WO2005030160A1

WO2005030160A1 - A cosmetic product comprising a fruit component

Info

Publication number: WO2005030160A1
Application number: PCT/IT2003/000578
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giampiero Zanzi; Alessandro Occelli
Original assignee: H.S.A. HAIR STYLING APPLICATIONS S.p.a.
Priority date: 2003-09-29
Filing date: 2003-09-29
Publication date: 2005-04-07
Also published as: AU2003274718A1

Abstract

A cosmetic product has been conceived which comprises a lipophilic/anhydrous gel incorporating granules of dehydrated fruit and/or vegetables dispersed therein which contain percentages of residual humidity lower than 10% so as to enable its conservation. The gel is applied to damp skin by gentle massage so that the granules of dehydrated fruit and/or vegetables transmit the active components to the skin by absorption and help to keep it well moisturised and smooth.

Description

A COSMETIC PRODUCT COMPRISING A FRUIT COMPONENT

D e s c r i p t i o n

The present invention relates to a cosmetic product and in particular to a cosmetic gel for topic use.

It is known that there is on the market a great number of cosmetic products in which a carrier in the form of a gel internally carries one or more active ingredients designed to come into contact with the human skin to perform their action thereon.

Generally these cosmetic products contain different active ingredients capable of exerting anti-oxidant and anti-ageing actions, transmitting vitamins and moisturising the skin.

However the cosmetic products of this nature are generally made through drawing and extraction of the active ingredients (by means of chemical solvents or the like for example) directly from natural or unnatural products containing them.

Alternatively, some of these active ingredients are chemically synthesised and then added to the cosmetic product.

The cosmetic products briefly described above are presently widespread on the market and widely used. However they are still susceptible of improvements as regards some aspects thereof.

In particular, the ingredient synthesis or extraction by chemical route certainly involve creation of cosmetics containing ingredients that, while coming from nature, can be hardly defined as "natural".

In other words, the active ingredients, exactly due to the fact that they are submitted to chemical treatments, run the risk of being damaged or in any case completely separated from other active ingredients that are contained in the same natural products and that, in combination therewith, perform beneficial synergic activities.

Accordingly, the present invention mainly aims at solving the above mentioned drawbacks.

It is a first aim of the invention to make a cosmetic product internally containing all the active ingredients present in given products of the nature by exclusively submitting the last mentioned products to processes of the physical type that damage the active ingredients contained therein to the least possible degree .

It is a further important aim of the invention to enable conservation of all useful ingredients present in nature so that the latter can perform synergic actions on the human beings without losing effectiveness .

The foregoing and further aims that will become more apparent in the course of the following description are substantially achieved by a cosmetic product in accordance with the appended claims.

Further features and advantages will be best understood from the detailed description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments in accordance with the invention.

The cosmetic product of the invention essentially comprises at least one lipophilic gel (an anhydrous gel, for example) within which portions of fruit and/or vegetables and/or natural vegetable products are uniformly dispersed, ^' which portions have previously lost water to such an extent as to enable the presence of percentages of residual moisture allowing conservation of same.

In other words the basic idea is to enable availability of raw materials of vegetable (and natural) origin in a form adapted for conservation and easily usable for cosmetic use.

In effect, use of vegetable forms (fruit and vegetables in general) of a low aqueous content and therefore adapted for easy and stable conservation allows the cosmetic product to fully receive the benefits of the vegetable composition.

In this way, the sugary fractions, the fibre both of the soluble and insoluble type, the protein fractions, lipids, mineral salts, organic acids, vitamins, natural colouring agents and active substances, having an anti- oxidant action for example, are all maintained within the fruit, vegetables or vegetable products immersed in the lipophilic gel.

In this connection it is to be noted that products such as fruit, vegetables and vegetable substances have a high water percentage, even in the order of 80-90%.

The presence of such high values of free water, promoting proliferation of the microbial flora, makes the conservation process very complex, because pasteurisation or sterilisation treatments are required.

Therefore, in order to enable conservation of the active ingredients over a long period of time, implementation of vegetable "derivatives" (fruit or vegetables) having a very low water content, which can be easily rehydrated and dispersed and rich in active ingredients and in functional and-- natural substances has been decided.

In order to enable conservation of all active ingredients present in the fruit and/or vegetables a treatment of physical nature is carried out.

The fresh vegetable product generally consisting of the whole flesh to which the stones, part of the peel and possible seeds can be optionally removed is finely ground, cooked and refined in a sterile environment.

In particular, stones and seeds are removed because generally they do not cause particular benefits, whereas peel is eliminated for safety reasons in order to exclude the presence of possible pesticides or chemical products substantially laying on the outer surface of the natural product.

On the other hand, cooking enables an enzymatic inactivation, i.e. it eliminates enzymes oxidising the product .

It is to be noted in this connection that the cooking temperature must not be too high in order not to damage the active ingredients contained in the fruit and/or vegetables .

A first sieving enables grains/granules of the product or micronized portions included between 0.5-0.6 mm and 2 mm to be obtained.

Possibly, during the grinding process vitamin C (L- ascorbic acid) can be added that gives the ground product a lighter colour, avoids oxidation and constitutes further enriching of the product itself.

The thus "micronized" flesh is submitted to possible conditioning (the product is deaerated for example, to avoid oxidation phenomena) , possible thermal stabilisation treatments (pasteurisation or commercial sterilisation) and is then conserved, if required, in an aseptic nitrogen atmosphere.

Removal of the water still contained in the ground product can be obtained following a great number of known processes.

For instance, the double-cylinder technique can be utilised in which two cylinders disposed very close to each other and heated by steam under pressure can reach even a temperature of 130°C at the surface. The cylinders are driven in counter-rotation and the ground product is dropped thereon so that it is caused to lay on the cylinders in a thin layer through the gap defined by the outer surfaces.

In particular a film is formed in contact with the heated cylinder surfaces that, in about 20-40 seconds, enables water evaporation. Also single-cylinder plants can be utilised. The dehydrated fruit and/or vegetables film is scraped away from the cylinder surfaces and is then dehydrated into a pure form or possibly mixed with carriers such as starches, rice or sugars that may constitute a percentage of 0 to 5, or even reaching 30 and 50% of the ground product .

At this point the product is further sieved and/or ground, if required.

In particular, the product is passed through a rough sieve, possibly ground and then submitted to final refining with vibrating sieves so as to reach a particle size included between 0.2 mm and 2.5 mm (generally a substantially uniform particle size of 1.2 mm. ) .

Obviously in the whole process moisture is always controlled and there is also a continuous control of the microbiological quality of the product.

At this point the micronized fruit and/or vegetables are mixed in a controlled atmosphere (having a low relative-humidity content) and with a low oxygen content, the gel being at a fluidizing temperature adapted for optimal mixing.

In this connection it is to be noted that further dehydrating, drying or lyophilising techniques for the fruit and/or vegetables and/or vegetable products could be utilised.

For example a technique known as "spray-dry" can be provided for use, which technique consists in vaporising the flesh in a counter-current of hot air or still other lyophilisation techniques under atmospheric pressure, with the presence of dehydrating substances such as zeolites.

In addition, the fruit and/or vegetables and/or vegetable products could be dehydrated in portions of bigger sizes and then, once dehydrated, ground to the desired particle size.

Furthermore, the step of mixing the micronized fruit and/or vegetables within the gel carrier could be obtained by mixing the fruit and/or vegetables granules directly with the gel or also with the components designed to form said gel.

By so doing the micronized portions of fruit and/or vegetables are brought to the anhydrous form with a residual moisture percentage generally lower than 15% and more preferably lower than 10% thereby ensuring conservation of same.

Generally, the residual moisture percentage will depend on the dehydrated product and will range between a minimum percentage of 4% in vegetable products (under which percentages some of the active ingredients are destroyed) and a percentage even of 8-9% in substances such as rice.

The percentages by weight of the micronized portions of fruit and/or vegetables in the cosmetic product are generally included between 0 and 4% and preferably between 0.1 and 1.7%.

In the embodiments shown these percentages are generally of 1% by weight of the product.

The gel within which said micronized portions are dispersed is necessarily a lipophilic gel to prevent the natural product from reabsorbing the water lost during the above mentioned dehydrating/lyophilising processes .

Therefore the gel is an anhydrous gel enabling an optimal conservation of the micronized fruit/vegetables. The lipophilic gel shall generally consist of a cosmetic oil and a gelling agent.

The cosmetic oil shall consist of a hydrocarbon, a lipid with an ether bond or a triglyceride for example, as hereinafter briefly set out.

List of possible components, divided into classes:

1) Cosmetic oils a. Hydrocarbons i. paraffin hydrocarbons such as mineral oils (white mineral oil, white oil, liquid paraffin) , vaseline

(petrolatum) ii. Isoparaffins iii. Terpene hydrocarbons iv. Terpene hydrocarbons, such as hydrogenated polyisobutylene (Panalane L14E) b. Lipids with an ether bond i. Silicones such as polysiloxanes (dimethicone belsil can 1000) , cyclosilicones (Mirasil CM5) volatile substances (Phenyltrimethicones such as D.C. 556) ii. Propoxyl ethers iii. Ethers of fat alcohols, such as the dicaprylylether Cetiol OE iv. Fat esters (synthesis triglycerides) (e.g. Caprylic/capryc linoleic triglyceride: Miglyol 818) v. Non fat esters, such as esters from straight saturated alcohols and straight saturated acids (such as hexyl laurate) ; esters from branched saturated alcohols and straight saturated acids (such as ethylhexyl palmitate; isopropyl miristate ethylhexyl laurate: Tegosoft OL) ; esters from branched saturated alcohols and branched saturated acids; esters from straight saturated alcohols and unsaturated acids (such as decyl oleate: Cetiol V); esters from straight saturated alcohols and branched saturated acids; esters from straight unsaturated alcohols and unsaturated acids; esters from branched alcohols and hydroxyacids; esters from straight saturated alcohols and aromatic acids (such as C12-C15 alkylbenzoates : Finsolv TN) ; esters from glycols and straight saturated acids; esters from glycols and branched saturated acids; esters from glycols and unsaturated acids; esters from monocarboxylic fat . acids and alcohols (such as isopropyl miristate: Dub IPM; butyl miristate: Crodamol BM; cetyl miristate Dermol CM) ; esters from mono- and di-carboxylic fat acids and glycols (such as propylene glycol dicaprylate: Nikkol sefsol288) . vi . Fluid fat alcohols (such as oleyl alcohol: novol, isostearyl alcohol: Prisorine 3515, octyldodecanol alcohol . vii. Esters derived from lanolic acid such as isopropyl esters . c. triglycerides such as vegetable oils, like avocado oil, cereal germ oils, sweet almond oil, olive oil, sesame oil, castor oil, palm oil, camellia oil. d. triglycerides, such as animal oils.

The gelling agents could be clays such as organophilic clays like montmorillonites, bentonites and quaternarized organophilic ectorites.

Alternatively, the filling agents could consist of silicons or copolymers.

Obviously, the cosmetic product could possibly comprise further lipophilic substances incorporated thereinto such as sun filters, antioxidants, vitamins, vegetable extracts, fractions non hydrolyzable with alkalis of vegetable oils and colouring agents.

In addition to fruit and vegetables, also included can be other dehydrated vegetable products or parts thereof or extracts such as algae, cereals, natural biopolymers.

Obviously, in order to offer a more agreeable impact with the product,- the same could contain scents, fragrances or essences in general, included between 0 and 1% by weight, preferably between 0.1 and 0.6% and more preferably of 0.3% by weight of the cosmetic product .

Finally addition of substances with a preserving, antimicrobial, antioxidant and antipacking action could be also provided.

In particular, the last mentioned substances plus the lipophilic substances possibly incorporated into the gel will reach percentages of 0 to 2%, preferably included between 0.01 and 1.5%.

With reference to specific compositions, i.e. gel and fruit and/or vegetables compositions that appeared to be particularly advantageous in terms of dispersion capability of the dehydrated product, conservation of same and optimal effect in the topic use of the cosmetic product, gels comprising dicaprylylether in a percentage between 10 and 50%, preferably between 20 and 40% and most preferably of 30% have been used.

In addition, in general the gel comprises a mineral oil, an ethylene/propylene/styrene copolymer and a butylene/ethylene/styrene copolymer .

In particular the trade name of the last mentioned product is Versagel (registered trademark) sold in Italy by Luigi e Felice Castelli S.p.A.

The gel shall further comprise aromatic acids in a percentage by weight included between 1 and 20%, preferably between 5 and 15% and most preferably between 8 and 11%.

Also provided may be the presence of cyclopentasiloxanes and cyclopentasilixanes in percentages between 0.1 and 3% and preferably of 8%.

Some particular gel compositions may comprise white mineral oils between 25 and 50% and preferably between 40 and 41%.

After the above statements, some embodiments of the cosmetic products in accordance with the present invention are set out hereinafter, in which it is highlighted the trade name (registered trademarks in the name of the respective owners) and the corresponding INCI name of the different components together with the respective percentages contained in said cosmetic products. EXAMPLE^" 1

EXAMPLE 2

EXAMPLE 3

EXAMPLE 4

EXAMPLE 5

EXAMPLE 6

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE 9

EXAMPLE 10

The invention achieves important advantages. The cosmetic thus made enables a product line enriched with the visible presence of fruit to be obtained. Said fruit with its natural qualities as it is only devoid of water and keeps all other components that are even twentyfold concentrated, is brought onto the skin.

Under this situation the portions are very greedy for water and they tend to acquire it again thanks to the recall action of glucose, fructose, saccharose, natural pectins, etc.

It is apparent that, unlike the vegetable extracts that are widely used in cosmetics, fruit in its entirety enables the synergic action of all components to be exploited. In fact, fruit is made up of complexes of water, sugars, mineral salts, aminoacids, organic hydroxyacids, natural fibres, pigments and vitamins that generally are never conserved all together in the other cosmetic products.

The cosmetic product being the object of the invention enables an active hydrating action in which all components can work together. By way of example only, it is to be noted that lycopene giving the red colour to tomatoes, is maintained intact with the purpose of bringing all its antioxidant action to the skin.

During use, the micronized fruit portions are distributed on the skin and melt thereby transmitting the active ingredients and helping in keeping the skin well moisturised and smooth.

Just by way of example, among fruit apricot is one of the richest in carotenoids having an antioxidant action (above all the beta-carotene) , and also contains free aminoacids, magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium and citrates.

On the other hand apples are very rich in pectins that together with the other fibres naturally contained therein (celluloses, lignins hemicelluloses) are a natural re-moisturising factor. When apples are combined with rice, the cosmetic product also performs a softening action, proper of a rice cream.

As already mentioned, tomatoes contain lycopene, a liposoluble antioxidant with which vitamin C can be coupled that is a hydrosoluble antioxidant and is contained in peaches.

Taking into account strawberries, they enable a tonic, refreshing and softening action for dry skins.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. A cosmetic product comprising: - at least one lipophilic gel; and - portions of fruit and/or vegetables and/or vegetable products deprived of water to such an extent that they contain percentages of residual humidity adapted to enable conservation of same.

2. A product as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the residual humidity percentage of the portions of fruit and/or vegetables and/or vegetable products is lower than 15% and preferably lower than 10%, most preferably included between 4 and 9%.

3. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the portions of fruit and/or vegetables and/or vegetable products are dispersed in a substantially uniform manner in the lipophilic gel.

4. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the portions of fruit and/or vegetables and/or vegetable products have particle sizes included between 0.2 mm and 2.5 mm and preferably between 1 and 1.5 mm.

5. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the percentage by weight of the portions of fruit and/or vegetables and/or vegetable products in the cosmetic product is included between 0.01 and 4% and preferably between 0.1 and 1.7%, being of 1% for example.

6. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fruit portions consist of fruit in its entirety possibly deprived of part of the seeds and/or stones and/or part of the peel.

7. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims characterised in that the vegetables portions consist of vegetables in its entirety possibly deprived of part of the seeds and/or stones and/or part of the peel.

8. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fruit and/or vegetables portions are in an anhydrous form.

9. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fruit and/or vegetables and/or vegetable products are dehydrated and/or lyophilised and/or dried and/or deprived of water using similar techniques.

10. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that fruit comprises strawberries and/or apples and/or peaches and/or melons and/or apricots and/or mangoes and/or papayas and/or passion fruits.

11. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that vegetables comprise tomatoes and/or cucumbers.

12. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that vegetable products comprise algae and/or cereals.

13. A product as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises portions of fruit and/or vegetables and not portions of vegetable products.

14. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the lipophilic gel is an anhydrous gel.

15. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the lipophilic gel comprises at least one cosmetic oil and at least one gelling agent.

16. A product as claimed in claim 15, characterised in that the gelling agent is selected from clays, silicons, copolymers.

17. A product as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that clays comprise organophilic clays.

18. A product as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that the cosmetic oils are selected from hydrocarbons, lipids with an ether bond, triglycerides.

19. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further comprises lipophilic substances such as sun filters, antioxidants, vitamins, vegetable extracts, fractions non hydrolyzable with alkalis of vegetable oils and colouring agents.

20. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further comprises scents and/or fragrances and/or essences.

21. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further comprises substances with a preserving and/or antimicrobial and/or antioxidant and/or antipacking action.

22. A product as claimed in claim 20, characterised in that scents and/or fragrances and/or essences are comprised in percentages by weight in the range of 0 to 1%, preferably of 0.1 to 0.6% and most preferably of 0.3%.

23. A product as claimed in claims 19 and 21, characterised in that the lipophilic substances and substances with a preserving, antimicrobial, antioxidant and antipacking action are comprised in percentages by weight in the range of 0 to 2%, preferably of 0.01 to 1.5%.

24. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the lipophilic gel comprises dicaprylylether in a percentage by weight in the range of 10 to 50%, preferably of 20 to 40% and most preferably of 30%.

25. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a mineral oil, an ethylene/propylene/styrene copolymer and a further butylene/ethylene/styrene copolymer, said mineral oil and copolymers being comprised in percentages by weight in the range of 10 to 70%, preferably of 25 to 50% and most preferably of 48%.

26. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the gel comprises aromatic acids, such as C12-C15 alkylbenzoates .

27. A product as claimed in claim 26, characterised in that the aromatic acids are comprised in a percentage by weight in the range of 1 to 20%, preferably of 5 to 15% and most preferably of 8 to 11%.

28. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further comprises cyclopentasiloxanes and cyclopentasilixanes .

29. A product as claimed in claim 28, characterised in that the cyclopentasiloxanes and cyclopentasilixanes are comprised in percentages by weight between 0.1 and 3% and preferably of 8%.

30. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the gel comprises white mineral oil in the range of 25 to 50% and preferably of 40 to 41%.

31. A product as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the gel comprises vegetable oils.

32. Use of a mixture of at least one lipophilic gel and portions of fruit and/or vegetables containing percentages of residual humidity lower than 10%, as the cosmetic product for topic use.