Water-Permeable Absorbent Material for Stable Active Ingredient Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cosmetic formulations using plant extracts face issues with unstable active ingredients due to dilution by base ingredients and the need for preservatives, which increases costs and reduces efficacy.

Innovation Solution

A water-permeable absorbent material loaded with dried plants containing water-soluble skin-active ingredients, which releases these ingredients upon contact with water, allowing for direct absorption and application to the skin without the need for preservatives or extensive formulations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If plant extracts are used in cosmetic formulations, then active ingredients can be delivered to skin, but the active ingredients become unstable and are diluted by base ingredients

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of active ingredientsVSAvoidconcentration of active ingredients

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The formulation is segmented into distinct functional layers: a base-set of ingredients layer and a plant extract layer. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without interfering with the stability or concentration of active ingredients in the plant extract layer, resolving the contradiction between delivery and stability/concentration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A base-set of ingredients acts as an intermediary layer between the plant extract and the skin. This intermediary layer provides the cosmetic formulation structure and stability while allowing the plant extract layer to maintain its high concentration of unstable active ingredients without direct contact that would cause degradation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If preservatives are added to maintain product formulations, then product stability is improved, but production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct stabilityVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a single-use wipe format where the cosmetic formulation is applied and then discarded. This eliminates the need for long-term product stability and preservatives, as each wipe is used immediately and discarded after a single application, resolving the contradiction between stability and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The cosmetic formulation is prepared in advance on the wipe in a controlled manufacturing environment, allowing for proper formulation stability without requiring long-term preservative systems. The preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex preservative systems that would be required for long-term storage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution allows for the use of active ingredients in their stable form, directly from the plant source, increasing their effectiveness and reducing production costs by eliminating the need for preservatives and complex formulations.

Implementation Method 1

a water-permeable absorbent material configured to absorb water and allow the absorbed water to contact the plant material or the powdered form of the skin-active ingredient so as to release or solubilize the skin-active ingredient

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

release or solubilize the skin-active ingredient

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Data Source

PatentUS20250073137A1Delivery of active ingredients from plant materials to skin

Publication Date: 2025.03.06 MARY KAY INC

AI summary

A method of cleansing a person's skin is disclosed. The method includes obtaining an apparatus comprising a water-permeable absorbent material, wherein the water-permeable absorbent material is a sponge, cloth, or mesh which has a first outer surface and an opposing second outer surface and a composition comprising citric acid and vitamin C, retinol, or hyaluronic acid, wherein the composition is comprised between the first outer surface and the opposing second outer surface of the water-permeable absorbent material, wherein the water-permeable absorbent material is configured to absorb water and allow the absorbed water to contact the composition so as to release, solubilize, or release and solubilize the composition, placing the apparatus in water for a sufficient period of time so as to release, solubilize, or release and solubilize the composition, and contacting the person's skin with the released or solubilized composition to cleanse the person's skin.