NZ535038A - Hair removal formula - Google Patents

Abstract

A hair gripping formulation for the removal of hair from the body containing one or more sugars and one or more thickening agents. Manuka honey is also included in the formulation to provide antimicrobial action and also to contribute to the viscosity and stickiness of the formulation. The advantage of using Manuka honey as an antimicrobial in this formulation is that it does not reduce the viscosity or the stickiness of the formulation in the same way that other antimicrobials commonly used in hair removal formulations do.

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number 535038 PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Fee No. 4: $250.00 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION After Provisional No: 535038 Dated: 1 September 2004 HAIR REMOVAL FORMULATION WE Irene MOKARAKA, a New Zealand citizen of 122 Paramount Parade, Tikipunga, Whangarei, NEW ZEALAND and Alison Denise MCKENZIE a New Zealand citizen of 27 Bigelow Road, R D 2, Tangiteroria, Whangarei, NEW ZEALAND hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: HAIR REMOVAL FORMULATION Technical Field The present invention relates to a hair removal formulation, in particular, though not solely, to a formulation having hair gripping capabilities.

Background Art The depilation of hair from various parts of the body is considered desirable or even necessary in some cultures in order to conform to social expectations. For example, the removal of hair from the skin of the legs, arm and/or armpits, or from facial features such as eyebrows; particularly from women; is undertaken by a number of 10 depilatory operations. Men may also request hair removal from parts of their body. Those with hirsutism may also desire the removal of their own body hair.

A number of problems and disadvantages exist with existing hair removal practices, as either the method and/or composition used to grip and then tear or remove the hairs from the skin can lead to skin irritation, cause in-grown hairs, the products can 15 be expensive and the methods can be time consuming, the skin may be burnt by hot application of waxes (or similar), and the person may then be exposed to possible risk of infection if there are any irritations or wounds as a result of the hair removal process.

In the past, hair removal by cutting (or shaving) the hair from the body with a blade (or 20 razor) has been an option, and remains an alternative for hair removal. Other hair removal options, such as applying a pliable wax to hair, allowing the wax to grip the hairs, and then removing the wax - hopefully with the hairs attached, thereby extracting a substantial amount of hair from their follicles in the skin. However, the use of hot waxes may lead to skin burns or risk of heat rash. 2 James & Wells Ref: 28526/61 Still further, hair removal by the use of chemical compositions which effectively "dissolve" the hairs may also be used, although care must be taken not to expose sensitive skin to such, usually harsh, chemicals.

Hair removal or plucking, machines also exist which grab hairs and then the hair 5 grabbing portion extends away from the skin, effectively ripping or plucking the hairs directing from the follicles. However, the use of such machines is relatively time consuming mechanical variant; whereas a consumer may want to benefit of having said that they have had in general terms, what is often referred to as a "wax job" -although this usually refers to the process of applying a substance, and then removing 10 it together with the hairs encompassed with the substance.

In general, as it has been described, operations for depilating hair from a skin are often painful or can result in an sensitised epidermis or even minor bleeding.

Chemical hair dissolving compositions by their nature tend to be less physically painful at the time of the depilation, however may result in chemical burns or unusual 15 reactions if an epidermis is sensitive to the chemicals used.

The method of producing a hair gripping substance for depilation has long been known, and is derived from techniques supposedly originating from ancient Egypt. A technique referred to as "sugaring" has popular origins in Arab countries, and is generally a mixture of sugar, lemon juice and water heated to form syrup. The syrup 20 is formed into a ball, flattened onto the skin, and the quickly striped away from the skin, hopefully removing hairs from the follicle root. In general, the "sugaring" compositions are not applied in an overly heated state (as many waxes need to be). However, compositions formed from the sugaring technique may not have the thickness, or viscosity, desired for effective hair removal, particularly of stubborn hairs.

Some alternative forms of hair gripping compositions (for hair removal) have been developed. For example, a well known hair removal composition commonly referred 3 James & Wells Ref: 28526/61 to as NADS™ is available at present which is an alternative to using waxes. NADS™ commonly uses a mixture of honey, molasses, fructose, vinegar, lemon juice, alcohol and food dyes - and claims to have minimal chance of irritating a user's skin during the hair gripping (applied at ambient temperatures, not heated) and then hair removal 5 steps. Operation of this composition is similar to using a wax, although the product does not require heating prior to application.

A further hair removal composition, known as MOOM™ uses sugar, water, lemon juice, chamomile, and tea tree oil. Again, the composition is applied (in a heated state to reduce the viscosity), the hair is gripped and then the composition and gripped hairs 10 are removed. Although, both NADS™ and MOOM™ have disadvantages in that they either grip the hair and skin, or need to be heated for operation. They also do not necessarily include a skin soothing or wound infection reducing agent.

However, with all hair removal operations, no depilation is ideal, and inevitably, as a range of consumers will use a hair gripping composition, whether upon application to 15 themselves or by a more experienced professional, skin sensitivity remains an issue. Irritation and any wounds or ingrown hairs resulting from existing hair removal operations may expose the consumer to infection. Therefore, there also remains room within the market for an further alternative hair gripping composition, of suitable viscosity having anti-microbial properties.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hair removal formulation which goes at least some way toward addressing the foregoing problems or which will to at least provide the public and/or industry with a useful choice.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference 25 constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinence 4 James & Wells Ref: 28526/61 of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.

It is acknowledged that the term 'comprise' may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, the term 'comprise' shall have an inclusive meaning - i.e. that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. This rationale will also be used when the term 'comprised' or 'comprising' is used in relation to one or more steps in a method or process.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

Disclosure of Invention Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention may be broadly be said to consist in a hair gripping formulation comprising: i. one or more sugars, ii. one or more thickener agents, and iii. an antimicrobial agent.

In a second aspect, the present invention may be said to broadly consist in a method of manufacturing a hair gripping formulation comprising the steps of: (A) combining one or more sugars, one or more thickener agents, and an antimicrobial agent, and then, James & Wells Ref: 28526/61 (B) heating and mixing the combination of A for a pre-determined period of time, Preferably components (i), (ii) and (iii) are combined during exposure to heat.

Preferably, the one or more sugars may be selected from: simple sugars, treacle, 5 and/or honeys.

Preferably, the one or more thickener agents may be selected from: corn starch, plain flour, and/or complex carbohydrates, or combinations thereof.

Preferably, the antimicrobial agent may be a Manuka honey.

In other embodiments the antimicrobial agent may not necessarily be a type of honey 10 but may be any other pharmaceutical^ acceptable antimicrobial agent. Preferably, the antimicrobial agent may be of natural origin, although this should not be seen as limiting.

Preferably, the formulation may further include water.

Preferably, the one or more thickener agents may be selected from: corn starch, plain 15 flour, and/or complex carbohydrates, or combinations thereof.

More preferably, the thickener agent may be one or more flours. In preferred embodiments the thickener agents may be standard flour and cornstarch.

In general, the sugars may be pre-heated in order to facilitate combining with the other ingredients, and in order to facilitate easier handling thereof.

The heating and mixing may be achieved in a variety of different manners without departing from the scope of the present invention. 6 James & Wells Ref: 28526/61 In general the predetermined time may comprise a period of cooking and a period of simmering. In preferred embodiments the mixture may be bought to boil after at least approximately 2 minutes, and then simmered for at least approximately 12 minutes thereafter.

Best Modes for Carrying out the Invention The present invention will now be described in relation to the following example(s), which is/are not intended to be limiting, merely illustrative of preferred embodiment(s) of the present invention.

Example 1 Ingredient Weight Ratio Honey 1 kg 833 Treacle 66grams (48mls) 55 Manuka honey 6grams 5 Water 4.8grams 4 Flour (standard) 1.4grams 1.17 Cornstarch 1.2grams 1 Method Melt honey warm.

Mix rearranging ingredients together.

Put ingredients in pot and bring to the boil (2 minutes to get to that boiling point). 7 James & Wells Ref: 28526/61 Turn temperature down to low simmer for at least 12 minutes.

At this stage, the mixture will have an approximate temperature of 120° to 130° Celsius (on a sugar thermometer). Once cooled, the formulation is then ready for use.

Without wanting to be bound by theory the inventors believe the combination of flour 5 and cornstarch acts to stabilise the mixture upon heating, causing the mixture to remain stable after repeated heating/cooling and use.

Furthermore, the mixture remains intact over time giving it a longer shelf life.

Furthermore the present invention provides a hair removal cream with just the right consistency to be effective at removing hair without causing undue pain or irritation to 10 the skin. It is believed that at least in part that this is due to the use of all natural ingredients.

There have been a number of variations to the ingredients with respect to quantities and methods.

To date, after much experimentation, the inventors have found that the combination of 15 ingredients in Example 1, is the most effective combination to use for hair removal.

The use of plain flour in combination with cornstarch enables the formulation to hold together while the use of self raising flour causes the mixture to become unstable after twenty-four hours.

A formulation that uses only cornstarch maintains the required consistency for only 20 short periods of time.

The honey may be of a natural origin or liquid honey. The use of whipped honey causes the formulation to become too soft and the mixture takes longer to reach boiling point. 8 James & Wells Ref: 28526/61 Lemon juice (freshly squeezed or purchased commercially) may be added to the formulation. This prevents stinging when hair roots are extracted and can reduce the pain considerably.

The addition of either butter, oil, or vitamin capsules alter the required consistency 5 rendering the formulation ineffective.

The following further examples demonstrate some of the possible variations to the ingredients of the formulation: Example 2 Ingredient Weight Ratio Honey 500grams 416.7 Treacle 40grams 33.3 Manuka honey 500grams 416.7 Flour (standard) 1.4grams 1.17 Cornstarch 1.2grams 1 Lemon Juice 20grams 16.7 Example 3 Ingredient Weight Ratio Treacle 40grams 33.3 Manuka honey 36grams 30 Flour (standard) 1.4grams 1.17 9 James & Wells Ref: 28526/61 Cornstarch 1.2grams 1 Lemon Juice 20grams 16.67 Application The formulation in use should be heated to body or blood temperature. A wooden 5 spatula is used to get it out of the pot. You then slide it on to the area of the body. Calico strips or the like are then used to remove the hair by stripping it back.

This invention has been developed to provide a number of advantages, in particular, the synergies created from the production of a hair gripping formulation having high sugar content, as well as antimicrobial characteristics.

The high sugar content (and little "free" water) of the formulation allows the shelf-life of the formulation to be extended from at least 1 year to up to about 2 years (and possibly longer); primarily as bacteria are unable to grow in the high sugar, and low water content formulation.

If the jar container is opened and uncovered, then the top layer of the mixture breaks 15 down. It should then be reheated and mixed with spatula.

On trials there was no tearing of the skin after waxing. Witchhazel (is available) to be sprayed onto the skin.

The formulation is to be applied to the skin of a person (or animal) about to have the hair removed. Once the composition is applied (stuck) to the hairs, and preferably not 20 the skin from which the hair is growing from, the formulation and hairs stuck to the formulation are quickly pulled away from the skin, thereby plucking the hairs out advantageously from the root.

As a result of the hair removal from the skin, the skin may be sensitised or have minor James & Wells Ref: 28526/61 exposed wounds, especially at or around the hair follicle. Often, as the hair removal process is being conducted over a range of skin surface area, or the process is being conducted by a trained professional; treatment of the wounds does not happen immediately. Therefore, the inclusion of an anti-microbial (or anti-bacterial) within the 5 composition will immediately treat or at least substantially help reduce the likelihood of any infection of exposed wounds.

The hair gripping formulation is formed from the combination of one or more sugars, one or more thickener agents, and an antimicrobial agent, in which each of the components are combined during exposure to a heat source.

Ideally, the one or more sugars can be selected from simple sugars, treacle, and/or honeys; whilst the one or more thickener agents can be selected from; corn starch, plain flour, and/or complex carbohydrates. Such thickening agents are added in sufficient quantities to allow a desired viscosity of being tacky enough to remove hair.

It does not leave a residue on the skin. It does not stick to clothes.

The applicants realise that the number of anti-microbial (or anti-bacterial) agents may be included in the composition, however ideally the agent is a Manuka honey. Manuka honey's have unique anti-microbial properties which are believed to be derived from the glucose oxidase activity of the honey, although this characteristic is the basis of much on-going research. The anti-microbial characteristics of the 20 Manuka honey may help to reduce the likelihood of skin reacting with any redness or bumps formed following hair removal. Desirably, the formulation formed adheres to the hair rather than hair and skin of a consumer.

Preferably, water is also combined with the hair gripping composition to create the desired consistency. Without water, the mixture can become hard like toffee. 11 James & Wells Ref: 28526/61 Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the appended claims. 12 James & Wells Ref: 28526/61

Claims (15)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A hair gripping formulation for the removal of hair including: i. one or more sugars, ii. one or more thickener agents, and characterised in that the formulation also includes Manuka Honey as an antimicrobial agent to reduce infection of hair follicles.

2. A hair gripping formulation as claimed in claim 1 wherein components (i) and (ii) are combined during exposure to heat.

3. A hair gripping formulation as claimed in claim 2, wherein the temperature range of the heat exposure is 48°C to 140°C.

4. A hair gripping formulation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein components are in the ratio of Honey (833), Treacle (55), Manuka honey (5), water (4), standard flour (1.17) and corn starch (1).

5. A hair gripping formulation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the one or more thickener agents is selected from corn starch, plain flour, and/or complex carbohydrates, or combinations thereof.

6. A hair gripping formulation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the formulation includes lemon juice.

7. A hair gripping formulation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the formulation includes water.

8. A method of manufacturing a hair gripping formulation as claimed in any one of 13 James & Wells Ref: 28526/61 claims 1 to 7: characterised by the steps of: (A) combining one or more sugars, one or more thickener agents, and manuka honey, (B) heating and mixing the combination of A for a pre-determined period of time.

9. A method of manufacturing a hair gripping formulation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the one or more thickener agents is selected from corn starch, plain flour, and/or complex carbohydrates, or combinations thereof.

10. A method of manufacturing a hair gripping formulation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the thickener agent is one or more flours.

11. A method of manufacturing a hair gripping formulation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the thickener agents is standard flour and cornstarch.

12. A method of manufacturing a hair gripping formulation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the sugars are pre-heated in order to facilitate combining with the other ingredients, and in order to facilitate easier handling thereof.

13. A method of manufacturing a hair gripping formulation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the predetermined time comprises a period of cooking and a period of simmering.

14. A method of manufacturing a hair gripping formulation as claimed in claim 13 wherein the mixture is bought to boil after at least approximately 2 minutes, and then simmered for at least approximately 12 minutes thereafter.

15. A hair gripping formulation substantially as herein described with reference to 14 James & Wells Ref: 28526/61 and as illustrated by the accompanying examples. A method of manufacturing a hair gripping formulation substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying examples. IRENE MOKARAKA AND ALISON DENISE MCKENZIE by their Attorneys JAMES & WELLS 15 James & Wells Ref: 28526/61