Granted Patent B1

US 6,872,228 · App. 10/392,989 · Granted Mar 29, 2005

Abstract

Claims (29)

1. A hair bleach product in kit form comprising:

(A) a hair bleaching system comprising:

(a) a peroxide-based developer component containing by weight of the developer component from about 3 to about 15% hydrogen peroxide

(b) a powder activator component comprising by weight of the activator powder component from about 40 to about 80% of an alkali metal persulfate selected from the group consisting of sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, ammonium persulfate, and mixtures thereof, and

(c) an alkalizing agent component comprising in an aqueous vehicle by weight of the alkalizing agent component, from about 3 to about 25% of an alkalizing agent,

the components (a), (b) and (c) being adapted for admixture to form a hair bleach product composition intended for application to the hair of a consumer, said hair bleach product composition having a thixotropic rheology and a viscosity of from about 20,000 to about 60,000 cps. at 25° C. and atmospheric pressure, and

(B) an applicator comprising a handle, at least one head at the distal end of said handle, and at least one reservoir, said reservoir being a substantially open volumetric space defined by a plurality of tines extending outwardly from said head,

whereby the hair bleach product composition, when contained in the reservoir, is essentially nonflowing in the absence of shear, and is shear thinned when the reservoir containing the hair bleach product composition is pulled through the hair to deposit the hair bleach product composition on the hair.

2. The hair bleach product of claim 1 wherein the developer contains about 6 to 12% hydrogen peroxide.

3. The hair bleach product of claim 1 wherein the alkalizing agent component is selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide and monoethanolamine.

4. The hair bleach product of claim 3 wherein the alkalizing agent component is ammonium hydroxide present in an amount of from about 3 to about 15% measured as a 28% solution.

5. The hair bleach product of claim 1 wherein the developer component has a viscosity of from about 5,000 to about 30,000 cps. at 25° C. and atmospheric pressure.

6. The hair bleach product of claim 1 wherein the alkalizing agent component is in the form of a cream having a viscosity of from about 100,000 to about 500,000 cps. at 25° C. and atmospheric pressure.

7. The hair bleach product of claim 1 wherein the hair bleach product composition obtained by admixture of the components (a), (b) and (c) and as it is applied to the hair, contains on a weight basis: (i) from about 3 to about 7.5% hydrogen peroxide; (ii) from about 3 to about 12% by weight alkali metal persulfate; and (iii) from about 2.5 to about 7.5% alkalizing agent.

8. The hair bleach product of claim 7 wherein the plurality of tines defines two or more opposed planar spaces.

9. A method of bleaching hair, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) mixing components (a), (b), and (c) of the hair bleach system of claim 1 to form a hair bleach product composition having a thixotropic rheology and a viscosity of from about 20,000 to about 60,000 cps. at 25° C. and atmospheric pressure;

(ii) providing an applicator comprising a handle, at least one head at the distal end of said handle, and at least one reservoir, said reservoir being a substantially open volumetric space defined by a plurality of tines extending outwardly from said head;

(iii) placing an amount of the hair bleach product composition into the reservoir, wherein the hair bleach product composition is essentially nonflowing in the absence of shear;

(iv) applying the hair bleach product composition to the hair, wherein the hair bleach product composition is shear thinned by passing the reservoir containing the hair bleach product composition through the hair;

(v) contacting the hair with the hair bleach product composition for a period of time effective to lighten the hair; and

(vi) removing the hair bleach product composition from the hair.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of tines defines two or more opposed planar spaces, the hair being treated passing sequentially through a pair of opposed planar spaces when the hair bleach product is applied to the hair.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the applicator has two reservoirs, there being a space between said reservoirs.

12. A hair bleach applicator comprising a handle, a head at the distal end of the handle, and at least two reservoirs, each of said reservoirs being a substantially open volumetric space defined by a plurality of tines extending outwardly from said head and containing a hair bleach product composition comprising a mixture of the components (a), (b) and (c) as defined in claim 1 that contains on a weight basis: (i) from about 3 to about 7.5% hydrogen peroxide; (ii) from about 3 to about 12% by weight alkali metal persulfate; and (iii) from about 2.5 to about 7.5% alkalizing agent, the hair bleach product composition having a thixotropic rheology and a viscosity of from about 20,000 to about 60,000 cps. at 25° C. and atmospheric pressure, wherein the hair bleach product composition is essentially nonflowing in the absence of shear and is shear thinned when each of said reservoirs containing the hair bleach product composition is pulled through the hair to deposit the hair bleach product composition on the hair.

13. The hair bleach product of claim 1 further comprising in an additional component, or wherein at least one of the components (a), (b), or (c) of the hair bleaching system further comprises, a visual cue colorant selected from the group consisting of water insoluble pigments, lakes, and mixtures thereof.

14. The hair bleach product of claim 13 wherein the visual cue colorant is selected from the group consisting of ultramarine blue, D&C Yellow No. 10 aluminum lake, chromium oxide green, titanium dioxide, D&C Red No. 30 lake, and D&C Yellow No. 5 zirconium lake.

15. The hair bleach product of claim 13 wherein the visual cue colorant is present in the powder activator component.

16. The hair bleach product of claim 15 wherein the visual cue colorant is present in an amount from about 0.1 to about 2.5% by weight of the powder activator component.

Assignments (8)