Multiphase Cleansing Composition for Double-Cleansing Elimination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing personal cleansing products often fail to effectively remove both oily and water-soluble materials from the skin and hair with a single product, leading to the need for double cleansing.
Innovation Solution
A multiphase cleansing composition comprising a hydrophobic polymer formed from a reaction product of a natural or food-derived oil and a methacrylate or acrylate polymer, which rapidly phase separates into an oil phase and an aqueous phase upon standing, allowing for effective removal of both types of materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single cleansing product is used to remove both oily and water-soluble materials, then the number of cleansing steps is reduced, but the effectiveness of removing all types of debris is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The composition is divided into distinct oil phase and aqueous phase that remain separate in the container but both contact the skin during application. The oil phase (containing mineral oil, isopropyl myristate, and other lipophilic ingredients) effectively removes oily debris, while the aqueous phase (containing water, ethanol, and water-soluble ingredients) removes water-soluble materials. This segmentation allows each phase to perform its specialized function while being delivered as a single product.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines both oil-based and water-based cleansing ingredients into a single composition that can be applied in one step. The composition merges the functions of traditional double-cleansing products (oil cleanser followed by water cleanser) into one unified formulation that leverages both lipophilic and hydrophilic ingredients to achieve complete cleansing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If emulsions are used to combine aqueous and oil phases, then both phases can be present simultaneously, but emulsifiers are required which may cause skin irritation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes emulsifiers from the formulation entirely. Instead of using emulsifiers to create a stable emulsion, the composition allows the oil and aqueous phases to remain separate until application. This extraction of the potentially irritating emulsifier eliminates the source of skin irritation while still achieving the benefit of having both oil and water phases in the product.
Solution Approach 2:
The composition transitions from a static separated state in the container to a dynamic mixed state during application. When the consumer applies the product and massages it into the skin, the oil and aqueous phases temporarily mix and combine to provide comprehensive cleansing. This dynamic behavior allows the phases to work together during use while remaining separate during storage.
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 multiphase cleansing composition provides a single treatment for removing makeup, pollution, and debris from the skin and hair, effectively solubilizing and removing fatty and water-soluble materials without the need for emulsifiers or surfactants.
Implementation Method 1
When agitated, the multiphase cleansing composition forms a single application phase but when left standing, the composition rapidly phase separates into at least two visibly distinct phases, at least one oil phase and an aqueous phase.
Implementation Method 2
The oil phase solubilizes and helps remove fatty material from the skin and hair, such as oils, sebum, and lipophilic cosmetic ingredients.
Implementation Method 3
The aqueous phase, on the other hand, solubilizes and removes salts and water-soluble material, provides hydration, and assists with removing makeup or other debris from the skin and hair when rinsing the cleansing composition from the skin or hair.
Data Source
AI summary
A multiphase cleansing composition is disclosed, useful for cleansing the skin or hair, for example, for removing makeup from the skin or hair. The multiphase cleansing composition comprises an oil phase and an aqueous phase. The oil phase comprises: (a) a hydrophobic polymer formed as a reaction product of a natural or food-derived oil and a methacrylate or acrylate polymer; (b) one or more solvents capable of solubilizing the hydrophobic polymer of (a). The aqueous phase comprises water and optionally one or more water soluble solvents and one or more electrolytes. Methods of cleansing skin and hair are also described.