US1968475A - Cosmetic composition - Google Patents

Description

y 1934. H. H. BECKWITH ET AL COSMETIC COMPOSITION Filed Jan. 3. 1930 15206727073 ff .BckwcZ/E Harry ma 0. W d

Patented July 31, 1934 UNITED STATES COSMETIC comosmou Hairy H. Beckwlth, Brookline, and Frank Woodrnfl, Quincy, Mama; said Woodruff asllrnor to said Beckwlth Application January 3, mo, Serial at. 418,245 i Claims. (01. 167-92) This invention relates to cosmeticcompositions intended more particularly for facialapplication, such as powders and rouges. One popular form for so-called vanity cases or 6 compacts" consists of powder which is compacted together under such high pressure that it forms a cake, from which the powder may be removed as desired by rubbing with a puff or other applicator. When the powder has become 10 exhausted, it has heretofore been necessary to insert into the case a new powdercake or reflll", which ordinarily includes a metal base. Because of the small capacities of such cases, refilling is quite frequent and expensive. Moreover, it is sometimes difficult, if not impossible, to purchase refills, in the case of vanity cases of odd sizes and shapes, which are often of ornate and expensive construction and become of littleutility after their contents are exhausted.

The composition of the present invention comprises a suitable powder base, which may be marketed in paste-like condition. The composition sets into cake form when exposed to the atmosphere, this cake being of the proper consistency to permit removal of the powder, as desired, by the usual methods. Such a paste composition may be put up in a collapsible container, from which it may be squeezed in desired amount onto the exhausted metal base of a refill, spread out W1 formly on the base, permitted to set thereon into cake form, and the freshly prepared refill inserted into the case from which the base was removed. Or, ordinarily, the paste may be squeezed from the tube directly into the appropriate compartment of the vanity case,ithen spread and allowed to set. Such a composition not only makes possible the reuse of the same metal base in refilling the case, or the introduc- 'tion of the paste directly into the case, but is 40 further advantageous in that it may be purchased in bulk at much lower cost than powder cakes or refills, and maybe used where it is difflcult or impossible to purchase suitable refills.

The composition of the present invention contains an agent which serves to cause caking of the powder to a chalk-like consistency, so that powder may be removed from the cake by light rubbing with the usual puff or pad. We have found glycerine to be especially suitable as the binding or caking agent, since it is colorless, odorless, and non-injurious to the skin, but an equivalent binder may be used which possesses substantially these characteristics. The glycerine should, however, be used in exceedingly small amount, for were it used in excessive amount, the composition would persist in wet condition, not only because of the involatility of the glycerine, but because of its hy'groscopicity. The composition also contains a volatile liquid in amount sumcient to produce the desired initially spreadable, smooth, paste-like consistency, and which is quickly volatilized when the composition is exposed to'the action of the atmosphere, leaving the set composition sufliciently porous, soft, and chalk-like to permit of eminently satisfactory frictional removal of powder therefrom, as with a puff, in a condition appropriate for application to the skin. The glycerine' remains in the composition but, being present'in slight amount, imparts no observablewetness thereto, even after exposure to the atmosphere for an indefinite periodof time. It is possibleto employ various volatile liquids such as fall into the class of organic solvents, but some of these solvents are decidedly more advantageous than others. For example, some organic solvents, such as benzol, toluol, and xylol, are disadvantageous in that they leave residual odors, whereas chloroform and ether have the disadvantages of being anaesthetics and too volatile. Carbon tetrachloride and acetonehave none of these disadvantages, but of these two, carbon tetrachloride is preferable, in that it is non-inflammable and less expensive than acetone. Ethyl alcohol, in. preference to methyl alcohol; is eminently satisfactory in all respects, particularly when used with water, which not only lowers its inflammability but retards its evaporation sufliciently so that no cracks are produced im-the composition during its setting. The ethyl alcohol may be used in suitably denatured condition, in which condition it is inexpensive. For instance, commercial M40 denatured alcohol, which contains only a small volume of acetone and a slight amount of brucine sulphate, maybe employed.

The powder base may comprise the usual cosmetic powders, such as rice, starch, corn, oatmeal, talc, magnesium carbonate, calicum sulphate, zinc oxide, or the like, in a state of immo palpable fineness of particle size. A suitable boquet or perfume may be incorporated into the powder, together with such coloring agents as will give it the desired tint. In order to ensure uniformity in the product, the perfume and color ing agents may be added to and mixed with small portions of a batch of the powder, whereupon these portions may then be added to the batch. The batch may then be mixed and passed through a sieve of the desired mesh. The powder is then 1-10 treated with the liquid mixture to convert it to the desired paste-like condition.

When the powder comprises only inorganic solids such as talc and zinc oxide, a mixture of alcohol, watenand glycerine, consisting of 200 parts by weight of alcohol, 150 parts of water, and 12.5 parts of glycerine has been found suitable for treating the powder and producing a paste such as hereinbefore described. The treatment of the powder may be carried out as follows. Five hundred parts of the powder is placed in a suitable mixer, preferably a two-blade mixer of the Day or Werner and Pfieiderer type, as such a mixer is especially eiiective in causing a uniform distribution of liquid mixture throughout the powder, because of its kneading action. After the mixer is set in operation, the liquid mixture is gradually added in small amounts, so that the liquid is absorbed practically instantaneously by the powder and no free liquid is present during the mixing operation, since otherwise excessive evaporation of the alcohol would take place and it would be diflicult to cause absorption of the liquid by the powder. When approximately 200 parts of the liquid mixture has been added, a paste slightly stiffer than the usual tooth paste is produced, at which point no more liquid mixture should be added. The paste may be kneaded for about fifteen to twenty minutes to ensure a physically homogeneous product. The formula of the resulting composition, neglecting the slight evaporation taking place during the mixing operation, is as follows:

. Per cent Face powder 71.43 Alcohol 15.74 Water 11.83 Glycerin 1.00

Total 100.00

The foregoing formula may be changed somewhat, but in order to ensure the desired still, paste-like consistency, one should not depart from the use of about 185 to 200 parts, or 27% to 30%, of the liquid mixture. So, too, one should not use much above 1% glycerine in order to ensure a product which has the proper setting qualities and which when set is dry to the feel and has a soft, chalk-like consistency, substantially like that of the usual powder cakes or refills. If desired, carbon tetrachloride may be substituted for water in the foregoing formula, as this material tends to prevent cracking of the composition during set ting. The use of carbon tetrachloride in lieu of water is particularly advantageous when the powder contains starch or when coloring agents such as ochre (yellow), erythrosine (pink), or ponceau (red) have been incorporated into the powder, as

carbon tetrachloride does not combine with starch and is a non-solvent of these coloring agents and accordingly when evaporated does not tend to carry them to the surface. A composition such as described may be put up in various kinds of closed containers, but it lends itself admirably to confinement in collapsible tubes, as of tin or aluminum foil, from which it may be squeezed in desired amount, whereupon the tube may be closed with the usual cap to prevent escape of the volatile constituents and the setting of the composition in the tube.

On the accompanying drawing, Figures 1, 2, and 3 are intended to illustrate the successive steps in applying the composition to the metal base of an exhausted refill.

As shown in Figure 1, the vanity case or commoans pact in which the powder cake is used is of circular form and comprises a lid or cover 1 and a dished bottom 2 adapted to receive a powder refill including a dished metal plate 3. It may, however, be of any irregular or ornamental form. When the powder supply is exhausted, the plate may be removed from the case and, as shown in Figure 2, the composition of the present invention may be squeezed thereonto from a collapsible tube 4 filled therewith. After an ample supply of composition has been deposited on the plate, it may be tamped down with the thumb or fingers, and as shown in Figure 3, smoothed oil with a spoon, spatula or stick, or other suitable instrument to lie flush with the edge of the plate. The layer of paste is smoothed, ordinarily, to have a concavity adequate to receive the pad, between the formed cake and the lid or coverofthe case. When the filled plate is set aside for a suitable period of time, for instance over night, the composition sets into a solid cake of chalk-like consistency substantially free from any odor of the volatile liquid originally present therein and otherwise analogous to powders which have been caked by the use of high pressures.

One of the many advantages o by the paste, to which we have already referred but which we desire to emphasize, is that it may be used to fill and refill vanity cases or other receptacles, without the necessity of having the usual supporting plate, as at 3. Irrespective-of the shape, design, or ornamentation of the case or receptacle, the paste may be placed in the appropriate compartment of the desired thickness, by an unskilled person. Even if the surface, after the cake is set, is left rough. due to inexpertness of the user, a few applications of the usual pad removes the surface inequalities and leaves a smooth surface.

When the powder or rouge is initially reduced to the desired particle size, and is formed into a paste as herein described, the binder or caking agent does not cause such adhesion of the particles as to prevent their being removed from the surface of the cake, substantially as freely and as an impalpable powder, as in the case of the compacted powder cakes or refills.

I We claim:

1. A paste-like composition capable of setting when exposed to the atmosphere into a solid of chalk-like consistency, comprising a physically homogeneous mixture of a cosmetic powder base, a caking agent, and volatile, organic liquid in amount suiiicient to wet the powder particles and to impart quick-setting and pore-forming tendencies to said composition.

2. A spreadable cosmetic composition capable of setting when exposed to the atmosphere into powder base, a small amoimt of glycerine, and

suflicient alcohol to wet the powder particles and to give the composition a paste-like consistency as well as quick-seting and pore-forming tend-' encies.

4. A spreadable cosmetic composition capable of setting when exposed to the atmosphere into a proximately the following proportions powder base, a volatile-liquid containing largely an organic liquid morevvolatile than water and imparting quick-setting and pore-forming tendencies to said composition, and glycerine, in ap- Percent Cosmetic'powder 71.43 Volatile liqu 27.57 Glycerine 1.00

HARRY H. BECKWITH. FRANK O. WOODRUFF.

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