COSMETIC COMPOSITION

1 . A cosmetic composition comprising:

(i) at least one amphiphilic copolymer; and

(ii) one or more cosmetically acceptable diluents, excipients or carriers;

wherein the amphiphilic copolymer is selected from the group consisting of a graft copolymer comprising a hydrophobic straight or branched chain carbon-carbon backbone having at least one hydrophilic side chain attached thereto; a graft copolymer comprising a hydrophilic straight or branched chain backbone having at least one hydrophobic side chain attached thereto; a block copolymer comprising at least one hydrophilic block and at least one hydrophobic block in a straight or branched chain backbone; and a cross-linked/network copolymer.

2 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amphiphilic copolymer is a graft copolymer comprising a hydrophobic straight or branched chain carbon-carbon backbone having at least one hydrophilic side chain attached thereto.

3 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 2 , wherein the hydrophilic side chains are each independently of formula (I),

wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently H 1 —C(O)WR 4 or —C(O)Q;

provided that at least one of R 1 and R 2 is the group —C(O)Q;

or R 1 and R 2 together form a cyclic structure together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached, of formula (II)

wherein:

R 3 and R 5 are each independently H or alkyl;

W is O or NR 4 ;

Q is a group of formula —X 1 —Y—X 2 P;

T is a group of formula —N—Y—X 2 —P;

X 1 is O, S or NR 4 ;

X 2 is O, S, (CH 2 ) p or NR 4 ;

p is 0 to 6;

each R 4 is independently H or alkyl;

P is H or another backbone; and

Y is a hydrophilic polymeric group.

4 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 2 , wherein the graft copolymer has from about 1 to about pendant hydrophilic side chains attached thereto.

5 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 3 , wherein the hydrophilic polymeric group Y is a polyalkylene oxide, polyglycidol, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyethylene imine), poly(styrene sulphonate) or poly(acrylie acid).

6 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 3 , wherein the hydrophilic polymeric group Y is of formula -(Alk 1 -O) b -(Alk 2 -O) c , wherein Alk 1 and Alk 2 are each independently an alkylene group having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and b and c are each independently an integer from 1 to 125; provided that the sum of b+c has a value in the range of from about 10 to about 600.

7 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the carbon-carbon backbone is derived from a homopolymer of an ethylenically-unsaturated polymerizable hydrocarbon monomer or from a copolymer of two or more ethylenically-unsaturated polymerizable hydrocarbon monomers.

8 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 7 , wherein the carbon-carbon backbone is derived from ethylene, isobutylene, 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, a C10-C20 terminal alkene, such as octadecene, styrene, or a mixture thereof.

9 . A composition according to claim 7 , wherein the carbon-carbon backbone has maleic anhydride, maleic acid or salts thereof or maleic acid ester or salts thereof or a mixture thereof pendant thereto.

10 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 9 , wherein the carbon-carbon backbone comprises from about 1 to about 50 mol % maleic anhydride

11 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the carbon-carbon backbone is a copolymer of:

(i) maleic anhydride, maleic acid or salts thereof or maleic acid ester or salts thereof or a mixture thereof; and

(ii) ethylenically-unsaturated polymerizable monomer or from a copolymer of two or more ethylenically-unsaturated polymerizable monomers.

12 . The composition according to claim 11 wherein the ethylenically-unsaturated polymerizable monomer is ethylene, isobutylene, 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, a C10-C20 terminal alkene, such as octadecene, styrene, or a mixture thereof.

13 . A composition according to claim 11 , wherein the amphiphilic copolymer backbone is an alternating copolymer of maleic anhydride, maleic acid or salts thereof or maleic acid ester or salts thereof and the ethylenically-unsaturated polymerizable monomer.

14 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amphiphilic copolymer is prepared by reacting a compound of formulae (III), (IX) or (X),

wherein Z is a group of the formula (IV),

wherein R 3 and R 5 are each independently H or alkyl, and R 6 and R 7 are each independently H or an acyl group, provided that at least one of R 6 and R 7 is an acyl group, or R 6 and R 7 are linked to form, together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached, a group of formula (V),

where n and m are each independently an integer from 1 to 20000 and n′ is an integer from 5 to 4000;

with a side chain precursor of formula (VI)

HX 1 —Y—X 2 P  (VI)

wherein:

X 1 is O, S or NR 4 ;

X 2 is O, S, (CH 2 ) p or NR 4 ;

p is 0 to 6;

each R 4 is independently H or alkyl;

P is H or another backbone; and

Y is a hydrophilic polymeric group.

15 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 14 , wherein the amphiphilic copolymer is prepared by reacting a compound of formulae (IIIa), (IXa) or (Xa),

where n and m are each independently an integer from 1 to 20000 and n′ is an integer from 5 to 4000, with the side chain precursor of formula (VI).

16 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 14 , wherein the amphiphilic copolymer is prepared by reacting a polymer precursor of formulae (IIIb), (IXb) or (Xb),

where n and m are each independently an integer from 1 to 20000 and d is an integer from 5 to 4000, with the side chain precursor of formula (VI).

17 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 14 , wherein the amphiphilic copolymer is prepared by reacting a polymer precursor of formulae (IIIc), (IXc) or (Xc),

where n and m are each independently an integer from 1 to 20000 and n′ is an integer from 5 to 4000, with the side chain precursor of formula (VI).

18 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 14 , wherein said side chain precursor is of formula (VIa)

wherein X 1 is O or NH and X 2 is (CH 2 ) p and o is an integer from 5 to 600.

19 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 14 , wherein said side chain precursor is of formula (VIb)

wherein R is H or alkyl, X 1 is O or NH and X 2 is CH 2 and the sum of a and b is an integer from 5 to 600.

20 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 19 , wherein said side chain precursor is of formula (VIc)

wherein R is H alkyl and the sum of a and b is an integer from 5 to 600.

21 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amphiphilic copolymer is of formula (VII):

wherein each of m and n is independently an integer from 1 to 20000 and o is an integer from 5 to 600.

22 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amphiphilic copolymer is of formula (VIII):

wherein each of m and n is independently an integer from 1 to 20000 and o is an integer from 5 to 600.

23 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amphiphilic copolymer is a block comprising hydrophilic blocks and hydrophobic blocks in a straight or branched chain backbone.

24 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 23 , wherein the straight or branched chain backbone has at least one side chain attached thereto.

25 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 23 , wherein the block copolymer has the structure:

wherein Rx is an alkyl, aryl or H and Ry is O, NR x Si(Rx) 2 .

26 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 23 , wherein the block copolymer is a copolymer of ethylene oxide and an alkene, diene or polyene.

27 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 26 , wherein the block copolymer is a copolymer of ethylene oxide and ethylene, propylene, isoprene or butadiene.

28 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 23 , wherein the block copolymer has the structure:

wherein m is 3 to 100 n is independently 3 to 100.

29 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 23 , wherein the block polymer has the structure:

wherein m is 3 to 100 n is 3 to 100.

30 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amphiphilic copolymer is a graft copolymer comprising a hydrophilic straight or branched chain backbone having at least one hydrophobic side chain attached thereto.

31 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 30 , wherein the hydrophilic straight or branched chain backbone is a poly(alkylene oxide), polyglycidol, poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(ethylene imine), poly(styrene sulphonate) or poly(acrylic acid).

32 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 20 , wherein the hydrophobic side chain is a hydrocarbon.

33 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 32 , wherein the hydrophobic side chain is derived from ethylene, isobutylene, 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, a C10-C20 terminal alkene, such as octadecene, styrene, or a mixture thereof.

34 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 30 , wherein the graft copolymer has from about 1 to about pendant hydrophobic side chains attached thereto.

35 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amphiphilic copolymer is a cross-linked/network copolymer.

36 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the cosmetic composition is selected from the group consisting of lip care and cosmetic products, face cosmetic and make-up products, and eye make-up products.

37 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the cosmetically acceptable diluent, excipient or carrier is selected from an oil, a fat and a wax, or mixtures thereof.

38 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , which further comprises one or more of an emollient, a colorant, a moisturizer, a UV blocker, an active agent, an antioxidant, a vitamin, a fragrance, a flavourant, a sweetener, a vegetable or herb extract and/or a preservative.

39 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 36 , which is a lip care or cosmetic product.

40 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 39 further comprising a lip plumping agent.

41 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 36 , which is a face cosmetic or make-up product.

42 . A cosmetic composition according to claim 36 , which is an eye cosmetic product.

43 . A process for the cosmetic composition according to claim 1 , said process comprising melting and mixing the amphiphilic copolymer with the one or more cosmetically acceptable diluents, excipients or carriers to form a homogenous product.