Dispensing Package For Two-part Hair-treating Compositions

Abstract

A package containing a two-part hair or skin treating composition, the parts of which are intended to be mixed immediately before or during dispensing from the package, one part containing hydrogen peroxide and a buffer providing a pH from 2.5 to 6.5, the other part containing alkaline material, the relative amount of acid buffer and alkaline material being such that the pH of the final composition is from 7 to 12 immediately after mixing.

Description

This invention relates to packaged hair or skin-treating compositions and pertains more specifically to a package containing a two-part composition, one part containing hydrogen peroxide, the parts of which are arranged to be mixed immediately before or as they are dispensed from the package.

A variety of peroxide-containing hair and skin-treating compositions must be alkaline in reaction at the time of application to the hair or skin in order to achieve maximum effectiveness. However, because of the instability of aqueous alkaline peroxide solutions, as well as because of the interaction of hydrogen peroxide with other ingredients in most of the compositions, it has been essential to package such compositions so that the ingredients are contained in two separate compartments, one part or component of the composition comprising aqueous acidic hydrogen peroxide, and the other including the alkaline components of the composition. Among such compositions are hair dyes and bleaches, hair lightening agents, hair lightening shampoos or setting compositions, and the like.

There are also various hot hair- or skin-treating compositions such as hot shaving preparation compositions, hot skin cleansers, hot hair conditioning agents, and the like which utilize the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with one or more ingredients of the base composition for generating heat, the reaction usually being carried out in an alkaline medium. Accordingly, in the case of these compositions also the aqueous acidic hydrogen peroxide component is kept in a compartment separate from the other components.

It has been proposed to package such compositions in two compartment containers with or without a pressure propellant for ease and convenience in dispensing, as set forth for example in British Pat. No. 1,125,528 and U.S. Pat. Nos. Frangos 3,272,389, Moses 3,341,418, and Schroeder et al., 3,402,855. In the case of such packages, however, there is a risk of leakage between the compartments. Furthermore, particularly in the case of containers in which the components are separated by a flexible wall of synthetic polymer or plastic such as polyethylene, polypropylene, cellulose acetate or the like, even though leakage is completely eliminated by careful manufacture and inspection procedures, there is a problem of actual permeation of an alkalizing agent or alkaline ingredient through the permeable wall. In addition, in the case of packages in which mixing occurs simultaneously with dispensing of the components, there is a risk of some back flow of components from one compartment to the other through the valving mechanism during the dispensing, particularly at the beginning or end of each dispensing step. While the amount of such back flow during any particular actuation of the dispensing mechanism is quite small, the cumulative amount in the case of repeated actuations of the dispensing mechanism can be sufficient to increase substantially the instability of the peroxide solution component and consequently the risk of its decomposition before all of the contents of the package have been dispensed. Such decomposition, if it extends far enough, not only will render ineffective and useless whatever portion of the components remains unused in the package, but may actually lead to a dangerous increase in pressure within the package or container.

In accordance with the present invention, it is found that despite the necessity for having sufficient alkaline material or alkalizing agent present in the second component of the composition to provide a pH from 7 to 12 in the final composition after mixing of the components, it is possible to improve the stability of the aqueous acidic peroxide composition and decrease the risk of its decomposition by including in it an acid buffer which produces a pH from 2.5 to 6.5. The aqueous acidic peroxide component may contain from 0.5 to 20 percent hydrogen peroxide by weight, and the buffer present in this composition may amount to 0.1 to 8 percent by weight of the total aqueous peroxide component.

Any conventional stabilizer may also be present in the peroxide component such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, acid sulfate salts, pyrophosphates, silicates, stannates, or the like, as well as organic stabilizers such as phenacetin, or the like.

A wide variety of conventional acid buffers can be used in the present invention such as combinations of citric acid with sodium citrate or with disodium phosphate or with mixtures of sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide; combinations of acetic acid with sodium acetate; and potassium acid phthalate either along or in combination with sodium or potassium hydroxide. Potassium acid phthalate alone is the preferred buffer.

The second component of the composition, stored in a compartment separate from the peroxide component, includes an alkalizing agent and whatever other ingredients are needed to complete the desired hair or skin treating composition. The alkalizing agent may include a fixed alkali such as sodium or potassium hydroxide as well as such materials as ammonium hydroxide and various amines including short chain alkanolamines such as monoethanolamine. Any of the conventional ingredients commonly employed in such hair or skin treating compositions may also be present, such as soaps, wetting agents, foaming agents, detergents, dye intermediates and modifiers, germicides and bactericides, hair conditioning and skin conditioning ingredients particularly quaternary ammonium compounds which may act both as germicides or bactericides and conditioners, reactants which generate heat when mixed with the peroxide component, emollients, softeners, thickening agents, setting agents, and other ingredients commonly employed in cosmetic compositions.

The relative proportions of alkaline ingredients in the second component and the acid materials and buffers in the first component must be such that the pH in the final composition after mixing of the components is from 7 to 12 in order to provide optimum results. Despite the requirement for such a large proportion of alkaline ingredients, however, it is found that the presence of the buffer of the present invention in the acidic aqueous peroxide solution is effective to insure against instability of the peroxide component under normal conditions of storage and usage.

The following specific example is intended to illustrate more fully the nature of this invention without acting as a limitation upon its scope.

EXAMPLE 1

A cosmetic bleach base was prepared having the following composition in which the parts are by weight:

Ingredient Parts __________________________________________________________________________ Oleic acid 16.0 Myristic acid 4.0 Octylphenoxy poly- ethoxy ethanol 6.0 Isopropanol 8.0 Ammonia to pH 10.0 Water to 100.0

An aqueous peroxide component was prepared having the following composition in which the parts are by weight:

Ingredient Parts by Weight __________________________________________________________________________ Hydrogen peroxide 6.0 Phenacetin 0.04 Sodium stannate 0.005 Opacifying mixture of surface active agents 4.0 Potassium acid phthalate 2.0 Deionized water to 100.0

This aqueous peroxide solution had a pH of about 4.0.

The two components were placed in a two-compartment package as described in Schroeder et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,855, the outer container being made of glass and inner container of flexible polyethylene. There was placed in the outer container one part by weight of the cosmetic bleach base while in the inner container was placed two parts by weight of the aqueous peroxide solution. When the two components are mixed completely and thoroughly with each other, the pH of the final composition immediately after mixing is about 10.0.

The entire package was subjected to an aging test by storing at room temperature for a period of 3 months. After that time, the pH of the aqueous peroxide component was again measured and found to be 4.4, the composition showing no discoloration and negligible oxygen pressure build-up within the package.

A package identical with the foregoing was prepared except that the potassium acid phthalate ingredient was omitted from the aqueous peroxide solution. After room temperature storage for three months, the pH of the aqueous peroxide component was found to be 9.5, the composition exhibiting considerable discoloration and oxygen pressure build-up within the package.

EXAMPLE 2

A two-part oxidative hair dye composition was prepared, the parts of which had the following composition: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 1 -- Oxidative Dye Base Component __________________________________________________________________________ Ingredient Parts by Weight __________________________________________________________________________ Oleic acid 8.7 Monoethanolamine 5.0 Octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol 6.0 Isopropanol 10.0 P-Phenylene diamine 0.2 Resorcinol 0.05 2,7-Dihydroxynaphthalene 0.5 Water to 100.0 __________________________________________________________________________

The pH of this component was approximately 10. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 2 -- Peroxide Component __________________________________________________________________________ Ingredient Parts by Weight __________________________________________________________________________ Hydrogen peroxide 16.0 Phenacetin 0.04 Sodium stannate 0.005 Potassium acid phthalate 1.0 Deionized water to 100.0 __________________________________________________________________________

The pH of this component was approximately 4.

The two parts of the composition were packaged in the container of Nissen U.S. Pat. No. 3,241,722, there being placed in the outer container 93 parts by weight of the dye base component along with 9.3 parts of a 50/50 mixture of dichlorodifluoromethane and dichlorotetrafluoroethane and 27 parts by weight of the aqueous peroxide solution being placed in the inner container. The flexible wall separating the two compartments was composed of polyethylene. Complete and thorough mixing of the two components produces a final composition having a pH of approximately 10.3 immediately after mixing.

Separate samples of this package were stored for 3 months, one at room temperature, the other at 45.degree. C. to provide accelerated aging conditions. After storage the pH of the aqueous peroxide solution in the first package was approximately 3.7 while that in the second package stored at elevated temperature was approximately 4.3. Effectiveness of the composition for its intended purpose of dyeing hair was virtually unimpaired after such storage at either room temperature or elevated temperature.

Packages identical with the foregoing were prepared except that the potassium acid phthalate ingredient was omitted from the aqueous peroxide solution and the packages were subjected to the same tests. After room temperature storage for three months, the pH of the aqueous peroxide component was 5.5, while after storage at a temperature of 45.degree. C., the pH was 7.9.

EXAMPLE 3

A two-part cosmetic bleaching composition was prepared having the following recipe in which the parts are by weight: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 1

Ingredients Parts __________________________________________________________________________ Oleic acid 8.7 Monoethanolamine 6.7 Isopropanol 1.93 Octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol 1.93 Lauryl alcohol 0.39 Water to 100

The pH of this part was about 10.0. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 2

Ingredients Parts __________________________________________________________________________ Hydrogen peroxide 16.0 Phenacetin 0.04 Sodium stannate 0.0045 Water to 100

The pH of this part was 3.7.

The two parts of this composition were packaged in a two-compartment pressurized package as described in the preceding example, placing 93 grams of Part 1 in the outer container along with 9.3 grams of the propellant mixture used in the preceding example, and placing 27 grams of Part 2 in the inner container.

The dispensing mechanism was then actuated to dispense approximately 5 grams during a period of about 1 second, the pH of the aqueous peroxide solution being measured before and after actuation. The original pH was 3.7, but after actuation the pH was found to have risen to 4.2. The dispensing mechanism was then actuated six times over a period of about three days with an interval between actuations until approximately one half of the total contents had been dispensed. The pH of the aqueous peroxide component was again measured and found to have risen to 7.3.

The same test was carried out under the same conditions except that there was included in the aqueous peroxide solution 1% by weight of potassium acid phthalate based on the weight of the solution. The pH was unchanged after one actuation and increased to about 4 after multiple actuations. When the same test was carried out except that 2 percent by weight of potassium acid phthalate was included in the aqueous peroxide component, the original pH of the solution was virtually unchanged even after the multiple actuations.

Complete mixing of the base component with the aqueous peroxide component produced a composition having a pH of approximately 10.3 immediately after mixing.

Similar results are obtained using other cosmetic bases containing other conventional ingredients employed in such two-part compositions.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing package having two compartments, one compartment containing one part of a two-part hair-treating composition, the other compartment containing the other part of said composition, and means for mixing said parts to dispense said parts together, said one part comprising an aqueous solution containing an alkaline material selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, and short chain alkanolamines, said other part comprising an aqueous solution having a pH from 2.5 to 6.5 containing from 0.5 to 20 percent hydrogen peroxide and from 0.1 to 8 percent buffer by weight, the amount of alkaline material in said first part and the amount of buffer in said other part being such as to provide a pH from 7 to 12 in the two-part composition immediately after mixing.

2. A dispensing package as claimed in claim 1 in which the package contains in addition a pressure propellant.

3. A dispensing package as claimed in claim 1 in which the two compartments are separated by a permeable wall of synthetic polymer.

4. A dispensing package as claimed in claim in which the buffer is potassium acid phthalate.

5. A dispensing package as claimed in claim 2 in which the hair treating composition is an oxidative hair dye composition.

6. A dispensing package as claimed in claim 5 in which the buffer is potassium acid phthalate.

7. A dispensing package as claimed in claim 2 in which the hair treating composition is a hair bleach composition.

8. A dispensing package as claimed in claim 7 in which the buffer is potassium acid phthalate.