WO2001085105A1

WO2001085105A1 - A leave-in foaming composition for styling, lightening and highlighting hair

Info

Publication number: WO2001085105A1
Application number: PCT/EP2001/003839
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerald Patrick Newell; Charles A. Montgomery, Jr.; Richard A. Abbott
Original assignee: Hindustan Lever Ltd; Unilever NV
Current assignee: Hindustan Unilever Ltd; Unilever NV
Priority date: 2000-05-05
Filing date: 2001-04-04
Publication date: 2001-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 2002-11-05
Also published as: AR028081A1; AU2001262169A1

Abstract

There is described a leave-in, aqueous, foamable composition delivered from a foaming device for styling, lightening and highlighting hair which comprises: hair which comprises: (i) a styling agent, (ii) a peroxygen compound, (iii) an acid, and (iv) a foaming agent; said composition having a pH of about 5 or less. There is also described a method for styling, lightening and highlighting hair which comprises treating said hair with a composition of the invention.

Description

A LEAVE-IN FOAMING COMPOSITION FOR STYLING, LIGHTENING AND HIGHLIGHTING HAIR

This invention relates to compositions and methods for styling, lightening and highlighting hair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known within the art to lighten and highlight hair with a peroxygen compound such as hydrogen peroxide. An object of the present invention, is to provide styling, foaming compositions which contain stable peroxygen compounds and thus can be used as hair lighteners and highlighters .

Current products on the market for lightening hair come in two forms. The first is a spray leave-in peroxide solution. This product is used occasionally when the hair will be exposed to sunlight after application. Examples of such products include Super Sun-In (R) , Super With Lemon Sun-In (R) , and Gradual Sun-In For Men (R) . Super Sun-In (R) has about

1.9% hydrogen peroxide at a pH of about 4.0. Super With

(R) Lemon Sun-In has about 3.7% hydrogen peroxide at a pH of about 4.0. Gradual Sun-In For Men (R) has about 3.7% hydrogen peroxide at a pH of about 3.

The second product for lightening hair is a system which has two components: a bleaching component such as hydrogen peroxide and another component which is a bleach oil or powder. This system requires two containers and/or two bottles, one for each of the components. These products will lighten and highlight the hair, however, often the result is damage that leaves hair in a less than healthy state.

It is known to prepare an unstable composition by combining a bleach with a shampoo or styling composition and immediately thereafter applying the resulting composition to the hair. This is usually done in a hair salon and will result in the immediate lightening of the hair. By contrast, stable styling compositions which gradually lighten and highlight the hair and which can easily be used at home are provided by the present invention.

Publications which relate to the area of technology of the invention are as follows:

WO 93/14024 Al (1993) discloses a hair care composition comprising (a) about 3-8% of a water soluble or dispersible alkylated polyvinylpyrrolidone copolymer powder comprising: (i) about 90-95% polyvinylpyrollidone having a K-value of 30-90, and (ii) 5-10% of an alkylene having 4 carbon atoms; (b) about 50-95% water; and (c) about 0-60% alcohol.

U.S. 4,656,043 (1987) discloses a stable aqueous hair conditioning shampoo comprising an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide, a specific anionic surfactant, at least one nonionic surfactant, an acidic pH-producing agent and one or more hair conditioning components. EP 437,075 A (1990) relates to the use of acrylic functional siloxanes that are useful in the perming and conditioning of hair.

U.S. 5,968,486 (1999) discloses a shampoo composition for lightening and highlighting hair which comprises

i) a peroxygen compound; and ii) an anionic sulfonate; said composition having a pH less than 5.

U.S. Serial. No. 09/138,189 filed August 21, 1998, commonly assigned, and pending, discloses a conditioning composition for lightening and highlighting hair which comprises

i.) a peroxygen compound, and ii) a conditioning agent;

said composition having a pH of about 5 or less.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a leave-in, aqueous, foamable, composition for styling, lightening and highlighting hair which comprises:

(i) a styling agent (ii) a peroxygen compound, (iii) an acid, and (iv) a foaming agent said composition having a pH of about 5 or less.

The invention is also directed to a method for lightening and highlighting hair which comprises administering to the hair a lightening and highlighting effective amount of a composition of the invention.

The peroxygen compound makes the styling composition a lightening and hair highlighting composition. Peroxygen compounds are not stable in styling compositions at pH' s of above 5. The composition is made acidic by addition of an acid, such as a mineral acid, like phosphoric acid or sulfuric acid; or an organic acid such as citric acid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, % means weight % of the total composition unless otherwise designated. "A portion of a head of hair" means some but not all of the hair on a head. It is understood that compositions of the invention can be used to highlight and/or lighten a portion of a head of hair in a pattern so as to conform to certain styles of hair highlighting and/or lightening. The compositions of the invention are made using known ingredients or with ingredients analogous to those known in the art. The packages or containers to be used with the compositions of the invention are made using known processes and materials or by processes and materials which are analogous to those known in the art. There are two methods to lighten and highlight hair. The first method is to deposit onto the hair, molecules which color the hair. The second method is to bleach the natural pigment found in the hair. The present invention relates to the latter method.

Hair contains a number of different pigments, principally brown and red. When hair is bleached by chemicals or the sun, the brown pigments react faster, and therefore disappear faster than the red pigments. The change in the red to brown ratio changes the appearance of the hair giving more red shading to the natural color of the hair. This results in the lightening of the hair. The red color that appears is perceived as highlighting of the hair.

Peroxygen compounds such as hydrogen peroxide, melamine peroxide, and urea peroxide, have been used to bleach human hair. Persulfates such as ammonium, sodium, and potassium persulfate may be used. Perborates such as sodium perborate may also be used. The preferred peroxygen compound is hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is stable, but will decompose under the appropriate conditions to form water and an active species of oxygen. The active species of oxygen is very reactive. It attacks and decolorizes the hair pigment.

It has been found that a peroxygen compound, preferably hydrogen peroxide, is stable in a foaming, styling composition when present in about 0.01 wt . % to about 10 wt . % (preferably 2%) in the presence of an acid so as to make the pH of the foam about 5 or less. In the compositions of the present invention, any acid that can result in a pH of 5 or less may be employed. More specifically, any acid which has a pK such that it can be used to obtain a composition with a pH of 5 or less, may be employed. As noted above, exemplary of such acids are any mineral acid such as sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid. Appropriate organic acids such as citric acid may also be used.

A styling agent stable to acid hydrolysis, is included in the styling compositions of the invention.

The invention relates to a leave-in aqueous, foamable, composition for styling, lightening and highlighting hair which comprises:

(i) a styling agent, (ii) a peroxygen compound, (iϋ) an acid, and

(iv) a foaming agent;

said composition having a pH of about 5 or less.

The invention is also directed to a method for lightening and highlighting hair which comprises administering to the hair a lightening and highlighting effective amount of the leave-in, aqueous, foamable composition for styling, lightening and highlighting described above. The leave-in compositions of the invention are applied or sprayed as a foam and are used as a foam as described herein.

Ingredients used in the compositions of the invention are described below. In the discussion which follows, it is noted that those skilled in the art would know not to mix a cationic conditioning agent with an anionic foaming agent, or an anionic styling agent with a cationic conditioning agent, or a cationic styling agent with an anionic foaming agent.

Styling Agent

Any styling agent that is compatible with a water based system may be used. A styling agent which may be included in the compositions of the invention, can be a quaternary derivative of a cellulose ether or a water soluble polymer which can be a copolymer or a homopolymer. The copolymers can be copolymers of acrylamide or diacetone acrylamide. A quaternary ammonium polymer such as the homopolymer of dimethylallylammonium chloride, sold under the name MERQUAT 100 and MERQUAT 550, may be employed. A homopolymer or copolymer of acrylic or methacrylic acid may be employed. Suitable co-monomers which can be used include acrylamide, methacrylamide, diacetone acrylamide, acrylamide and ethacrylamide substituted on the nitrogen by lower alkyls, alkyl ester of acrylic and methacrylic acid, vinylpyrrolidone and vinyl esters. Ionic polymers and quaternized polymers of the type set forth in US Patent

4,445,521 can be included in compositions of the invention. US Patent 4,445,521 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Cross-linked polyaminoamides, urea- formaldehyde cationic resins, water soluble polymers which are condensation products of polyamines and epichlorohydrin, vinylbenzylammonium homo- and co- polymers, quaternary polyureylenes, polyurethanes, crosslinked graft copolymers, terpoly ers, tetrapolymers, pentapolymers, polymers of maleic anhydride and an olefin, polymers derived from maleic and itaconic acids such as GANTREZ AN 119, 139, 149 and 169; polyacrylamides such as CYANAMER A 370, copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acid in the form of an alkali metal salt thereof; copolymers of vinyl acetate/crotonic acid, and polyalkylene-amines may also be included in compositions of the invention.

Preferred are vinylpyrrolidone/vinyl acetate copolymers such as the PVP/VA series from ISP (International Specialty Products). And poly (vinylpyrrolidone/dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) such as Copolymer 845 from ISP. Most preferred is a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone and methacrylamide trimethylammonium chloride (MAPTAC) such as GAFQUAT HS-100 from ISP.

Non limiting examples of suitable cationic polymers include copolymers of vinyl monomers having cationic protonated amine or quaternary ammonium functionalities with water soluble spacer monomers such as acrylamide, methacrylamide, alkyl and dialkyl acrylamides, alkyl and dialkyl methacrylamides, alkyl acrylate, alkyl methacrylate, vinyl caprolactone or vinyl pyrrolidone. The alkyl and dialkyl substituted monomers preferably have from Cl to C7 alkyl groups, more preferably from Cl to C3 alkyl groups. Other suitable spacer monomers include vinyl esters, vinyl alcohol (made by hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate) , maleic anhydride, propylene glycol, and ethylene glycol.

Suitable cationic protonated amino and quaternary ammonium monomers, for inclusion in the cationic polymers of the composition herein, include vinyl compounds substituted with dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate, dialkyla inoalkyl methacrylate, monoalkylaminoalkyl acrylate, monoalkylaminoalkyl methacrylate, trialkyl methacryloxyalkyl ammonium salt, trialkyl acryloxyalkyl ammonium salt, diallyl quaternary ammonium salts, and vinyl quaternary ammonium monomers having cyclic cationic nitrogen-containing rings such as pyridinium, imidazolium, and quaternized pyrrolidone, e.g. alkyl vinyl imidazolium, alkyl vinyl pyridinium, and alkyl vinyl pyrrolidone salts. The alkyl portions of these monomers are preferably lower alkyls such as the Cl, C2 or C3 alkyls.

Suitable amine-substituted vinyl monomers for use herein include dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate, dialkylaminoalkyl methacrylate, dialkylaminoalkyl acrylamide, and dialkylaminoalkyl methacrylamide, wherein the alkyl groups are preferably Cl -C7 hydrocarbyls, more preferably Cl -C3, alkyls .

The cationic polymers which have been mentioned above as styling agents can also provide hair conditioning benefits to the compositions of the invention. A Peroxygen Compound

An Acid

As noted above, the peroxygen compound makes the styling composition a lightening and hair highlighting composition. But peroxygen compounds are not stable in styling agents at pH' s of above 5. The composition is therefore made acidic by addition of an acid, such as a mineral acid, like phosphoric acid or sulfuric acid, or an appropriate organic acid such as citric acid, so as to make the peroxygen compound stable .

Foaming Agent

Compositions of the present invention are foamable compositions, and they include a foaming agent. Any foaming agent compatible with the rest of the ingredients in the compositions, may be employed in the compositions of the invention. The different types of foaming agents which may employed in compositions of the invention include cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, and amphoteric surfactants. These types of foaming agents are now described.

Cationic surfactants

A cationic surfactant which may be included in the compositions .of the invention, can be a quaternary amine compound of the formula:

N(R ,R ,R ,R^'

1 9 wherein R and R are long chain aliphatic hydrocarbon radicals, that is alkyl radicals, having about 10 to about

26 carbon atoms, and preferably about 12 to about 18

3 4 carbons, and R and R are hydrogen, lower alkyl radicals having about 1 to about 5 carbon atoms with the proviso that no more than three of the substituents on the nitrogen can be hydrogen, and with the further proviso that that the total number of carbon atoms in the substituents on the nitrogen equals at least 60.

More specifically, the substituents R 1, R2 , R3, and R4 may be selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, ethyl, methyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, sec- butyl, tert- butyl, n-pentyl, n-decyl, lauryl, myristyl, palmityl, stearyl, behenyl, palmitoleyl, oleyl, linoleyl, linelenyl, erucyl, and the like. X may be an inorganic or organic ion, including, but not limited to, hydroxide, chloride, bromide, iodide, fluoride, sulfate, phosphate, sulfonate, alkanoate such as acetate, n-propionate, lactate and gluconate; and lower alkyl sulfate.

To more particularly illustrate the quaternary amine compounds that may be used, without limiting the scope of these compounds, mention may be made of the following:

stearyltrimethylammonium chloride; behenetrimethylammonium chloride; cetrimonium chloride ; cetrimonium bromide ; soytrimonium chloride; tallowtrimonium chloride; dihyrogenatedtallowdimethylammonium chloride; behentrimethylammonium methosulfate;

PEG-2 Olealmonium chloride; dihyrogenatedtallowdimethylammonium bromide; dihyrogenatedtallowdimethylammonium methosulfate; palmityltrimethylammonium chloride; hydrogenated tallowtrimethylammonium chloride; hydrogenated tallowtrimethylammonium bromide; dicetyldimethylammonium chloride; distearyldimethylammonium chloride; dipalmityldimethylammonium chloride; hydrogenated tallowtrimethylammonium methosulfate; cetrimonium tosylate; eicosyltrimethylammonium chloride; ditallowdimethylammonium chloride; cetyl pyridinium chloride; lauryl trimethyl ammonium bromide; lauryl amine stearyl amine rosin amine; N-dodecyl ethanoldiamine; N-alkyl trimethyl ammonium chloride; and lauryl trimethyl ammonium chloride.

Other types of cationic surfactants which may be used in compositions of the invention are polysiloxane conditioners, such as polysiloxane polyether copolymer, diquaternary polydimethyl silicone, and polysiloxane, polyorgano thiosulfate; silicone polyol sulfosuccinates such- as disodium silicone polyol sulfosuccinate, disodium oleamide MEA sulfosuccinate, and disodium ricinoleyl MEA sulfosuccinate; and cationic conditioning polymers.

The cationic nitrogen-containing moiety of the cationic polymer is generally present as a substituent on all, or more typically on some, of the monomer units thereof. Thus, the cationic polymer for use in the styling composition includes homopolymers, copolymers, terpolymers, and so forth, of quaternary ammonium or cationic amine-substituted monomer units, optionally in combination with non-cationic monomers referred to herein as spacer monomers. Non limiting examples of such polymers are described in the CTFA Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary, 3rd edition, edited by Estrin, Crosley, and Haynes, (The Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association, Inc., Washington, D.C. (1982), which description is incorporated herein by reference. Other suitable cationic polymers for use in the conditioning composition include copolymers of l-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and l-vinyl-3- methylimidazolium salt (e.g., chloride salt) (referred to in the industry by the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association, "CTFA", as Polyquaternium-16) , such as those commercially available from BASF Wyandotte Corp. (Parsippany, N.J., U.S.A.) under the LUVIQUAT trade name (e.g., LUVIQUAT FC 370); copolymers of l-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (referred to in the industry by CTFA as Polyquaternium-11) such as those commercially available from ISP Corporation (Wayne, N.J., U.S.A.) under the GAFQUAT trade name (e.g., GAFQUAT 755N) ; cationic diallyl quaternary ammonium-containing polymers, including, for example, dimethyldiallylammonium chloride homopolymer and copolymers of acrylamide and dimethyldiallylammonium chloride, referred to in the industry (CTFA) as Polyquaternium 6 and Polyquaternium 7, respectively; and mineral acid salts of amino-alkyl esters of homopolymers and copolymers of unsaturated carboxylic acids having from 3 to 5 carbon atoms, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,256, which description is incorporated herein by reference.

Other suitable cationic polymers for use in the conditioning composition include polysaccharide polymers, such as cationic cellulose derivatives and cationic starch derivatives .

Preferred cationic cellulose polymers are those polymers available from Amerchol Corp. (Edison, N.J., USA) in their Polymer JR and LR series of polymers, as salts of hydroxyethyl cellulose reacted with trimethyl ammonium substituted epoxide, referred to in the industry (CTFA) as Polyquaternium 10.

Other suitable cationic polymers include cationic guar gum derivatives, such as guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, specific examples of which include the Jaguar series commercially available from Celanese Corporation.

Preferred examples of cationic polymers include: Polymer JR 30M and Polyquaternium - 10, cetrimonium chloride, PEG-2 Olealmonium chloride, and mixtures thereof.

Anionic surfactants

Anionic surfactants which may be used in compositions of the invention include alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, alkyl ether sulfonates, alpha-olefin sulfonates, alkyl aryl sulfonates, alkyl carbonates, alkyl ether carboxylates, sulfosuccinates, sarcosinates, taurates, fatty taurides, isothienates or combinations thereof. Many additional anionic surfactants are described in MCCUTCHEON'S DETERGENTS AND EMULSIFIERS, 1989, ANNUAL, published by MCCUTCHEON'S, Division, MC Publishing Co. and herein incorporated by reference.

Nonlimiting examples of anionic surfactants include diethanolamine, monoethanolamine, triethanolamine, lauryl ether sulfate, lauryl ether carboxylate, lauryl sarcosinate, and the like. Nonionic surfactant

Nonionic surfactants which may be used include esters formed between 1 mol of polyhydric alcohol containing two to six hydroxyl groups and at least 1 mol of a monobasic carboxylic acid containing 7 to 18 carbon atoms in its structures. Nonlimiting examples of nonionic surfactants which may be used include ethylene glycol monolaurate, glyceryl monolaurate, pentaerythritol monolaurate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan distearate; ethylene oxide condensates of the partial fatty acid esters of polyhydric alcohols described above; 7 to 18 carbon atom monohydric alcohols, ethylene oxide condensates of reactive hydrogen compounds containing 7 to 18 carbon atoms in their structure, that is, long chain fatty alcohols such as lauryl alcohol and stearyl alcohol; the long chain fatty acids such as myristic acid, stearic acid, and the rosin acids.

Zwitterionic surfactants

Zwitterionic surfactants can also be used as foaming agents in compositions of the invention. Zwitterionic surfactants can be broadly described as derivatives of aliphatic quaternary ammonium, phosphonium, and sulfonium compounds which have a positive and a negative charge center.

Nonlimiting examples of such zwitterionic surfactants include: 4- [N,N-di (2-hydroxyethyl) -N-octadecylammonio] - butane-1-carboxylate; 5- [S-3-hydroxypropyl] -S- hexadecylsulfonio] -3-hydroxypentane-l-sulfate; and 3-[P,P- diethyl-P-3, 6, 9-trioxatetradexocylphosphonio] -2-hydroxy- propane-1-phosphate . Other zwitterionic surfactants include betaines such as cocoamidopropyl betaine and lauryl amidopropylbetaine and oleyl betaine.

Amphoteric surfactants

Amphoteric surfactants can also be used as foaming agents in compositions of the invention. Amphoteric surfactants can be. broadly described as derivatives of aliphatic secondary and tertiary amines and which contain one anionic water solubilizing group such as carboxy, sulfonate, sulfate, phosphate, or phosphonate. Nonlimiting examples include: sodium 3-dodecyl-aminopropionate; sodium 3-dodecyl- aminopropane sulfonate; and sodium lauryl sarcosinate.

Other amphoteric surfactants include sultaines and amidosultaines . Nonlimiting examples of sultaines include:

cocodimethylpropylsultaine; stearyldimethylpropylsultaine; and lauryl-bis- (-hydroxyethyl) propylsultaine .

Nonlimiting examples of amidosultaines include:

laurylamidopropyl hydroxysultaine; and cocoamidopropyl hydroxysultaine.

Aqueous carrier The carrier of the styling composition is predominantly water. Deionized water is often employed. The amount of water in the compositions may be, but is not limited to, at least 50% (typically at least 70%, for example at least 80%) by weight of the total composition.

Optional ingredients which may be used in compositions of the invention

In addition to the above-described ingredients, other common cosmetic components and additives can be incorporated in the styling composition, as long as the basic properties of the styling composition, such as an ability to style the hair, are not adversely affected. Such optional ingredients include, but are not limited to, humectants, inorganic salts, fragrances, hydrotropes, preservatives, water softening agents, acids, bases, buffers and the like. Optional components usually are present in weight percentages of less than about 2% each, and from about 5% to about 10% by weight of the composition in total.

Other optional ingredients can be included in the styling composition to enhance the ability of the composition to style the hair. For example, conditioning agents such as quaternary ammonium compounds can be included in the styling compositions. A quaternary ammonium compound useful in the composition of the present invention preferably is a water- soluble quaternary ammonium compound having one or two long chain alkyl groups containing from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms. The long chain alkyl groups also can include, in addition to, or as a substitute for, carbon and hydrogen atoms, ether linkages or similar water-solubilizing linkages. The remaining two to three substituents of the quaternary nitrogen of the quaternary ammonium compound can be hydrogen; or benzyl; or short chain alkyl or hydroxyalkyl groups such as methyl, ethyl, hydroxymethyl or hydroxyethyl groups; or mixtures thereof, either of the same or of different identity. An oil-soluble, water dispersible quaternary ammonium compound, either alone or in combination with a water-soluble quaternary ammonium compound, also can be used in the composition of the present invention.

Preferred among quaternary ammonium compounds is cetrimonium chloride.

Other optional materials that can be used in compositions of the invention include fatty esters, polymers, such as styrene polymers, and fatty alcohols.

Foaming packages or containers which may be used with compositions of the invention

In order to conveniently produce the aerated foams of this invention, a suitable non-pressurized foam container such as that described in US Patent No. 3,709,437 which is hereby incorporated by reference, can be employed. The composition can be placed into the reservoir of a plastic squeeze bottle which contains a foamer head or other foam producing means. Squeezing the container causes the solution to leave the reservoir and enter an air-mixing or foaming chamber via an internal dip tube. The foam produced in the foaming chamber is often passed through a homogenizing element interposed between the air-mixing chamber and the discharge orifice to homogenize and control the consistency of the discharged foam. Further compression of the foam discharges the foam from a discharge cap as a uniform non-pressurized aerated foam. Alternatively, the side walls of the container may be rigid and the dip tube may be fitted with, a pump that is actuated by a push button. When composition is drawn by the pump through to the air mixing or foaming chamber, the desired foam is produced.

Other means for producing foams will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Means for producing aerated foams are described in US Patent Nos. 4,511,486 and 4,018,364 both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Without intending any limitation on the types of foaming devices which may be employed in this invention, the applicants have employed a type of foamer that is called an F2 Pumpfoamer. This kind of pump foaming device is. manufactured by Airspray, of Pompano Beach, Florida. This device is actuated by a push button and supplies 0.75 ml of composition/stroke or push +/- 0.05 ml. Of course, the consumer can control the amount of foam placed on his or her hair through the use of the pump foaming device, by the number of strokes of the push button.

The compositions of the invention can be altered to work more efficiently with the particular foaming package or container being employed. One skilled in the art would know how to make such changes within the scope of the present invention. How to use compositions of the invention

Compositions of the invention may be applied to hair that is dry, that is wet, or that is wet because it has been recently shampooed.

Lightening and/or highlighting and styling the hair with the compositions of the invention can be carried out by contacting dry hair with a composition of the invention and styling said hair. More often the composition of the invention is used as follows by, (1) applying water to said hair (or starting the process with hair that is damp because it has already been shampooed); (2) applying to said hair a lightening and highlighting effective amount of a styling foaming composition of the invention through the use of a foaming spray container such as a foaming can; and (3) rubbing said hair with the hands or contacting hair with a styling appliance such as a comb. Foam can be applied throughout the head of hair or to different areas of hair in order to achieve desired patterns of highlighting and hair lightening. A foam is especially useful for doing this because it is easily manipulated by the hands or a hair styling implement. Each application of a composition of the invention results in a small degree of lightening and/or highlighting of the hair. By using a composition of the invention on a daily basis, the hair can be gradually lightened and highlighted until it reaches the desired state. At that point, styling with a composition of the invention is ceased, and hair of the desired color has been obtained until it grows out. A person who uses the styling compositions of the invention and also spends time in the sunlight may achieve hair lightening and/or hair highlighting more quickly than someone who uses the compositions of the invention but does not spend time in the sunlight. This is due to the additive effects of the bleaching of hair by sunlight and the chemical action of the styling compositions of the invention.

It will also be appreciated that the compositions of the invention have the advantage of enabling the user to obtain just the degree of highlighting and/or lightening that he or she desires at which point styling of the hair with the compositions of the invention is stopped, and this desired hair coloring will remain until the hair grows out. Once this point is reached the consumer can go back to his or her regular hair styling regimen.

As noted above, compositions of the invention also have the advantage of enabling the user to obtain just the degree of highlighting and/or lightening that he or she desires at which point conditioning of the hair with the compositions of the invention is stopped, and this desired hair coloring will remain until the hair grows out. Once this point is reached the consumer can go back to his or her regular hair conditioning regimen. Another advantage of the compositions of the invention is that they enable the consumer to achieve a gradual lightening of the hair. Thus, if the consumer does not like the direction of the change in color that begins to take place, the consumer can simply stop using the product before a complete color transformation has taken place. In addition, some consumers may want to achieve a large color change as a final result, but they may want to do so gradually because they do not wish to elicit comments from friends and neighbors that can come with a dramatic color change. This gradual change can be achieved with compositions of the invention.

Usually, some lightening or highlighting of the hair will be noticeable within the first about three to about seven consecutive days of styling with a composition of the invention. Often, a composition of the invention can be used for up to about 21 consecutive days. However, as mentioned above, an advantage of the invention, is that a composition of the invention may be employed for more or less consecutive days than listed above, as desired by the user. In addition, the styling compositions may be employed every other day, or at even greater intervals as desired. If styling compositions of the invention are not employed on consecutive days, use may be made of the consumer's customary non-bleaching styling composition on the days when the bleaching styling composition of the invention is not being used. The longer the styling composition is left in the hair, the more the hair will be highlighted or lightened for a given application. Because the composition is in the form of a foam, rather than a liquid or cream, it is easier for the consumer to keep said foam composition in the hair, because foam tends to stay in place where applied rather than to drip or run like a liquid or cream. Moreover, the foamable peroxide compositions of the invention are safer to use than liquids, lotions or creams which contain peroxide, because the latter compositions can run or drip and thereby get into the eyes, or onto the skin of the face or scalp, where the peroxide can cause pain and injury.

It will also be appreciated that the styling compositions of the invention also have the benefit of styling the hair at the same time as lightening or highlighting the hair. The styling compositions of the invention also have acceptable and very good sensory qualities. They lighten hair; make hair shiny; provide natural-looking and gradual hair highlights; are easy to apply; control how much highlighting the consumer can achieve; enable the consumer to highlight the hair at the places desired; brighten existing highlights; and add shine and body to hair, including darker hair. The styling compositions of the invention also do not leave hair with static, and do not cause flyaway hair, and allow for hair setting, and styling of hair. Compositions of the invention also improve the manageability of hair and help hair to retain a set.

General Procedure for Preparing Styling Compositions of the Invention

Materials and chemicals used in the preparation of the compositions of the invention are either known or can be prepared according to known methods.

Compositions of the invention have ingredients which can fall within the following ranges: (i) about 0. 025% to about 5%, more preferably about 1.0% to about 3%, or more preferably from about 1.0% to about 2% of a styling agent;

(ii) about 0.01 to about 10%, or more preferably about 1 to about 5% of a peroxygen compound, and even more preferably 1.5% to about 2.5%; (iii) about 0.01 to 1.0% of an acid; and (iv) about 0.025% to about 3%, more preferably from about 0.05% to about 2%, of a foaming agent.

The following example shows a composition of the invention. This example is illustrative of compositions of the invention; however, the invention is not limited by this example .

Example

% in the above table means the % of active material in the listed ingredient. Thus, the hydrogen peroxide used in the above composition is 35% active. The above composition is made by the following steps.

1. Add water to a vessel.

2. Add items 2 through 6 and mix. 3. Mix item 7 and 8 separately, and then add to above, and mix until dissolved.

4. Add item 9 to vessel.

5. Add item 10 to vessel and mix until uniform.

Measure pH and make sure it is within specifications and adjust with item 2, if necessary.

Properties and benefits of compositions of the invention

Styling compositions of the invention can used and evaluated by a trained panel of observers and will be found to lighten and highlight hair. The tests are known in the art. Visual and tactile examination of hair swatches by those skilled in the art showed lightening, highlighting style and set retention caused by treating said swatches with compositions of the invention. These and other consumer perceived benefits can be obtained through the use of compositions of the invention. Tests can also show that the compositions of the invention have styling properties, and may have one or more further advantages in that they may give hair stiffness, smoothness, less of a greasy feel, less of a dry feel, less of a coated feel, and less of a flat/limp appearance .

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A leave-in, aqueous, foamable composition deliverable from a foaming device for styling, lightening and highlighting hair which comprises:

(i) a styling agent, (ii) a peroxygen compound, (iii)an acid, and (iv) a foaming agent,

said composition having a pH of about 5 or less.

2. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the pH is from about 2 to about 4.5.

3. A composition according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the peroxygen compound is hydrogen peroxide.

4. A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3 which comprises:

(i) about 0.025% to about 5%, of a styling agent;

(ii) about 0.01 to about 10%, of a peroxygen compound; (iii) about 0.01 to 1.0% an acid; and

(iv) about 0.025% to about 3%, of a foaming agent.

5. A composition according to claim 4 which comprises: (i) about 0.05% to about 2%, of a styling agent; (ii) about 1 to about 3% of a peroxygen compound; (iii) about 0.01 to 1.0% an acid; and (iv) about 0.05% to about 2%, of a foaming agent.

6. A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the styling agent is polyvinylpyrrolidone/vinyl acetate.

7. A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which further comprises ingredients selected from the group consisting of humectants, emollients, inorganic salts, fragrances, hydrotropes, preservatives, water softening agents, acids, bases, and buffers.

8. A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which further comprises hexamethyldisiloxane or cyclomethicone.

9. A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the styling agent is present at about 0.25 to about 5 wt...

10. A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hydrogen peroxide is present at about 0.01 to about 5.0 wt.%.

11. A composition according to claim 10, wherein the hydrogen peroxide is present at about 2 wt.%.

12. A composition according to any one of claims 1 to

11. wherein the acid selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, and citric acid.

13. A method for styling, lightening and highlighting an entire head of hair or a portion of a head of hair which comprises:

applying to said hair a styling, lightening and highlighting effective amount of a composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A method according to claim 13, which comprises:

(i) applying water to said hair; and (ii) applying to said hair a styling, lightening and highlighting effective amount of a composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. A method according to claim 13, which comprises:

(i) applying to said hair a styling, lightening and highlighting effective amount of a composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12, and (ii) applying water to said hair.

16. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, which comprises applying said composition to a portion of a head of hair.