COSMETIC COMPOSITION
The invention at issue refers to a new cosmetic composition, in which peat is one of the components The composition according to the invention can be used for cosmetic facemasks for the face, neck and scalp
In Finland, as for example in Germany and Austria, peat has been used through the ages as a raw material in different areas Within the cosmetic area, it has mostly been used mixed with water (1/3 water and 2/3 peat) for treatments given at spas, by hairdressers and by cosmetologists in care for either the whole body, or for the scalp Often, peat and mud, which are also used in facemasks, are mixed together In this context, it might be useful to emphasise the fact that peat is not derived from the bottom of the sea, but is the result of the decaying of the forest
The possibilities of using peat at home are limited due to the fact that the use of the peat-water mixture is messy and untidy Depending on the time and place of the peat winning, the peat is often quite microbiologically impure, and many peat-water mixtures on the market do not fulfil the microbiological demands stipulated in the cosmetic legislation Furthermore, peat is a very acidic substance, which means that it is aggressive and irritating to the skin
The patents DE 195 23 459 and EP 800 819 refer to skin and hair care products that contain homogenised peat A mixture containing triethanolamine as a moistening component is also described However, triethanolamine neutralises the acids in the peat and thereby diminishes the peat's advantageous influences
According to the invention, the necessary components in the mixture are peat and betaine, the latter of which moisturises the skin and protects it from the irritation caused by the contained acids The peat that is used in the composition is finely ground, which also makes it more suitable for cosmetic purposes and increases the product's efficiency The peat that is used in the composition has to have such a microbiological purity that the composition as such fulfils the demands on microbiological purity stipulated in the cosmetic legislation Preferably, the composition contains 5-30 weight-% peat A more preferred alternative is 20-30 weight-%, or even 20-25 weight-% Preferably the peat should be sedge or moss peat, or a mixture of the two
In the description, as in the claims, betaine refers to a compound with the chemical name trimethylglycine or trimethylammonium acetate Betaine has a moisturising function in the composition In addition, the joint effect of peat and betaine is beneficial to the skin, since peat cleanses and brightens the skin and betaine both moisturises and protects it against possible irritations caused by the peat However, betaine does not neutralise the humic acids in the peat These acids are important for the activity and function of the peat The peat- betaine mixture also retains heat, as well as moisture in the skin, while at the same time intensifying skincare Betaine also improves the dispersion of the peat and increases the stability of the emulsion Preferably, the composition contains 3-15 weight-%>, and even more preferably, 4-10 weight-% or 4-6 weight-% betaine
It is also possible to add an additional moisturising component to the composition Suitable substances that both moisturise and soften the skin are glycerol, sorbitol, xylitol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol and pentylene glycol These substances can either be used on their own or in combination
According to the invention, the carrier in the composition can, for example, be an oil-water emulsion or an alcohol-water mixture Depending on the carrier, the composition can either be in the form of a cream, that stays soft and elastic on the skin, or one that dries into the form of a film on the skin and is then torn off In the description, as in the claims, the term oil-water emulsion refers to an emulsion that can be of the type oil-in- water emulsion, water-in-oil emulsion, water-oil-water emulsion or micro emulsion
According to the invention, the composition, to a certain extent and dependant on the carrier, can additionally contain one or more approved additives within the cosmetic field For example, preservatives, thickeners and other further suitable ingredients including substances that lighten and/or soften the skin, as well as perfume and colour substances Suitable preservatives are, for example, parabenes, phenoxy ethanol, imidazolidinyl urea and methyldibromoglutaronitrile These preservatives can be used on their own or in combination Any thickener that is suitable within the cosmetic area can be used, as long as it is compatible with the other components in the composition Examples including xanthan rubber and hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, Sclerotium gum, Chondrus Crispus, polyacrylates, polyacrylatic amides and magnesium aluminium silicates can be mentioned
The thickeners can be used on their own or in combination Substances suitable for lightening the skin or improving the bleaching are, for example, liquorice extract, arbutin, kojic acid as well as extracts from birch bark that contains betuline and betulinic acid as active substances Substances suitable for lightening the skin or improving the bleaching can be used on their own or combined with each other
When using an oil-water emulsion carrier, one or more emulsifiers is needed, i e a compound that disperses and stabilises the oil in the water Suitable emulsifiers are all non-ionic emulsifiers that are approved according to the cosmetic legislation For example, glyceryl stearate, PEG-5 glyceryl stearate, PEG- 100 stearate, hydrogenated lecithin and PEG-8 beeswax, as well as a mixture of fatty glucosides, for example, ceteraryl, cocoyl or myristyl glucosides, and fatty alcohols, for example, cetearyl, cetyl, stearyl or myristyl alcohols
In an oil-water emulsion, betaine does not only have moisturising effect but also improves the viscosity of the emulsion, and in that way also improves its consistency Furthermore, it improves the dispersion of the peat in the emulsion and the stability of the emulsion itself
Ordinary kaolin based cleansing masks dry when used and are difficult to remove, whereas a composition according to the invention, combined with an oil-water emulsion carrier, stays soft and elastic on the skin during the whole treatment and is therefore easy to remove by, for example, rinsing with water
To the alcohol-water carrier, it is also possible to add one or more polymer components that are approved within the cosmetic field For example, polyvinyl alcohol, ethoxylated fatty alcohols, vinyl caprolactam/polyvinyl pyrrolidon (PVP)/copolymers of dimethyl- aminoethylmethacrylate, PVP, PVP/copolymers of dimethyl-aminoethylmethacrylate or copolymers of acrylate octyl acryl amide
A composition according to the invention, combined with an alcohol-water mixture carrier, forms a film that dries on the skin and can be torn off after the treatment In this form, it can also be used locally as a plaster, for example, on the nose, forehead and/or the chin (the so-called T-area of the face), or on any area of the face
The composition according to the invention is intended for the cleansing, moisturising, softening, roughness reduction, smoothing and calming of the skin It is also intended for the lightening and bleaching of the skin It can also have an immune stabilising effect. Combined with an oil-water emulsion carrier, the composition can also be used as a mask for treatment of the scalp The composition simplifies mechanical cleansing of the skin, when spots and other impurities are removed
The invention will be clarified with the use of the following example
Example 1
Ready-to-use composition in cream form
Weight-%
Water 33-44
Peat 20-25
Kaolin 10-14
Polydecene (Nexbase, Fortum) 8-12
Glyceryl stearate (Cutina GMS-V, Henkel) 4-6
Betaine (Cultor) 4-6
PEG-100 stearate (Simulsol 165, Seppic) 2-5
Titanium dioxide (Kemira) 2-4
Butylene glycol 1-2
Xanthan rubber (Satiaxane, Bio-sanofi) 0.2-0.3
Rosmarinus Officinalis 0.05
Phenoxy ethanol (Nipa Laboratories) Methyl paraben (Nipa Laboratories) Buthyl paraben (Nipa Laboratories) Ethyl paraben (Nipa Laboratories) Propyl paraben (Nipa Laboratories) Clycyrrhiza glabra (liquorice extract) Perfume
Polydecene, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate and part of the phenoxy ethanol, methyl, buthyl, ethyl and propyl paraben are mixed and heated to 80 degrees Centigrade (portion A) Water, betaine, xanthan rubber and part of the the phenoxy ethanol, methyl, buthyl, ethyl and propyl paraben are dissolved into each other and heated to 80 degrees Centigrade, at which point the mixture is added to portion A through homogenisation for a duration of 2 minutes After the homogenisation, the mixture is cooled to below 60 degrees Centigrade while stirred The peat is added and the mixture is homogenised for 2-5 minutes Kaolin, titanium oxide and butylene glycol are each added separately during stirring The mixture is cooled to below 40 degrees Centigrade while stirred, and finally Rosmarinus Officinalis, liquorice extract and perfume are added