Personal care composition

1. An aqueous personal care composition comprising:

a) at least 3 wt % of a sulfonate compound of the general formula:

where

R 1 represents a C 8-22 alkyl group;

R 2 represents a C 1-4 alkyl group; and

each of R 3 , R 4 and R 5 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a C 1-4 alkyl group,

and M+ represents a cation;

b) at least 3 wt % of an amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactant;

c) at least 10 wt % of water;

d) at least 0.5 wt % of an additional component in the form of water-insoluble solid or non-solid particles or droplets suspended in the composition; and

e) an electrolyte present in an amount from 2 wt % to 25 wt %;

wherein said composition maintains said water-insoluble solid or non-solid particles or droplets suspended in the composition without sedimentation or separation over a time period of at least one month, and

wherein the composition is shear-thinning in the absence of an additional structurant.

2. The composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein R 2 represents a methyl group.

3. The composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein each of R 3 , R 4 and R 5 represents a hydrogen atom.

4. The composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of R 3 , R 4 and R 5 represents a hydrogen atom.

5. The composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein component (a) is present in an amount of up to 30 wt %.

6. The composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein component (b) is present in an amount of up to 30 wt %.

7. The composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein component (c) is present in an amount of from 20% to 95% by total composition weight.

8. The composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein component (d) is present in an amount from at least 0.5 wt %.

9. The composition as claimed in claim 1 , formulated as a product selected from the following: a bath or shower gel; a hand washing composition; a facial washing composition; a pre-, during- or post-shaving product; a skin moisturizer; a hair gel; a medicinal skin treatment product; a shampoo; a hair conditioner; a dental product.

10. The composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte is present in an amount up to 15 wt %.

11. The composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte is present in an amount up to 10 wt %.

12. The composition as claimed in claim 1 comprising a benefit agent.

13. An aqueous personal care composition comprising:

(a) a shear thinning composition, consisting of:

i) at least 3 wt % of a sulfonate compound of the general formula:

where

R 1 represents a C 8-22 alkyl group;

R 2 represents a C 1-4 alkyl group; and

each of R 3 , R 4 and R 5 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a C 1-4 alkyl group,

and M+ represents a cation;

ii) an electrolyte present in an amount from 2 wt % to 25 wt %;

iii) at least 3 wt % of an amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactant; and

iv) at least 10 wt % of water; and

(b) at least 0.5 wt % of an additional component in the form of water-insoluble solid or non-solid particles or droplets suspended in the composition;

wherein said composition maintains said water-insoluble solid or non-solid particles or droplets suspended in the composition without sedimentation or separation over a time period of at least one month.

14. The composition as claimed in claim 13 wherein R 2 represents a methyl group.

15. The composition as claimed in claim 14 wherein each of R 3 , R 4 and R 5 represents a hydrogen atom.

16. The composition as claimed in claim 13 wherein each of R 3 , R 4 and R 5 represents a hydrogen atom.

17. The composition as claimed in claim 13 comprising a benefit agent.

18. An aqueous personal care composition comprising:

a) from about 3 wt % to about 12.75 wt % of a sulfonate compound of the general formula:

where

R 1 represents a C 8-22 alkyl group;

R 2 represents a C 1-4 alkyl group; and

each of R 3 , R 4 and R 5 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a C 1-4 alkyl group,

and M+ represents a cation;

b) from about 3 wt % to about 12.5 wt % of an amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactant;

c) water;

d) at least 0.5 wt % of an additional component in the form of water-insoluble solid or non-solid particles or droplets suspended in the composition; and

e) an electrolyte present in an amount from 3 wt % to about 6 wt %;

wherein said composition maintains said water-insoluble solid or non-solid particles or droplets suspended in the composition without sedimentation or separation over a time period of at least one month, and

wherein the composition is shear-thinning in the absence of an additional structurant.