Crystalline Hair Styling Composition Resolving Hold-Shine Tradeoff

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional hair-styling products often compromise between hold and shine, with polymers providing good hold but lacking sufficient shine, and additives that enhance shine reducing hold, while also being sticky or tacky in texture.

Innovation Solution

The development of solid hair-styling compositions in the form of rock candy-like crystals made from polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyquaternium-20, which provide clarity, high glass transition temperature, and hydrophilic properties, allowing for a light-weight, clean, and natural feel with hold, shine, and conditioning benefits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If polymers are used to provide hold, then holding ability is improved, but shine is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveholding abilityVSAvoidshine
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the holding polymer with polyquaternium-20 as a cationic conditioning agent. This composite formulation allows the PVP to provide strong hold while the polyquaternium-20 contributes to shine and conditioning, resolving the contradiction between hold and shine by using multiple materials with complementary properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent specifies precise concentration ranges for PVP (5-50% by weight) and polyquaternium-20 (0.1-10% by weight) to optimize the balance between hold and shine. By controlling these parameters, the formulation achieves both strong holding ability and sufficient shine without one property compromising the other

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Illumination intensity

If additives are used to enhance shine, then shine is improved, but holding ability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveshineVSAvoidholding ability
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using traditional shine additives that compromise hold, the patent uses polyquaternium-20, a cationic polymer that provides both shine enhancement and conditioning benefits while maintaining compatibility with PVP's holding mechanism. The composite action of these materials allows shine improvement without sacrificing hold

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If traditional hair-styling products are used, then styling benefits are provided, but sticky or tacky texture is produced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestyling benefitsVSAvoidsticky or tacky texture
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent controls the molecular weight and concentration of PVP and polyquaternium-20 to achieve optimal styling performance with minimal stickiness. The specific formulation parameters ensure the product provides strong hold and shine without excessive tackiness, improving the sensory experience while maintaining styling benefits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The cationic nature of polyquaternium-20 provides localized conditioning effects on the hair surface, reducing static and improving manageability in specific areas without requiring high overall product concentration, thereby reducing stickiness while maintaining styling benefits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

These crystalline compositions offer a unique combination of hold, shine, and conditioning properties with a clean, natural feel, outperforming commercial products in performance testing, and can be easily applied to hair, improving curl definition, humidity resistance, and overall hair appearance.

Implementation Method 1

the solid material absorbs water, it loses its crystalline characteristics

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDeliquescence: Deliquescence

Implementation Method 2

When the water is removed, for example by evaporation, the combination forms a crystalline product

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS10485750B2Crystalline hair-styling compositions
Publication Date: 2019.11.26 LOREAL SA

AI summary

The instant disclosure relates to solid hair-styling compositions that have a unique physical appearance and provide desirable styling benefits to the hair. The solid hair-styling compositions are in the form of translucent, rock candy-like (or glass-like) crystals, which are visually striking. Major components of the solid hair-styling compositions include polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyquaternium-28. The amount of water in the compositions, if present, is kept at a minimum to ensure crystallinity. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, the solid hair-styling compositions provide a variety of hair-styling benefits such as hold, shine, and conditioning to hair.