Granted Patent B2

US 7,901,696 · App. 11/263,169 · Granted Mar 8, 2011

Abstract

Claims (39)

1. A cosmetic device comprising a solid or semi-solid cosmetic composition comprising a plurality of discrete elements, said discrete elements each comprising a water soluble core surrounded by an erodible shell.

2. The cosmetic device of claim 1 , wherein the cosmetic composition is a cleansing composition.

3. The cosmetic device of claim 1 , wherein the cosmetic composition is a moisturizing composition.

4. The cosmetic device of claim 1 , wherein the cosmetic composition is hot pourable.

5. The cosmetic device of claim 1 , wherein the water soluble core comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyethylene oxide-propylene blends, polylactic acid, polysaccharides, polyvinyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.

6. The cosmetic device of claim 1 , wherein the erodible shell comprises a material selected from the group consisting of stearyl alcohol, fatty alcohols, esters, fatty acids and mixtures thereof.

7. The cosmetic device of claim 1 , wherein the erodible shell is water soluble at a rate equal to or slower than the rate of water solubility of the core and comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyethylene oxide-propylene blends, polylactic acid, polysaccharides, polyvinyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.

8. The cosmetic device of claim 1 comprising about 0.01 percent to about 20 percent by weight of discrete elements.

9. A method of forming a cosmetic device comprising the steps:

a) combining a flowable cosmetic composition with discrete elements each comprising a water soluble core surrounded by an erodible shell; and

b) allowing the combination of step (a) to form a solid or semi-solid.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising agitating the combination of step (a).

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising extruding the combination of step (a).

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising molding the combination of step (a).

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cosmetic composition is a cleansing composition.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cosmetic composition is a moisturizing composition.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cosmetic composition is hot pourable.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the water soluble core comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyethylene oxide-propylene blends, polylactic acid, polysaccharides, polyvinyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the erodible shell comprises a material selected from the group consisting of stearyl alcohol, fatty alcohols, esters, fatty acids and mixtures thereof.

18. The method of claim 9 , wherein the erodible shell is water soluble at a rate equal to or slower than the rate of water solubility of the core and comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyethylene oxide-propylene blends, polylactic acid, polysaccharides, polyvinyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.

19. The method of claim 9 wherein the cosmetic device comprises about 0.01 percent to about 20 percent by weight of discrete elements.

20. A cosmetic device comprising a solid or semi-solid cosmetic composition comprising a matrix of discrete elements comprising a water soluble core surrounded by an erodible shell.

21. The cosmetic device of claim 20 , wherein the cosmetic composition is a cleansing composition.

22. The cosmetic device of claim 20 , wherein the cosmetic composition is a moisturizing composition.

23. The cosmetic device of claim 20 , wherein the cosmetic composition is hot pourable.

24. The cosmetic device of claim 20 , wherein the water soluble core comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyethylene oxide-propylene blends, polylactic acid, polysaccharides, polyvinyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.

25. The cosmetic device of claim 20 , wherein the erodible shell comprises a material selected from the group consisting of stearyl alcohol, fatty alcohols, esters, fatty acids and mixtures thereof.

26. The cosmetic device of claim 20 , wherein the erodible shell is water soluble at a rate equal to or slower than the water solubility of the core and comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyethylene oxide-propylene blends, polylactic acid, polysaccharides, polyvinyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.

27. A method of forming a cosmetic device comprising the steps:

a) combining a flowable cosmetic composition with a matrix of discrete elements comprising a water soluble core surrounded by an erodible shell; and

b) allowing the combination of step (a) to form a solid or semi-solid.

28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising molding the combination of step (a).

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the cosmetic composition is a cleansing composition.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the cosmetic composition is a moisturizing composition.

31. The method of claim 27 , wherein the cosmetic composition is hot pourable.

32. The method of claim 27 , wherein the water soluble core comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyethylene oxide-propylene blends, polylactic acid, polysaccharides, polyvinyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.

33. The method of claim 27 , wherein the erodible shell comprises a material selected from the group consisting of stearyl alcohol, fatty alcohols, esters, fatty acids and mixtures thereof.

34. The method of claim 27 , wherein the erodible shell is water soluble at a rate equal to or slower than the rate of water solubility of the core and comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyethylene oxide-propylene blends, polylactic acid, polysaccharides, polyvinyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.

35. The method of claim 27 wherein the cosmetic device comprises about 0.01 percent to about 20 percent by weight of discrete elements.

Assignments (9)