Granular Cosmetic Composition for Controlled Foaming and Low-Water Rinsing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional keratin fiber cleaning products, such as shampoos and dry shampoos, face challenges with dosing, stability, foaming control, and effectiveness in eliminating sebum and providing lasting cleanliness, while dry powder compositions are difficult to handle and require excessive rinsing water.

Innovation Solution

A cosmetic composition comprising at least 50% by volume of disintegrating granules containing anionic surfactants, absorbent agents, and thickening agents, which form a stable foam upon contact with water, allowing controlled foaming and reduced rinsing water usage, with a slow disintegration speed for enhanced cleansing and cosmetic benefits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If dry powder compositions are used, then ease of handling during manufacture is improved, but dust presence during use increases and rinsing water requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of handling during manufactureVSAvoiddust presence during use
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The composition is segmented into granular form rather than fine powder, maintaining ease of handling during manufacture while reducing dust generation during use. The granules are formed by agglomerating smaller particles, creating a structure that is easier to handle but less prone to becoming airborne dust.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The physical state parameter is changed from fine powder to granular form, which fundamentally alters both the handling characteristics during manufacture and the dust generation behavior during use. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by improving one aspect while mitigating the negative effect of the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If dry powder compositions are used, then ease of handling during manufacture is improved, but rinsing water requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of handling during manufactureVSAvoidrinsing water requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The granular structure segments the surfactant delivery system, allowing for more controlled dissolution and foaming. This segmentation enables the composition to generate sufficient foam with less water, reducing the rinsing water requirement while maintaining ease of handling during manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Changing the physical form from powder to granules modifies the water interaction characteristics, enabling efficient foaming with reduced water quantities. This parameter change addresses both the handling ease during manufacture and the reduced rinsing water requirement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-generated harmful factors

If conventional liquid shampoos are used, then foaming ability is improved, but dosing difficulty increases and packaging leakage increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefoaming abilityVSAvoiddosing difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The granular composition acts as an intermediary form between liquid shampoo and dry powder. It maintains the foaming ability of liquid shampoos while providing the dosing control and packaging stability of dry forms. The granules dissolve and foam upon contact with water, bridging the advantages of both liquid and dry formulations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The physical state is changed from liquid to granular solid, which fundamentally alters the dosing behavior and packaging characteristics while preserving foaming ability. This parameter transformation resolves the contradiction by maintaining the beneficial foaming property while eliminating the dosing and leakage problems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of operation

If dry shampoos are used, then dosing ease is improved, but sebum elimination effectiveness deteriorates and feeling of cleanliness persistence deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing easeVSAvoidsebum elimination effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The granular composition serves as an intermediary that combines the dosing ease of dry shampoos with the sebum elimination effectiveness of liquid shampoos. The granules contain surfactants that actively cleanse sebum while maintaining easy dosing control, bridging the gap between the two formulations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The composition is a composite material combining granular structure with surfactant components, creating a product that exhibits both the handling advantages of dry forms and the cleansing effectiveness of liquid forms. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between dosing ease and sebum elimination effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

5Object-generated harmful factors

If aerosol shampoos with powders are used, then foaming ability is improved, but stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefoaming abilityVSAvoidaerosol stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The aerosol delivery system is extracted and replaced with a simple granular formulation. By removing the aerosol propellant and pressurized container system, the foaming ability is maintained through the granular surfactant composition while the stability problem of aerosol systems is eliminated. The granules provide inherent stability without requiring pressurized containment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

The composition provides effective cleansing and cosmetic benefits like adding volume to hair, with a lasting feeling of cleanliness, while being easy to handle and use, reducing dust and rinsing water requirements, and offering stable foam stability during use.

Implementation Method 1

generate upon contact with water a sufficient quantity of foam which is sufficiently stable over time

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFoam formation: Foam

Implementation Method 2

They work by capturing sebum through absorption using powders chosen for their sebum-absorbing qualities

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP4221664B1Novel cosmetic composition in the form of granules.
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 PIERRE FABRE DERMO COSMETIQUE SA
  • EP4221664B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a cosmetic composition which is in dry form and suitable for being topically applied to the skin and/or keratin fibres, and which comprises at least 50% by volume of disintegratable granules containing a mixture of at least one anionic surfactant, at least one absorbent agent and at least one thickening agent chosen from gums of plant, microbial and/or synthetic origin, the total amount of the thickening agent(s) in the composition being between 1 and 4% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition.