US3715942A

US3715942A - Liquid shaving composition and method of shaving

Info

Publication number: US3715942A
Authority: US
Inventors: D Courtney
Original assignee: ICI Americas Inc
Current assignee: Zeneca Inc
Priority date: 1968-05-31
Filing date: 1968-05-31
Publication date: 1973-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1990-02-13

Abstract

LIQUID SHAVING COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING LIQUID, NONIONIC SURFACTANT AND HAVING AN HLB FROM 1 TO 9 AND A VISCOSITY FROM 0.1 TO 50 STOKES AT 25*C. METHOD OF SHAVING WHICH COMPRISES WETTING THE PORTION OF THE SKIN TO BE SHAVED, APPLYING A LIQUID SHAVING COMPOSITION OF THIS INVENTION ONTO THE CUTTING EDGE OF A RAZOR TO PROVIDE A THIN LAYER THEREON, AND ADVANCING THE CUTTING EDGE OF THE RAZOR OVER THE DAMPENED SURFACE OF THE SKIN TO SEVER THE HAIR FIBERS.

Description

United States Patent 3,715,942 LIQUID SHAVING COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF SHAVING Donald L. Courtney, Wilmington, Del., asslgnor to ICI America Inc., Wilmington, Del. No Drawing. Filed May 31, 1968, Ser. No. 733,327

Int. Cl. A61k 7/14 US. or. 83-22 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Liquid shaving compositions comprising liquid, nonionic surfactant and having an HLB from 1 to 9 and a viscosity from 0.1 to 50 stokes at 25 C. Method of shaving which comprises wetting the portion of the kin to be shaved, applying a liquid shaving compositionof this invention onto the cutting edge of a razor to provide a thin layer thereon, and advancing the cutting edge of the razor over the dampened surface of the skin to sever the hair fibers.

This invention relates to new and improved methods of shaving and to shaving compositions for use with razor and blade in shaving face, legs, underarms, or other portions of the body from which it may be desirable to remove hair. I

The term HLB as used throughout the specification and appended claims represents the hydrophile-lipophile balance of a surfactant as determined by the method set forth in the Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, vol. 1, pages 311-326 (1949).

It is an object of this invention to provide shaving compositions which have improved shaving properties. It is another object of this invention to provide shaving compositions which have superior lubricating properties to minimize razor drag and the resultant irritation which can be caused by this means. It is another object of this invention to provide a shaving composition which will deposit a protective layer on the area shaved to enhance the protective action of skin oils. It is another object of this invention to provide a shaving composition which acts to protect the razor blade between uses by providing a coating thereon. It is another object of this invention to provide a shaving composition which may be applied directly to the edge of the cutting blade. It is another object of this invention to provide shaving compositions which give a close, comfortable, rapid, convenient shave. It is another object of this invention to provide an improved method of shaving. These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by the shaving compositions and method of shaving therewith set forth in detail in the following description and appended claims.

The liquid shaving compositions of this invention comprise liquid, nonionic surfactant and have an HLB value from L to 9 and a viscosity from 0.1 to 50 stokes at 25 C- The liquid nonionic surfactant may be 1) any liquid, nonionic surfactant which has an HLB value from 1 to 9 and a viscosity from 0.1 to 50 stokes at 25 C. or (2) a mixture of one or more liquid, nonionic surfactant with one or more other liquid, nonionic surfactant wherein the particular surfactants and amounts of each surfactant are chosen so that the resulting mixture of surfactants has an HLB value from 1 to 9 and a viscosity from 0.1 to 50 stokes at 25 C. When two or more surfactants are combined or blended, the HLB values are additive in behavior. Thus, if four parts of a surfactant having an HLB value of is blended with 1 part of a surfactant having an HLB value of 15, the resulting blend will have an HLB value of four-fifths of 5 plus one-fifth of 15, that is four plus three or 7.The amount of liquid, nonionic surfactant present in the shaving composition may vary from 40% to by weight.

Illustrative examples of nonionic surfactants which m y be used in the liquid shaving compositions of this invention include propylene glycol esters of fatty acids having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, for example, propylene glycol monooleate and propylene glycol monolaurate; esters of hexitans and fatty acids having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, for example, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan trioleate, and sorbitan sesquioleate; esters of glycerine and fatty acids having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, for example, glycerol monooleate, glycerol d1- oleate, and glycerol trioleate; polyoxyethylene ethers of partial hexitan esters of fatty acids having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, for example,

polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxyethylene (4) sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxyethylene(20)sorbitan monopalmitate, polyoxyethylene 20) sorbitan monostearate, polyoxyethylene(20) sorbitan monooleate, polyoxyethylene(5 sorbitan monooleate, and polyoxyethylene(20)sorbitan trioleate; polyoxyethylene ethers of fatty alcohols having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, for example, polyoxyethylene(4)lauryl ether, polyoxyethylene l0 oleyl ether, polyoxyethylene (2 oleyl ether, polyoxyethylene 12) tridecyl ether, polyoxyethylene (4 isohexadecyl ether, polyoxyethylene( 15 )isohexadecyl ether, and polyoxyethylene(6)isohexadecyl ether;

polyoxyethylene esters of fatty acids having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, for example, polyoxyethylene(2)1aurate and polyoxyethylene(8)laurate; and fatty acid esters of polyoxyethylene ethers of hexitols, for example, polyoxyethylene (40)sorbitol septaoleate. The monoesters referred to above also include the commercially available monoesters which may contain minor amounts of higher esters. For example, the term glycerol monooleate, as used throughout the specification and appended claims, includes the commercially available glycerol monooleates which may contain minor amounts of glycerol dioleate and minor amounts of glycerol trioleate.

The preferred liquid nonionic surfactant is a mixture of a glycerol mono ester of a fatty acid having from 10 to 24 carbon atoms and a polyoxyethylene ether of a partial sorbitan ester of fatty acid, said ether containing from 2 to 25 oxyethylene groups and said fatty acid having from 10 to 24 carbon atoms. Illustrative examples of fatty acids having from 10 to 24 carbon atoms include capric acid, lauric acid, lauroleic acid, myristic acid, myristoleic acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, margaric acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, ricinoleic acid, dihydroxystearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, and lignoceric acid. The preferred glycerol mono ester is glycerol monooleate, and the preferred polyoxyethylene ether is polyoxyethylene(20) sorbitan monolaurate.

While the only essential ingredient of the liquid shaving compositions of this invention is liquid nonionic surfactant, the shaving compositions of this invention may contain up to 15% by weight water and up to 25% by weight of an alcohol selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, ethanol, and isopropanol. The water and alcohol improve the shaving properties and lower the freezing point of the shaving compositions.

The shaving compositions of this invention may also contain various additaments such as hexachlorophene, menthol, perfumes, lanolin, mineral oil, colors, petrolaturn, carboxymethylcellulose, emulsifiers, vitamins, hexadecyl alcohol, isopropyl myristate, allantoin, and carboxy vinyl polymers. The amount of additarnents present in the shaving composition will depend upon the particular additaments used. For example, hexachlorophene and vitamins are employed in very small amounts, such as less than 1% by weight, whereas the amount of mineral oil used may be 50% by Weight.

following examples of liquid shaving compositions are given. These examples are set forth solely for the purpose of illustration and any specific enumeration of details contained therein should not be interpreted as expressing limitations of this invention. All parts and percentages are by weight, unless otherwise stated.

Ingredient Example number, percent HLB 1 Viscosity 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Glycerol monooleate Sorbitan monolaurate. Sorbitan monooleate Sorbitan trioleate. Sorbitan sesquioleate Polyoxyethylene (2) oleyl ethe Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate Spice perfume 2 Viscosity of ingredient at 25 C. in stokes.

Shaving tests were conducted on each of the foregoing shaving compositions by each member of a ten man shaving panel. Each shave was conducted by wetting the face with water, applying the shaving composition to the cutting edge of a razor, and advancing the cutting edge of the razor over the dampened surface of the face. The shaving composition gave a close, comfortable, convenient, rapid shave.

Additional formulations of shaving compositions which give close, comfortable, convenient, rapid shaves are shown in Examples 10-16.

Example number, percent Vis- Ingredient HLB 1 cosity 2 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Glycerol monooleate 2. 8 73. 9 90 60 62. 2 3S. 9 Sorbitan monolaurate. 8. 6 Sorbitan monooleate. 4. 3 19 Sorbitan trioleate 1. 8 2. 7 Polyoxyethylene(2)oleyl ether 4. 9 0, 3 Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitol monolaurate. l6. 7 3, 3 Polyoxyethylene(20) sorbitol monopalmitate 15. 6 5. O Polyoxyethylene(20)sc rbitol monostearate. 14. 9 5. 5 Polyoxyethylene(2(Dscrbitol monooleate. 15. 0 4. 2 Polyoxyethylene (8) laurate 12. 8 0.8 Po1yoxyethylene(4)lauryl ether- 9. 7 I 0. 3 Polyoxyethylene(l0)oleyl ether--. 12. 4

Mineral oil l HLB of ingredient. 2 Viscosity of ingredient at assisting compositions of this invention, there may be mentioned those compositions which comprise a mixture of the following ingredients in the following amounts:

(a') 60% to 90% by weight of a glycerol mono ester of a fatty acid having from 10 to 24 carbon atoms;

(a") 20% to 2% by weight of a polyoxyethylene ether of an ester of sorbitan and fatty acid, said ether containing from 2 to 25 oxyethylene groups and said fatty acid containing from 10 to 24 carbon atoms;

(b) 2% to 25 by weight of an alcohol selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, ethanol, and isopropanol; and

(0) 1% to 15% by weight of water.

A still more preferred group of liquid shaving assisting compositions of this invention is those which comprise:

(a') 76% to 80% by weight of glycerol monooleate;

(a") 6% to 9% by weight of polyoxyethylene(20)sorbitan monolaurate;

(b) 8% to 11% by weight of propylene glycol; and

(c) 5% to 8% by weight of water.

The liquid shaving assisting compositions of this invention may be prepared in any desired manner such as by merely mixing the ingredients together and stirring to form a homogeneous mixture.

In order that those skilled in the art may better understand how the present invention may be practiced, the

C. in stokes.

The liquid shaving compositions of this invention may be used in the same way as shaving compositions known prior to this invention. For example, the liquid shaving compositions of this invention may be applied to the skin, alone or in conjunction with conventional shaving compositions, by patting or rubbing on with the hand or fingers, or by rolling on with a mechanical roller, or by spraying on from a pressurized container. It has been found, however, that a greatly improved shaving opera tion can be achieved by wetting the portion of the skin to be shaved with water, applying a liquid shaving assisting composition of this invention onto the cutting edge of a razor blade to provide a thin layer thereon, and advancing the cutting edge of the razor blade over the dampened surface of the skin to sever the hair fibers. The preferred method of shaving comprises washing the face with soap and water, removing the soap but leaving the face wet, applying conventional shaving cream or lather to the face, applying a liquid shaving composition of this invention onto the cutting edge of a razor blade and onto the head of the razor to provide a thin layer thereon, and advancing the cutting edge of the razor blade over the face to sever the hair fibers.

Although this invention has been described with reference to specific chemical materials, it will be apparent that still other different and equivalent chemical materials may be substituted for those described, all within the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. A liquid shaving assisting composition which has an HLB value from 1 to 9 and a viscosity from 0.1 to 50 stokes at 25 C. and which comprises a mixture of 60% to 97% by weight of liquid, nonionic surfactant having an HLB value from 1 to 9 and a viscosity from 0.1 to 50 stokes at 25 C.; 2% to 25% by weight of an alcohol selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, ethanol, and isopropanol; and 1% to 15% by weight of water.

2. A liquid shaving assisting composition of cla'm 1 wherein said nonionic surfactant is a blend of nonionic surfactants.

3. A liquid shaving assisting composition of claim 2 which comprises a mixture of 90% to 60% by weight of a glycerol mono ester of a fatty acid having from to 24 carbon atoms and 20% to 2% by weight of a polyoxyethylene ether of a sorbitan fatty acid partial ester, said ether containing from 2 to 25 oxyethylene groups and said last mentioned fatty acid having from 10 to 24 carbon atoms.

4. A liquid shaving assisting composition of claim 3 which comprises a mixture of 76% to 80% by weight of glycerol monooleate, 6% to 9% by weight of polyoxyethylene(20)sorbitan monolaurate, 8% to 11% by weight of propylene glycol, and 5% to 8% by weight of water.

5. A method of shaving which comprises wetting the portion of the skin to be shaved with water, applying liquid nonionic surfactant having an HLB value from 1 to 9 and a viscosity from 0.1 to 50 stokes at 25 C. onto the cutting edge of a razor to provide a thin layer thereon, and advancing the cutting edge of the razor over the dampened surface of the skin to sever the hair fibers.

6. A method of shaving which comprises wetting the portion of the skin to be shaved with water, applying the liquid shaving assisting composition of claim 1 onto the cutting edge of a razor to provide a thin layer thereon, and advancing the cutting edge of the razor over the dampened surface of the skin to sever the hair fibers.

7. A method of shaving which comprises wetting the portion of the skin to be shaved with Water, applying the liquid shaving assisting composition of claim 2 onto the cutting edge of a razor to provide a thin layer thereon, and advancing the cutting edge of the razor over the dampened surface of the skin to sever the hair fibers.

8. A method of shaving which comprises wetting the portion of the skin to be shaved with water, applying the liquid shaving assisting composition of claim 3 onto the cutting edge of a razor to provide a thin layer thereon, and advancing the cutting edge of the razor over the dampened surface of the skin to sever the hair fibers.

9. A method of shaving which comprises wetting the portion of the skin to be shaved with water, applying the liquid shaving assisting composition of claim 4 onto the cutting edge of a razor to provide a thin layer thereon, and advancing the cutting edge of the razor over the dampened surface of the skin to sever the hair fibers.

10. A method of shaving which comprises washing the face with soap and water, removing the soap but leaving the face wet, applying shaving lather to the face, applying liquid nonionic surfactant having an HLB value from 1 to 9 and a viscosity from 0.1 to stokes at 25 C. onto the cutting edge of a razor to provide a thin layer thereon, and advancing the cutting edge of the razor over the face to sever the hair fibers.

11. A liquid shaving assisting composition of claim 1 wherein said non-ionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol esters of fatty acids having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, esters of hexitans and fatty acids having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, esters of glycerine and fatty acids having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, polyoxyethylene ethers of partial esters of hexitan and fatty acids having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, polyoxyethylene ethers of fatty alcohols having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, polyoxyethylene esters of fatty acids having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, fatty acid esters of polyoxyethylene ethers of hexitols, and mixtures thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,292,417 8/1942 Wetherbee 42473 3,136,696 6/1964 Harrison 42473 3,488,287 1/1970 Seglin et a1. 42473 OTHER REFERENCES Schwartz et a1. (Surface-Active Agents, vol. I, Interscience Pub., Inc., NY.) 1949, p. 229 and 517.

ALBERT T. MEYERS, Primary Examiner F. E. WADDELL, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 42473