Transparent topical cosmetic gel having colored fibers and method of using

1. A substantially transparent mascara gel composition, comprising:

one or more gellants selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose; cetyl hydroxyethylcellulose; guar gums: quaternized guar gums; nonionic guar gums; xanthan gums; carob gums; scleroglucan gums; gellan gums; rhamsan gums; karaya gums; alginates; maltodextrin; starches; hyaluronic acid and salts thereof; clays, such as montmorillonites, hectorites and laponites; acrylates copolymer; crosslinked polyacrylic acid polymers; polyglyceryl (meth)acrylate polymers; polyvinylpyrrolidone; polyvinyl alcohol; crosslinked acrylamide polymers and copolymers; crosslinked methacryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium chloride homopolymers; associative polymers, such as associative polyurethanes; and combinations thereof, in an amount sufficient to provide a substantially transparent mascara gel having a viscosity of about 100,000 cps to about 300,000 cps, wherein the gel dries to a smooth film upon topical application;

a multiplicity of colored fibers selected from the group consisting of silk; cotton; wool; flax; cellulose; rayon; wood; plants; algae; polyamides, such as nylon 6 and nylon 6, 6; viscose; acetate; rayon acetate; acrylic polymers, such as polymethyl methacrylate and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate); polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene; glass; silica; carbon, such as graphite; polytetrafluoroethylene; insoluble collagen; polyesters; polyvinyl chloride; polyvinylidene chloride; polyvinyl alcohol; polyacrylonitrile; chitosan; polyurethane; and combinations thereof, dispersed within the mascara gel, wherein the fibers vary in length from about 0.001 mm to about 10 mm, and wherein the weight of the fibers per unit length of the fiber is less than about 75 decitex, such that the colored fibers provide a visual appearance of a color other than white to the mascara gel while maintaining a substantially transparent appearance in the mascara gel, wherein the colored fibers dispersed in the mascara gel are visible to the naked eye at a depth of at least 10 mm into the gel; and wherein the mascara has the visual appearance effect of lengthening and thickening eyelashes;

one or more film formers selected from the group consisting of acrylate copolymers such as acrylate/octylacrylamide copolymers and acrylate/vinyl acetate copolymers; ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer; polyacrylic acid; C 1 to C 5 alkyl galactomannan; adipic acid/diethylene glycol/glycerin crosspolymer; trimethylpentanediol/adipic acid copolymer; polyimides; trimethylpentanediol/adipic acid/isononanoic acid; alpha olefin/isopropyl maleate/maleic anhydride polymer; acrylates C 10 to C 30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer; diglycol/cyclohexane-dimethanol/isophthalates/sulfoisophthalate copolymer; polyurethane resins; MQ resins; AT resins; polyamides; rosin resins; hydrocarbon resins; isododecane/ethylene mixed copolymer; cycloalkyl methacrylate copolymer/isododecane; trimethyl polysiloxane octadecene/maleic anhydride copolymer and mixtures of the foregoing, different than the one or more gellants if needed for the mascara gel to dry to a smooth film; and

one or more liquid vehicles.

2. The substantially transparent mascara gel composition of claim 1 , wherein the gellant is present from about 0.1 wt % to about 20 wt %.

3. The substantially transparent mascara gel composition of claim 1 , wherein the gel has the one or more film formers, and wherein the one or more film formers is present from about 0.1 wt % to about 20 wt %.

4. The substantially transparent mascara gel composition of claim 1 , wherein the fibers are present from about 0.1 wt % to about 30 wt %.

5. The substantially transparent mascara gel composition of claim 1 , wherein the gel has a viscosity of about 120,000 cps to about 250,000 cps.

6. The substantially transparent mascara gel composition of claim 1 , wherein the gel is an aqueous gel.

7. The substantially transparent mascara gel composition of claim 1 , wherein the gel is a non-aqueous gel.

8. A method for imparting color to the eyelashes, and the visual appearance effect of lengthening and thickening the eyelashes, comprising topically applying a substantially transparent mascara gel composition having one or more gellants selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose; cetyl hydroxyethylcellulose; guar gums; quaternized guar gums; nonionic guar gums; xanthan gums; carob gums; scleroglucan gums; gellan gums; rhamsan gums; karaya gums; alginates; maltodextrin; starches; hyaluronic acid and salts thereof; clays, such as montmorillonites, hectorites and laponites; acrylates copolymer; crosslinked polyacrylic acid polymers; polyglyceryl(meth)acrylate polymers; polyvinylpyrrolidone; polyvinyl alcohol; crosslinked acrylamide polymers and copolymers; crosslinked methacryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium chloride homopolymers; associative polymers, such as associative polyurethanes; and combinations thereof, in an amount sufficient to provide a substantially transparent mascara gel having a viscosity of about 100,000 cps to about 300,000 cps, wherein the gel dries to a smooth film upon topical application;

incorporating a multiplicity of colored fibers selected from the group consisting of silk; cotton; wool; flax; cellulose; rayon; wood; plants; algae; polyamides, such as nylon 6 and nylon 6, 6; viscose; acetate; rayon acetate; acrylic polymers, such as polymethyl methacrylate and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate); polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene; glass; silica; carbon, such as graphite; polytetrafluoroethylene; insoluble collagen; polyesters; polyvinyl chloride; polyvinylidene chloride; polyvinyl alcohol; polyacrylonitrile; chitosan; polyurethane; and combinations thereof, dispersed within the mascara gel such that the colored fibers provide a visual appearance of a color other than white to the mascara gel while maintaining a substantially transparent appearance in the mascara gel, wherein the colored fibers dispersed therein are generally visible to the naked eye at a depth of at least 10 mm into the gel;

one or more film formers selected from the group consisting of acrylate copolymers such as acrylate/octylacrylamide copolymers and acrylate/vinyl acetate copolymers; ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer; polyacrylic acid; C 1 to C 5 alkyl galactomannan; adipic acid/diethylene glycol/glycerin crosspolymer; trimethylpentanediol/adipic acid copolymer; polyimides; trimethylpentanediol/adipic acid/isononanoic acid; alpha olefin/isopropyl maleate/maleic anhydride polymer; acrylates C 10 to C 30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer; diglycol/cyclohexane-dimethanol/isophthalates/sulfoisophthalate copolymer; polyurethane resins; MQ resins; AT resins; polyamides; rosin resins; hydrocarbon resins; isododecane/ethylene mixed copolymer; cycloalkyl methacrylate copolymer/isododecane; trimethyl polysiloxane octadecene/maleic anhydride copolymer and mixtures of the foregoing, different than the one or more gellants if needed for the mascara gel to dry to a smooth film; and

one or more liquid vehicles.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the gellant is present from about 0.1 wt % to about 20 wt %.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the substantially transparent mascara gel composition has the one or more film formers, and wherein the one or more film formers is present from about 0.1 wt % to about 20 wt %.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the fibers are present from about 0.1 wt % to about 30 wt %.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the gel has a viscosity of about 120,000 cps to about 250,000 cps.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the gel is an aqueous gel.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the gel is a non-aqueous gel.

15. The substantially transparent mascara gel composition of claim 8 , wherein the colored fibers are nylon 6.