U.S. patent number 3,863,654 [Application Number 05/323,423] was granted by the patent office on 1975-02-04 for cosmetic applicator.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Societe Anonyme dite: L'Oreal. Invention is credited to Jean Boulogne, Bruno P. Morane.
United States Patent |
3,863,654 |
Morane , et al. |
February 4, 1975 |
COSMETIC APPLICATOR
Abstract
Cosmetic applicator comprises stick having one end covered by an
absorbent material coated with a cosmetic material. The absorbent
material may be coated with a wax before the cosmetic is applied
thereto.
Inventors: |
Morane; Bruno P. (Paris,
FR), Boulogne; Jean (L Hay Les Roses, FR) |
Assignee: |
Societe Anonyme dite: L'Oreal
(Paris, FR)
|
Family
ID: |
26216844 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/323,423 |
Filed: |
January 15, 1973 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jan 18, 1972 [FR] |
|
|
72.01515 |
Dec 11, 1972 [FR] |
|
|
72.44054 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
132/320 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61Q
1/04 (20130101); A61Q 1/10 (20130101); A61K
8/02 (20130101); A45D 40/26 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A45D
40/26 (20060101); A61K 8/02 (20060101); A61Q
1/10 (20060101); A61Q 1/04 (20060101); A61Q
1/02 (20060101); A45d 040/26 () |
Field of
Search: |
;132/88.7,88.5,90,91,92,93 ;206/56 ;15/140.3 ;128/269 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McNeill; G. E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brisebois & Kruger
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Cosmetic applicator comprising a flat strip of stiff material,
one end of which is encircled by a thin layer of absorbent material
adhesively secured thereto and having a substantially constant
thickness, said layer being covered by a hard coating of lip
rouge,
and comprising a thin coating of wax between said absorbent
material and said lip rouge.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Certain cosmetic products, and particularly lip rouge, are
conventionally packaged in the form of molded sticks which must
have sufficient strength to permit the user to apply them to the
skin or the mucous membrane without crushing the stick. This
necessity requires that formulas be used which, at ordinary
temperatures, have a sufficiently stiff consistency to permit their
being removed from the mold at the time of manufacture on the one
hand, and, on the other hand, to be applied to the skin and/or the
mucous membrane without deforming. It is also known that certain
cosmetic products come in the form of powders which may be
compacted, and must, in order to be applied, be transported from
the container to the point of application by means of an accessory
such as a brush, a puff, or a tissue.
It is the purpose of the present invention to permit a cosmetic
product to be applied regardless of the physical state of the
product, that is to say, whether liquid, pasty, solid, or powdered,
without it being necessary for the user to utilize any indepenent
accessory for transporting the cosmetic product from its container
to the skin or mucous membrane over which it is to be spread.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide as
a new article of manufacture a cosmetic stick comprising a rigid or
semi-rigid material characterized by the fact that at least one end
of the stiick is coated with a carrier on which a cosmetic product
has been deposited.
In a first embodiment of the invention the carrier consists only of
a supporting material formed by a layer of fibers, which are
preferably absorbent, or of absorbent foam. In a second embodiment,
the carrier consists of the layer of supporting material covered by
a coating material on which the cosmetic product is deposited.
In the first embodiment the supporting material may advantageously
consist of, for example of woven or unwoven cotton fibers. The
supporting material may also advantageously consist of absorbent
foam, such as polyurethane foam. The absorbent support is then
formed from a thin sheet of flexible plastic foam which is
adhesively attached to the end of the stick. The supporting
material may also be produced by flocking, that is to say by
projecting independent fibers onto an adhesive zone on the stick.
The fibers attached by flocking are synthetic textile fibers such
as nylon. The flocked fibers have a diameter ranging from 0.5 to 5
denier. The length of the segments of fibers used is from between
0.2 and 1 millimeter. The fibers are projected by a spray gun. The
supporting material is attached to the end of the stick over a
length of about 5 to 20 millimeters. In the second embodiment the
supporting material may advantageously be covered with a hard wax
in which it is dipped and on which the cosmetic product is
subsequently deposited.
It is clear that the stick according to the invention makes it
possible to use cosmetics which, up to the present, could not be
used except with an accessory for transferring them from their
container to the skin. In particular in the case of lip rouge, it
is well known that it is highly desirable to be able to use
unctuous formulations which are very agreeable to the lips but have
the disadvantage of being extremely fluid. Their fluidity at
ordinary temperatures practically prevents their sale in the form
of a stick, since the removal of such sticks from a mold is
practically impossible and the stick would be so soft that the user
could not apply it conveniently. The use of a stick according to
the invention makes such a procedure possible without difficulty.
In effect, the unctuous lip rouge is secured to the supporting
material at the end of the stick. The lip rouge may form a layer
which completely covers said supporting material. The necessary
rigidity during use is provided by the stick itself and the
retention of the product on the stick is assured by the layer of
supporting material, regardless of whether this material is a
fibrous material or a foam, and partially or totally covered with
hard wax.
It will thus be seen that the stick according to the invention
makes it possible to use lip rouges having, at ordinary
temperatures, the consistency of a soft paste. Moreover, for rouges
intended for dry lips, that is to say having a hard consistency,
the use of the stick according to the invention is equally
advantageous. In effect, the supporting material at the end of the
stick has sufficient flexibility to insure that the application of
this end to the lips of the user does not disintegrate the layer of
the cosmetic product deposited on the end of the stick. On the
contrary, the disintegration of a hard cosmetic would have been
particularly significant if said product had been directly
deposited on the end of a rigid support.
It is clear that the cosmetic stick according to the invention may
be utilized not only for applying lip rouges, but also for applying
any other cosmetic product such, for example, as face powders, and
eye shadow. When the products to be deposited on the absorbent
material of the stick are in pulverulent form, the powder is
suspended in an appropriate liquid and the supporting material
carried by the end of the stick is dipped into this suspension. The
liquid is then evaporated from the suspension and the absorbent
material is thus impregnated with face powder.
In the particular case in which, according to the invention, a
supporting material is used which consists of flocked fibers, it
should be noted that the attachment of these fibers to the stick is
accomplished in a particularly simple and economic manner. For this
purpose, the end of the stick is dipped in an adhesive solution
such as a solution of gum arabic for example, and a gaseous jet
containing segments of fibers is projected with a spray gun against
the zone which has been dipped. These fibers are attached to the
support and constitute a layer of fibers serving the purpose of the
absorbent material.
It should also be noted that the tendency of the users of a
lipstick according to the invention would be to use the stick until
practically all the cosmetic product which it supports has been
consumed. Under these conditions, at the end of the consumption of
the cosmetic product the supporting material may itself come in
contact with the skin of lips of the user, which could produce a
relatively disagreeable sensation if the supporting material
consisted solely of a fibrous material or a plastic foam material.
In order to avoid this disadvantage, it has been suggested that a
coating be deposited on this supporting material. This coating may
consist, for example, of hard wax, and at least partically cover
the supporting material. The layer of hard wax then permits the
retention of the cosmetic itself, which is subsequently deposited
thereon. When the cosmetic product has been totally consumed, the
skin or the lips of the user come in contact with the hard wax,
which continues to adhere to the fibrous or foam material support,
but has no cosmetic properties. The contact with this wax is in no
way disagreeable to the user and the advantageous properties of the
cosmetic stick according to the invention are thus improved.
In order that the object of the invention may be better understood,
several embodiments thereof will now be described, purely by way of
illustration and example, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, on which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing the end of a stick
according to the invention carrying cotton fibers covered with lip
rouge;
FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view through the end of a stick
according to the invention carrying a layer of polyurethane foam
impregnated with eye shadow;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the end of a stick according
to the invention with the layer of cosmetic product partially
broken away to show the layer of supporting material consisting of
flocked fibers; and
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along the line IV--IV of
FIG. 3.
Referring now to the drawings, and more especially to FIG. 1, it
will be seen that reference numeral 1 indicates a wooden stick, the
end 1a of which is covered by cotton fibers 2 adhesively secured to
said end. The stick 1 has a diameter of about 3 millimeters and the
end 1a carries about 15 milligrams of cotton fibers. The fibers 2
have been dipped for a second in a molten lip rouge, said lip rouge
corresponding, for example, to one of the formulations which will
be hereinafter set forth. After having drawn the end of the stick
from the bath of molten lip rouge, the lip rouge absorbed by the
fibers 2 is permitted to cool. This produces a lipstick according
to the invention which may be used on the lips by rubbing the
impregnated fibers 2 along said lips.
FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the stick according to the
invention. In this embodiment the stick 10 is made of stiff
cardboard and has a diameter of about 3 millimeters. The end 10a of
the stick 10 is covered by a thin sheet 20 of flexible polyurethane
foam wound about the stick and completely covering the end 10a. The
foam 20 is soaked in a suspension of eye shadow corresponding, for
example, to the formula which will be hereinafter set forth. The
layer of foam covers the end 10a of the stick and has a thickness
of between about 1 and about 2 millimeters. The end is dipped for
about 1 or 2 seconds. The liquid of the suspension is then
evaporated and the result is a cosmetic stick which may be used to
coat the eyelids by brushing the impregnated foam 20 over said
eyelids.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be seen that reference
numeral 30 indicates a strip of polystyrene about 1 millimeter
thick and about 7 millimeters long, the width being about 10
millimeters. The width of the end 10a of the strip 30 decreases
near the end of the stick.
Over a length of about 10 millimeters the end 30a is dipped in a
bath consisting of a solution of gum arabic. A jet of air
containing fibers of a synthetic textile fiber, e.g., nylon, is
then sprayed against the end 30a which has thus been rendered
adhesive. This procedure is conventionally known as "flocking." The
fibers utilized are 2 denier fibers cut to a length of 0.5
millimeters. About 20 milligrams of fibers are attached to each end
30a. One the drawing the layer of fibers is indicated by reference
numeral 31.
The end 30a is covered with fibers 31 is then dipped in a bath of
the coating product and then, after cooling, in a lip rouge formula
liquefied at a temperature of 80.degree.C. This produces the
coating indicated by reference numeral 32 on the drawing. Several
examples of cosmetic formulas which may be utilized to impregnate
the ends of sticks according to the invention will now be
given:
EXAMPLE 1
A wooden stick is used, the end of which is coated with 15
milligrams of hydrophilic cottom fibers. The absorbent end of the
stick is dipped for at least one second in a lip rouge formulation
corresponding to the following specification, liquefied at a
temperature of 70.degree.C. The formulation includes perfume and
coloring agents in addition to the listed ingredients.
______________________________________ Ceresin 30 % Candelilla wax
12 % Microcrystalline wax 10 % Anhydrous lanolin 22.99% Isopropyl
lanolate 10 % Vaseline oil 10 % Oleic alcohol 5 %
Hydroxy-butyl-toluene 0.01%
______________________________________
The impregnated end of the stick is an excellent means for applying
rouge to the lips. The rough utilized is of the hard type which
does not crack on the end of the stick.
EXAMPLE 2
A wooden stick is used, the end of which is coated with 15
milligrams of hydrophylic cotton fiber. The absorbent end of the
stick is dipped for less than one second in a lip rouge formula
corresponding to the following specification, heated to a
temperature of 75.degree.C. Perfume and coloring agents are also
included in this formula.
______________________________________ Cersin 22 % Vaseline oil
33.99% Ricin oil 20 % Oleic alcohol 10 % Liquid lanolin 14 %
Hydroxy-butyl-toluene 0.01%
______________________________________
The impregnated end of the stick provides an excellent means for
applying rouge to the lips. The lip rouge used is of the normal
type and does not crack on the end of the stick.
EXAMPLE 3
A stick is used which is of the type shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and
hereinbefore described in detail. The end 30a is dipped in a bath
of hard wax heated to about 95.degree.C. This wax has a melting
point of about 85.degree.C. The dipping lasts for about 1 second.
After cooling, the end 30a is then dipped in a lip rouge formula
liquefied by heating to a temperature of 89.degree.C. The dipping
lasts for about one second. The lip rouge formula comprises perfume
and coloring agents in addition to the following constituents:
______________________________________ Ceresin 10 % Oleic alcohol
15 % Ricin oil 59.99% Isopropyl lanolate 10 % Liquid lanolin 5 %
Hydroxy-butyl-toluene 0.01%
______________________________________
The impregnated end of the stick is well adapted to cosmetically
treat the lips. The lip rouge used is of the soft type, but it is
perfectly retained on the stick by the fibers of the layer 31 and
on the wax which covers the layer. When the user has exhausted the
quantity of lip rouge on the end 30, her lips come in contact with
the hard wax so that no disagreeable impression occurs.
EXAMPLE 4
A wooden stick is used having an end coated with 15 milligrams of
hydrophilic fiber. The absorbent end of the stick is dipped for
less than one second in a lip rouge formula corresponding to the
specification given below and heated to a temperature of
80.degree.C. In addition to the listed constituents this formula
includes perfume and coloring agents.
______________________________________ Hydrogenated lanolin 10 %
Vaseline oil 40 % Oleic alcohol 19.99% Lanolin 10 % Hydrogenated
palm oil 10 % Ricinoleate 10 % Hydroxy-butyl-toluene 0.01%
______________________________________
The impregnated end of the stick is well adapted to the application
of rouge to the lips. The rouge used is of the fluid type but it is
perfectly retained on the stick by the cotton fibers.
EXAMPLE 5
A wooden stick is used, the end of which is coated with 15
milligrams of hydrophilic cotton fibers. The absorbent end of the
stick is dipped for less than one second into a lip rouge formula
corresponding to the following specification, heated to a
temperature of 75.degree.C. This formula includes perfume and
coloring agents in addition to those specified below:
Copolymer of vinyl acetate and allyl stearate 24 % Hydrogenated
vegetable oil 6 % Lanolin 8 % Soy bean Lecithin 10 % Cocoa butter 5
% Vaseline oil 46.99% Hydroxy-butyl-toluene 0.01%
The impregnated end of the stick is well adapted to the application
of rouge to the lips. The rouge used is of the fluid type but is
prefectly retained on the stick by the cotton fibers.
EXAMPLE 6
The stick consists of a wooden stick, one end of which is covered
with a layer of folded polyurethane foam (50 milligrams of foam).
The absorbent end of the stick is dipped in a liquid suspension
containing 35% of preparation A below and 65% of preparation B
below. Perfume and coloring agents are also included in these
preparations.
PREPARATION A ______________________________________ Talc 55%
Magnesium carbonate 10% Kaolin 4% Wheat starch 20% Zinc stearate 5%
Zinc oxide 5% Titanium oxide 1%
______________________________________
PREPARATION B ______________________________________ Demineralized
water 99.7% polyvinyl alcohol 0.1% Methyl paraoxybenzoate 0.2%
______________________________________
This results in a stick which may be advantageously used for
applying cosmetics, the end of the stick being, after drying, a
support for a make-up powder. The powder is perfectly retained on
the absorbent end of the stick.
It will, of course, be appreciated that the embodiments which have
been described have been given purely by way of illustration and
example and can be modified as to detail without thereby departing
from the basic principles of the invention.
* * * * *