Uncoated Silicone Elastomer Emulsion Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cosmetic products, particularly pigmented ones, often streak upon application, fail to blend with natural skin tone, change color during use, or become unstable during storage, requiring mixing before application.

Innovation Solution

A cosmetic composition in the form of an emulsion containing an uncoated silicone elastomer, a solvent for the elastomer, a non-silicone treated pigment, and an emulsifier, which forms a stable emulsion and maintains skin tone consistency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If coated silicone elastomers are used in cosmetic compositions, then the compositions can achieve certain performance characteristics, but the compositions become unstable and separate during storage, requiring mixing before application

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage stabilityVSAvoidformulation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by using uncoated silicone elastomers instead of coated elastomers. This inversion resolves the stability issue because the uncoated elastomers do not undergo the chemical changes and phase separation that coated elastomers do during storage, thereby maintaining composition stability without requiring complex formulation adjustments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the key parameter of the silicone elastomer from coated to uncoated state. This parameter change fundamentally alters the storage behavior of the composition, preventing the phase separation and instability that occur with coated elastomers, thereby achieving long-term storage stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If conventional cosmetic compositions are formulated to provide coverage, then they can match skin tone, but they streak upon application and fail to blend with natural skin tone

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor matching accuracyVSAvoidapplication smoothness
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical state and surface properties of the silicone elastomer by using uncoated forms with specific viscosity characteristics. This parameter change enables the composition to flow smoothly during application, preventing streaking while maintaining accurate color matching, as the uncoated elastomers provide better blendability without compromising pigment distribution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If compositions contain coated silicone elastomers, then they can achieve certain emulsification properties, but they change color during application

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor consistencyVSAvoidemulsion stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional use of coated elastomers to uncoated elastomers, which resolves the color changing issue. Uncoated elastomers maintain their optical properties and do not undergo the chemical transformations that cause color shifts in coated formulations, thereby ensuring color consistency while improving emulsion stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 is stable over a longer period, maintains skin tone identity upon application, and prevents pigment re-agglomeration during storage, ensuring uniform coverage and stability.

Implementation Method 1

The cosmetic compositions of the present invention are emulsions, and thus contain at least two phases, namely a continuous phase and a dispersed phase

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEmulsion formation: Emulsion

Implementation Method 2

The first phase, which may be either the continuous or the dispersed phase, contains the uncoated silicone elastomer (which is hydrophobic in nature)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydrophobic interaction: Hydrophobe

Implementation Method 3

a solvent for the elastomer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSolvation: Solvation

Data Source

PatentEP1849498B1Cosmetic emulsions containing uncoated silicone elastomers and non-silicone treated pigments
Publication Date: 2015.04.08 LOREAL SA

AI summary

Disclosed are cosmetic compositions in the form of an emulsion that contain an uncoated silicone elastomer, a solvent for the elastomer, a non-silicone treated pigment and an emulsifier, methods of making the compositions, and methods of applying the compositions to a keratinous substrate or tissue.