Personal care composition comprising a near-terminal branched compound

1. A personal care composition comprising:

(a) a near-terminal branched compound;

(b) a cosmetically acceptable aqueous carrier;

wherein the near-terminal branched compound is not present in a gel network; and

wherein the near-terminal branched compound is a wax ester selected from the group consisting of: 13-methylhexadecylpalmitate, 15-methylhexadecylstearate, 14-methylhexadecyl stearate; 14-methylhexadecyl palmitate; 16-methyloctadecyl stearate; 16-methyloctadecyl palmitate; 12-methyltetradecyl stearate; 12-methyltetradecylpalmitate; 18-methyleicosyl stearate; 18-methyleicosyl palmitate; 13-methylhexadecyl stearate; 15-methylhexadecyl palmitate; 13-methyltetradecyl stearate; 14-methylhexadecanoic acid, tetradecyl ester; 14-methylhexadecanoic acid, hexadecyl ester; 14-methylhexadecanoic acid, octadecyl ester; 16-methyloctadecanoic acid, hexadecyl ester; 18-methyleicosanoic acid, hexadecyl ester; 18-methyleicosanoic acid, tetradecyl ester; 13-methylhexadecyl palmitate, 13-methylhexadecyl stearate; 15-methylhexadecanoic acid, tetradecyl ester; 15-methylhexadecanoic acid, hexadecyl ester; 17-methyloctadecanoic acid, hexadecyl ester, and mixtures thereof.

2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the near-terminal branched compound as defined in claim 1 (a) is at least two different near-terminal branched compounds and wherein neither said near-terminal branched compound is present in a gel network.

3. A conditioning shampoo formulation for cleansing hair comprising:

(a) a near-terminal branched compound according to claim 1 (a);

(b) a cosmetically acceptable aqueous carrier;

(c) a cationic polymer;

(d) anionic surfactant;

wherein the near-terminal branched compound is not present in a gel network.

4. The formulation according to claim 3 , wherein the formulation comprises about 1 wt % or less of a silicone compound.

5. The formulation according to claim 3 , wherein the formulation comprises about 0.5 wt % or less of a silicone compound.

6. The formulation according to claim 4 , wherein the silicone compound is a conditioning silicone compound selected from the group consisting of: polydimethylsiloxanes, dimethiconols, aminosilicones, and mixtures thereof.

7. The formulation according to claim 3 , wherein the cationic polymer is selected from the group consisting of: polyquaternium-10; a cationic guar; a cationic acrylamide; polyquaternium-76; polyquaternium-6, and mixtures thereof.

8. The formulation according to claim 3 , further comprising a dispersed gel network phase comprising either: linear fatty alcohols and an anionic surfactant, or linear fatty alcohols and a cationic surfactant.

9. The formulation according to claim 3 , further comprising an anti-dandruff active, wherein the anti-dandruff active is from about 0.01 wt % to about 5 wt %, by total weight of the formulation.

10. The formulation according to claim 3 , further comprising a co-surfactant selected from the group consisting of CAPB (cocoamidopropyl betaine), Cocobetaine (CocoB), sodium lauroylamphoacetate (NaLAA), laurylhydroxysultaine (LHS), cocomonoethanol amide (CMEA), and mixtures thereof.

11. A rinse-off conditioner formulation comprising:

(a) a near-terminal branched compound according to claim 1 (a);

(b) a cosmetically acceptable aqueous carrier;

(c) a gel network;

wherein the near-terminal branched compound is not present in the gel network.

12. The rinse-off conditioner formulation according to claim 11 , wherein the gel network comprises a linear fatty alcohol and a quaternary ammonium compound.

13. The rinse-off conditioner formulation according to claim 11 , wherein the formulation comprises up to about 10% of a gel network, by total weight of the formulation.

14. Method of conditioning hair comprising applying the personal care composition according to claim 1 onto hair.