Methods of lightening the skin
View Patent ↗Provided are methods of lightening skin by applying certain aromatic compounds or botanical extracts containing such compounds to the skin.
1. A method of lightening skin comprising applying to skin in need of skin lightening a cosmetic composition comprising
an ethanol extract of a plant of the genus Acronychia in an amount sufficient to cause lightening of the skin, and a cosmetically acceptable carrier;
wherein said extract contains at least about 5% by weight of a compound of Formula I:
wherein:
R 1 is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 2 -C 20 alkenyl, C 2 -C 20 alkynyl, and C 3 -C 8 cycloalkyl or aryl;
R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, C 3 -C 8 cycloalkyl or aryl, —OC 1 -C 6 alkyl, —OC 2 -C 6 alkenyl, —SC 2 -C 6 alkenyl, —SC 2 -C 6 alkynyl, —SC 3 -C 8 cycloalkyl or aryl, —NR 4 C 1 -C 6 alkyl, —NR 4 C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, —NR 4 C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, and —NR 4 C 3 -C 8 cycloalkyl or aryl;
R 3 is selected from —CO 2 H, —CO 2 R 4 or an isosteric equivalent of a carboxy group, wherein R 4 is C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 3 -C 8 cycloalkyl or aryl; and
Y is —(CH 2 -CH 2 )—, —(CH═CH)—, or —(C═C)—; or a cosmetically acceptable salt thereof and said composition comprises from about 0.001 to about 10% of compound of Formula I.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
R 1 is selected from the group consisting of C 5 -C 16 alkyl, C 5 -C 16 alkenyl, and C 5 -C 16 alkynyl;
R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, —OC 1 -C 6 alkyl, —OC 2 -C 6 alkenyl, —OC 2 -C 6 alkynyl, —OC 3 -C 8 cycloalkyl;
R 3 is selected from —CO 2 H, —CO 2 R 4 wherein R 4 is C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or an isosteric equivalent of a carboxy group; and
Y is —(CH 2 -CH 2 )— or —(CH═CH)—.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
R 1 is selected from the group consisting of C 5 -C 16 alkenyl; and
R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen or —OC 1 -C 3 alkyl.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the compound of Formula I is selected from the group consisting of 3-(4-farnesyloxyphenyl)-propionic acid, 3-(4-farnesyloxy-3-hydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid, 3-(4-farnesyloxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-propionic acid, alkylesters thereof, ethyl esters thereof, and combinations of two or more thereof.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the compound of Formula I comprises 3-(4-farnesyloxyphenyl)-propionic acid and 3-(4-farnesyloxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-propionic acid.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the compound of Formula I comprises 3-(4-farnesyloxyphenyl)-propionic acid.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about 0.01 to about 1% of compound of Formula I.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said botanical extract is an extract of Acronychia acidula.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises at least one additional skin lightening active agent.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said skin in need of skin lightening is skin on a human face.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said composition is applied using a facial mask comprising a mask substrate.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said extract is free from acetophenones.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said extract is free from prenylated acetophenones.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said extract is free from acrovestone and its analogs.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said extract is obtained from the fruit of the Acronychia.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said extract of a plant of the genus Acronychia is made from a species selected from the group consisting of: aberrans, acidula, acronychioides, acuminate, baeuerlenii, chooreechillum, crassipetala, eungellensis, imperforate, laevis, laurifolia,littoralis, oblongifolia, octandra, parviflora, pauciflora, pubescens, Batavia Downs, suberosa, vestita, wilcoxiana , and combinations of two or more thereof.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises at least one of pentylene glycol, butylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin or combinations.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein said composition further comprises at least one of pentylene glycol, butylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin or combinations thereof.
19. A method of lightening skin comprising applying to skin in need of skin lightening a cosmetic composition comprising
an ethanol extract of a plant of the genus Acronychia in an amount sufficient to cause lightening of the skin, and a cosmetically acceptable carrier;
wherein said extract contains at least about 20% by weight of 3-(4-farnesyloxyphenyl)-propionic acid, said composition comprises from about 0.001 to about 10% of 3-(4-farnesyloxyphenyl)-propionic acid; and wherein said extract is free from acrovestone and its analogs.