Structured detergent composition providing enhanced suspension control, optical brightening, and whitening maintenance

1. A structured detergent composition that has a yield stress point, said structured detergent composition comprising:

A. a surfactant component present in an amount of from about 10 to about 20 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition;

B. water present in a total amount of from about 40 to about 90 weight percent based on a total weight of said composition;

hectorite clay present in an amount of from about 0.2 to about 0.5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition;

C. an acid;

D. a base; and

E. a buffer,

wherein said structured detergent composition is free of separation of said hectorite clay from said water and is free of flocculation.

2. The structured detergent composition of claim 1 further comprising at least one active agent suspended in said structured detergent composition and present in an amount of greater than zero and up to about 5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition.

3. The structured detergent composition of claim 2 wherein at least one active agent is encapsulated and suspended in said structured detergent composition wherein said encapsulated active agent is present in an amount of greater than zero and up to about 1 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition.

4. The structured detergent composition of claim 3 wherein said encapsulated active agent is a skin care ingredient.

5. The structured detergent composition of claim 3 wherein said encapsulated active agent is a fragrance.

6. The structured detergent composition of claim 3 further comprising an additional active agent that is not encapsulated.

7. The structured detergent composition of claim 5 wherein said surfactant component is present in an amount of about 10 to about 15 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition and comprises:

an alcohol ethoxy sulfate having a C 8 -C 20 backbone that is ethoxylated with from about 1 to about 10 moles of ethylene oxide;

a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate; and

an ethoxylated alcohol comprising a C 8 -C 20 backbone that is ethoxylated with from about 2 to about 12 moles of ethylene oxide.

8. The structured detergent composition of claim 7 that is free of an external structuring agent chosen from electrolytes, microgel particles, acrylate polymers, structuring gums, starch, agar, hydroxyl alkyl cellulose, fibrous polymers, hydrous aluminum phyllosilicates, parenchymal cellulose materials, or particulate cellulose materials.

9. The structured detergent composition of claim 1 that is free of an external structuring agent chosen from electrolytes, microgel particles, acrylate polymers, structuring gums, starch, agar, hydroxyl alkyl cellulose, fibrous polymers, hydrous aluminum phyllosilicates, parenchymal cellulose materials, or particulate cellulose materials.

10. The structured detergent composition of claim 1 wherein said surfactant component comprises:

an alcohol ethoxy sulfate having a C 8 -C 20 backbone that is ethoxylated with from about 1 to about 10 moles of ethylene oxide and is present in an amount of from about 3 to about 5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition;

a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate present in an amount of from about 1 to about 2 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition; and

an ethoxylated alcohol comprising a C 8 -C 20 backbone that is ethoxylated with from about 2 to about 12 moles of ethylene oxide present in an amount of from about 6 to about 8 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition.

11. The structured detergent composition of claim 10 that is free of an external structuring agent chosen from electrolytes, microgel particles, acrylate polymers, structuring gums, starch, agar, hydroxyl alkyl cellulose, fibrous polymers, hydrous aluminum phyllosilicates, parenchymal cellulose materials, or particulate cellulose materials.

12. The structured detergent composition of claim 1 consisting of:

a linear alkyl benzene sulfonate;

sodium laureth sulfate;

a C 12 -C 15 alcohol ethoxylate that is capped with approximately 7 moles of ethylene oxide;

coconut oil fatty acid;

an amphoteric surfactant;

triethanolamine;

sodium hydroxide;

citric acid;

hectorite clay;

a chelator;

a dye;

an anti-redeposition agent;

a protease;

an amylase;

a preservative;

calcium chloride;

a fragrance;

an optional encapsulated fragrance;

a dye;

an opacifier, and

water.

13. The structured detergent composition of claim 12 , wherein

said linear alkyl benzene sulfonate is present in an amount of about 1.8 wt. % actives;

said sodium laureth sulfate is present in an amount of about 4 wt. % actives;

said C 12 -C 15 alcohol ethoxylate is present in an amount of about 6.8 wt. % actives;

said coconut oil fatty acid is present in an amount of about 0.5 wt. % actives;

said amphoteric surfactant is present in an amount of about 0.8 wt. % actives;

said triethanolamine is present in an amount of about 0.6 wt. % actives;

said sodium hydroxide is present in an amount of about 1.6 wt. % actives;

said citric acid is present in an amount of about 2.3 wt. % actives;

said hectorite clay is present in an amount of about 0.3 wt. % actives;

said chelator is present in an amount of about 0.3 wt. % actives;

said dye is present in an amount of about 0.1 wt. % actives;

said anti-redeposition agent is present in an amount of about 0.1 wt. % actives;

said protease is present in an amount of about 0.02 wt. % actives;

said amylase is present in an amount of about 0.01 wt. % actives;

said preservative is present in an amount of about 0.06 wt. % actives;

said calcium chloride is present in an amount of about 0.1 wt. % actives;

said fragrance is present in an amount of about 0.5 wt. % actives;

said optional encapsulated fragrance that when present is present in an amount of greater than zero and up to about 0.2 wt. % actives;

said dye is present in an amount of about 0.02 wt. % actives;

said opacifier is present in an amount of about 0.1 wt. % actives; and

said water is present in a balance such that a total weight of said structured detergent composition is 100 wt %.

14. The structured detergent composition of claim 1 wherein said surfactant component is present in an amount of about 10 to about 15 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition and comprises:

an alcohol ethoxy sulfate having a C 8 -C 20 backbone that is ethoxylated with from about 1 to about 10 moles of ethylene oxide;

a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate; and

an ethoxylated alcohol comprising a C 8 -C 20 backbone that is ethoxylated with from about 2 to about 12 moles of ethylene oxide.

15. The structured detergent composition of claim 1 wherein said surfactant component is present in an amount of about 10 to about 15 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition.

16. A structured detergent composition that has a yield stress point, said structured detergent composition comprising:

A. a surfactant component present in an amount of about 14 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition;

B. water present in a total amount of about 80 weight percent based on a total weight of said composition;

C. hectorite clay present in an amount of about 0.3 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition;

D. an organic acid present in an amount of about 2.25 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition;

E. a metal hydroxide present in an amount of about 1.6 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition; and

F. a buffer present in an amount of about 0.6 weight percent actives based on a total weight of said composition,

wherein said structured detergent composition is free of separation of said hectorite clay from said water and is free of flocculation.

17. The structured detergent composition of claim 16 wherein the organic acid is citric acid, the metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide, and the buffer is triethanolamine.

18. The structured detergent composition of claim 17 wherein said surfactant component comprises:

an alcohol ethoxy sulfate having a C 8 -C 20 backbone that is ethoxylated with from about 1 to about 10 moles of ethylene oxide;

a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate; and

an ethoxylated alcohol comprising a C 8 -C 20 backbone that is ethoxylated with from about 2 to about 12 moles of ethylene oxide.