil, green tea extract, soy wax, candelilla wax, raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, vitamin E oil, ultisol, acacia gum, glycerin, and ethanol.

26. The pod of claim 22, wherein the shell comprises soy wax in the amount of about 10 wt.% to about 50 wt.% or wherein the shell comprises clay in the amount of about 0.5 wt.% to about 5 wt.%.

27. The pod of claim 22, wherein the pod is temperature resistant at temperatures of about 0 degrees Celsius to about 40 degrees Celsius.

28. The pod of claim 22, wherein the pod is temperature resistant at temperatures of about 40 degrees Celsius to about 45 degrees Celsius for at least about 1 hour.

29. The pod of claim 22, wherein the shell has a pH of about 4 to about 7.

29. The pod of claim 22, wherein the pod has a compressive strength from about 50 kPa to about 100 kPa.

30. A pod comprising: a core material comprising a sunscreen agent; and a shell comprising: s clay; a wax, an oil, a butter, or a combination thereof; zinc oxide; and aloe vera; wherein, optionally, the pod is vegan; wherein the shell is configured to be crushed, combined with the sunscreen agent, and then spread on skin; and wherein, optionally, the pod produces zero waste.

31. The pod of claim 30, wherein the shell further comprises caffeine and green tea extract.

32. A method for making a sunscreen pod, the method comprising the steps: creating an elastic mold for the sunscreen pod using a 3D printer; inserting liquid mixture components of the sunscreen pod into the elastic mold using a syringe; shaking the elastic mold so that the liquid mixture components cover an internal surface of the elastic mold; and freezing the elastic mold containing the liquid mixture components for a freezing time.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the freezing time is about 10 minutes to about 15 minutes.

34. A method for using the pod described in claims 1 or 22, the method comprising the steps: holding the sunscreen pod in a hand; closing the hand with at least about 50 kPa of feree, thereby mixing the sunscreen pod; combining components of the crushed pod by rubbing the components together, creating a cosmetic paste; and rubbing the liquid paste on skin, thereby protecting skin from UV rays produced by the sun.

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