OPACIFIER CONCENTRATE AND ITS USE TO MODIFY THE APPEARANCE AND/OR INCREASE OPACITY AND/OR WHITENESS OF AN AQUEOUS COMPOSITION

1 . A sulfate-free aqueous concentrate comprising at least:

i) at least 25% by weight of opacifier particles selected from C16-C22 fatty acid, C16-C22 fatty alcohol, mono-, di- and tri-C16-C22 esters of glycerol, mono- and di-C16-C22 esters of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and triethylene glycol, C16-C22 fatty acid alkanolamides and mixtures thereof, with said particles are having a median diameter measured by laser diffraction ranging from 1 to 15 μm;

ii) an amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactant,

iii) water,

with the total amount of surfactants in said aqueous concentrate ranging from 0.5 to 15% by weight, relative to the total weight of the aqueous concentrate.

2 . The aqueous concentrate according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said opacifier particles are mono- or di-C16-C22 esters of ethylene glycol and mixtures thereof, for instance ethylene glycol distearate.

3 . The aqueous concentrate according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said opacifier particles have a median diameter lower than 14 μm, for instance lower than 12 μm and/or greater than 2 μm, for instance greater than 4 μm.

4 . The aqueous concentrate according to anyone of the preceding claims, containing at least 30% by weight, for example from 30 to 75% by weight, for example from 30 to 60% by weight, for example from 30 to 50% by weight of said opacifier particles, relative to the total weight of the aqueous concentrate.

5 . The aqueous concentrate according to anyone of the preceding claims, containing less than 15% by weight, for example from 0.1 to 15% by weight, for example from 0.5 to 15% by weight, for example from 1 to 10% by weight of said surfactant, relative to the total weight of the aqueous concentrate.

6 . The aqueous concentrate according to anyone of the preceding claims, containing at least 20% by weight, for example from 20 to 60% by weight, for example at least 30% by weight, for example at least 40% by weight, for example from 40 to 60% by weight of water, relative to the total weight of the aqueous concentrate.

7 . The aqueous concentrate according to anyone of the preceding claims, containing amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants in an amount ranging from 0.5 to 15% by weight, especially from 1 to 10% by weight, for instance from 4 to 8% by weight, relative to the total weight of the aqueous concentrate.

8 . The aqueous concentrate according to anyone of the preceding claims, containing from 0 to less than 2% by weight of non ionic surfactant relative to the total weight of the aqueous concentrate.

9 . The aqueous concentrate according to anyone of the preceding claims, containing from 0 to less than 2% by weight of anionic surfactant relative to the total weight of the aqueous concentrate

10 . The aqueous concentrate according to anyone of the preceding claims, containing from 0 to less than 2% by weight of emollient, such as for instance glyceryl oleate, relative to the total weight of the aqueous concentrate.

11 . Use of the aqueous concentrate of claim 1 as an opacifier.

12 . A method for modifying the appearance of a composition, comprising adding an aqueous concentrate according to claim 1 to such composition.

13 . A method to increase the opacity and/or whiteness of a composition, comprising adding an aqueous concentrate according to claim 1 to such composition.

14 . A composition comprising from 1 to 5% by weight of the aqueous concentrate of claim 1 , relative to the total weight of the composition.

15 . The composition of claim 14 , further containing a colouring agent.