Stable Soap Based Cleansing System

1 . A method for enhancing the viscosity or yield value of a liquid soap composition comprising:

A) neutralizing at least one crosslinked acrylic emulsion polymer with a fatty acid soap having a pH ranging from about 8.5 to about 14 to form a thickened liquid soap composition, wherein said crosslinked acrylic emulsion polymer is prepared from a monomer composition comprising:

i) one or more unsaturated carboxylic acid containing monomers and salts thereof having a total of from about 3 to about 10 carbon atoms;

ii) one or more vinyl monomers selected from the formulae:

a) CH 2 ═CXY

wherein X is H and Y is —COOR, —C 6 H 4 R′, —CN, —CONH 2 , —Cl, —NC 4 H 6 O, —NH(CH 2 ) 3 COOH, —NHCOCH 3 , —CONHC(CH 3 ) 3 , —CO—N(CH 3 ) 2 ,

or X is CH 3 and Y is —COOR, —C 6 H 4 R′, —CN or —CH═CH 2 ,

or X is Cl and Y is Cl, and

R is C 1 -C 18 alkyl, or hydroxy C 2 -C 18 alkyl,

R′ is H or C 1 -C 18 alkyl;

b) CH 2 ═CHOC(O)R 1

wherein R 1 is C 1 -C 18 alkyl; and

c) CH 2 ═CH 2 or CH 2 ═CHCH 3 ; and

iii) one or more polyunsaturated monomers;

B) optionally adding a base; and

C) adding an acidifying agent to reduce the pH to a value ranging from about 7.8 to about 9.8. to obtain a liquid soap composition with enhanced viscosity and yield value.

2 . A method of claim 1 wherein said fatty acid soap is selected from the alkali metal and/or ethanolamine salt of a C 8 to C 22 fatty acid.

3 . A method of claim 2 wherein said fatty acid soap is derived from saponified animal fat, saponified vegetable oil, and mixtures thereof.

4 . A method of claim 2 wherein said fatty acid soap is derived from a base neutralized fatty acid.

5 . A method of claim 1 wherein said unsaturated carboxylic acid containing monomer is selected (meth)acrylic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, crotonic acid, maleic acid, aconitic acid, half esters of polyacids with C 1 to C 4 alkanols, and mixtures thereof.

6 . A method of claim 1 wherein said crosslinked acrylic emulsion polymer is prepared from (meth)acrylic acid and a C 1 to C 5 alkyl (meth)acrylate.

7 . A method of claim 1 wherein said acidifying agent is selected from an organic acid, an inorganic acid, and mixtures thereof.

8 . A method of claim 7 wherein said acidifying agent is selected from citric acid, acetic acid, alpha-hydroxy acid, beta-hydroxy acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, natural fruit acids, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, sulfamic acid, phosphoric acid, and combinations thereof.

9 . A method of claim 1 further comprising an optional component selected from one or more of a surfactant, a pH adjusting agent, a preservative, a viscosity adjusting agent, a skin conditioner, an antibacterial agent, an antioxidant, a fragrance, a colorant, a chelating agent, a humectant, an emollient, an insoluble material, a pearlescent material, a diluent, and combinations thereof.

10 . A method of claim 8 wherein said composition comprises:

A) from about 1 to about 50 wt. % of at least one fatty acid soap;

B) from about 1.8 to about 5 wt. % of active material of a crosslinked acrylic emulsion polymer;

C) from about 0.1 to about 20 wt. % of an acidifying agent;

D) a surfactant wherein the wt. ratio of said fatty acid salt to said surfactant ranges from about 1:39 to about 39:1.

E) from about 1 to about 20 wt. % of an optional humectant; and

F) from about 1 to about 15 wt. % of an optional emollient.

11 . A method of claim 9 wherein said surfactant is selected from an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, and mixtures thereof.

12 . A method of claim 10 wherein said surfactant is selected from an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, and mixtures thereof.

13 . A method of claim 1 wherein said composition has a final pH ranging from 8.0 to 9.8.

14 . A method of claim 1 wherein said composition has a final pH ranging from 8.2 to 9.8.

15 . A method for enhancing the viscosity or yield value of a liquid soap composition comprising:

A) neutralizing a composition comprising at least one fatty acid and at least at least one crosslinked acrylic emulsion polymer with a suitable base to obtain a pH ranging from about 8.5 to about 14 to form a thickened liquid soap composition, wherein said crosslinked acrylic emulsion polymer is prepared from a monomer composition comprising:

i) one or more unsaturated carboxylic acid containing monomers and salts thereof having a total of from about 3 to about 10 carbon atoms;

ii) one or more vinyl monomers selected from the formulae:

a) CH 2 ═CXY

wherein X is H and Y is —COOR, —C 6 H 4 R′, —CN, —CONH 2 , —Cl, —NC 4 H 6 O, —NH(CH 2 ) 3 COOH, —NHCOCH 3 , —CONHC(CH 3 ) 3 , —CO—N(CH 3 ) 2 ,

or X is CH 3 and Y is —COOR, —C 6 H 4 R′, —CN or —CH═CH 2 ,

or X is Cl and Y is Cl, and

R is C 1 -C 18 alkyl, or hydroxy C 2 -C 18 alkyl,

R′ is H or C 1 -C 18 alkyl;

b) CH 2 ═CHOC(O)R 1

wherein R 1 is C 1 -C 18 alkyl; and

c) CH 2 ═CH 2 or CH 2 ═CHCH 3 ; and

iii) one or more polyunsaturated monomers;

B) optionally adding a base; and

C) adding an acidifying agent to reduce the pH to a value ranging from about 7.8 to about 9.8. to obtain a liquid soap composition with enhanced viscosity and yield value.

16 . A method of claim 15 wherein said fatty acid is selected from a C 8 to C 22 fatty acid.

17 . A method of claim 16 wherein said fatty acid is derived from saponified animal fat, saponified vegetable oil, and mixtures thereof.

18 . A method of claim 15 wherein said unsaturated carboxylic acid containing monomer is selected (meth)acrylic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, crotonic acid, maleic acid, aconitic acid, half esters of polyacids with C 1 to C 4 alkanols, and mixtures thereof.

19 . A method of claim 15 wherein said crosslinked acrylic emulsion polymer is prepared from (meth)acrylic acid and a C 1 to C 5 alkyl (meth)acrylate.

20 . A method of claim 15 wherein said acidifying agent is selected from an organic acid, an inorganic acid, and mixtures thereof.

21 . A method of claim 20 wherein said acidifying agent is selected from citric acid, acetic acid, alpha-hydroxy acid, beta-hydroxy acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, natural fruit acids, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, sulfamic acid, phosphoric acid, and combinations thereof.

22 . A method of claim 15 further comprising an optional component selected from one or more of a surfactant, a pH adjusting agent, a preservative, a viscosity adjusting agent, a skin conditioner, an antibacterial agent, an antioxidant, a fragrance, a colorant, a chelating agent, a humectant, an emollient, an insoluble material, a pearlescent material, a diluent, and combinations thereof.

23 . A method of claim 21 wherein said composition comprises:

A) from about 1 to about 50 wt. % of at least one fatty acid soap;

B) from about 1.8 to about 5 wt. % of a crosslinked acrylic emulsion polymer;

C) from about 0.1 to about 20 wt. % of an acidifying agent;

D) a surfactant wherein the wt. ratio of said fatty acid salt to said surfactant ranges from about 1:39 to about 39:1.

E) from about 1 to about 20 wt. % of an optional humectant; and

F) from about 1 to about 15 wt. % of an optional emollient.

24 . A method of claim 22 wherein said surfactant is selected from an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, and mixtures thereof.

25 . A method of claim 23 wherein said surfactant is selected from an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, and mixtures thereof.

26 . A method of claim 15 wherein said composition has a final pH ranging from 8.0 to 9.8.

27 . A method of claim 15 wherein said composition has a final pH ranging from 8.2 to 9.8.