Cosmetic cooling composition

The present invention relates to a cosmetic composition having a cooling effect, particularly a clear gel.

A cosmetic cooling composition is known from EP 988852, which consists of menthol, isopulegol, 3-(menthoxy)propane-1,2-diol, p-menthane-3,8-diol and vanillyl butyl ether. The composition is said to have a good cooling effect and, in addition, a long-lasting effect. A comparative test indicates a long-lasting effect of up to 90 minutes. WO 03/007909 describes the cooling effect of methyl palmitate as “long-lasting” without specifying a period of time. U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,974 discloses a mixture of menthyl lactate, isopulegol and menthoxypropanediol as a long-lasting cooling mixture, describing cooling times of 30 minutes in the example.

The object of the invention is to provide a cooling composition, preferably a cooling gel or a spray, which has a long-lasting cooling effect of at least 120 minutes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cooling composition, preferably a clear gel or a spray, whose cooling effect last for up to 8 hours.

According to the invention, the composition comprises a cooling complex consisting of 0.05-0.15% Menthyl Lactate, 0.1-0.2% Menthyl PCA and 0.05-0.2% Ethyl Menthane Carboxamide, and a remainder up to 100% of further cosmetic auxiliaries, active agents or mixtures thereof, wherein all percentages are in % by weight relative to the composition's total weight.

Menthyl PCA is the INCI name of menthol which has been esterified with pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA).

In a first preferred embodiment of the invention the composition is a clear gel. The gel comprises the cooling complex consisting of 0.05-0.15% Menthyl Lactate, 0.1-0.2% Menthyl PCA and 0.05-0.2% Ethyl Menthane Carboxamide, and additionally at least 7-25% of a silicone oil or silicone oil mixture, 10-35% of an alcohol or alcohol mixture and 5-20% water.

A silicone oil mixture according to the invention advantageously consists of 5-15% of a volatile silicone oil such as Cyclopentasiloxane, 0.1-1% of a polymethyl siloxane such as Dimethicone and 2-7% of a silicone oil which has been derivatised with polyethylene/polypropylene glycol such as PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone.

The alcohol mixture preferably consists of a monovalent and a polyvalent alcohol. Preferably, an alcohol mixture is used which contains 5-20% of the monovalent alcohol and 5-15% of the polyvalent alcohol. A preferred monovalent alcohol is ethanol and a preferred polyvalent alcohol is glycerine, propylene glycol or butylene glycol.

Further cosmetic active agents which may be added to the gel include e.g. organic sunscreens, scavengers, moisturizers, vitamins, enzymes, plant-based active agents, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory natural active agents and asymmetric lamellar aggregates loaded with oxygen according to WO 94/00109, provided they do not impair the gel's clarity.

Another preferred cosmetic active agent contained in the cosmetic cooling composition, preferably in the gel, is an antiperspirant, such as aluminium chlorohydroxide, aluminium zirconium chlorohydroxide (Aluminium Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex GLY), among others.

The gel according to the invention further contains cosmetic auxiliaries and carriers as they are commonly used in such preparations, e.g. preservatives, colourants, thickeners, fragrances, polar and non-polar oils, polymers, copolymers, emulsifiers, stabilizers, provided they do not impair the gel's clarity.

Another embodiment relates to the use of a cooling complex consisting of 0.05 to 0.15% Menthyl Lactate, 0.1 to 0.2% Menthyl PCA and 0.05 to 0.2% Ethyl Menthane Carboxamide for applying on a human skin as a cosmetic clear gel or spray together with a remainder up to 100% of further cosmetic auxiliaries, active agents or mixtures thereof, wherein all percentages are in % by weight relative to the gel's or spray's total weight.

Examples of thickeners are e.g. silicone resins or gums.

Examples of oils are e.g. esters and hydrocarbons.

Suitable esters are Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate/Tridecyl Trimellitate/Tridecyl Stearate/Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate Dicaprate, Propylene Glycol Dioctanoate 5, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate 2,30 Dicaprate, Tridecyl Stearate/neopentyl glycol dicaprylate dicaprate/tridecyl trimellitate, Neopentyl Glycol Dioctanoate, Isopropyl Myristate, Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Trimethylpropane Triisostearate.

Examples of emulsifiers are e.g. ethoxylated and/or propoxylated fatty alcohols and fatty acids, e.g. of C 8 -C 22 fatty alcohols and of C 12 -C 22 fatty acids.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the composition is a cooling spray, preferred a deodorant spray and comprises the above mentioned cooling complex and 30-75% of a monovalent alcohol, 0-2% of a multivalent alcohol and 20-65% of propellants.

Said propellants are e.g. one or more hydrofluorocarbons in the range of 20-35% or one or more C 3 -C 5 alkanes in the range of 45-65%.

The deodorant spray comprises preferably up to 0.01% by weight 4-(butoxymethyl)-2-methoxyphenol as a further cooling agent.

Further embodiments of the present invention can be prepared on basis of water, e.g. 80-95% (all are % by weight), as a gel and with addition of crosspolymers, or on basis of propylene glycol (PG), e.g. 60-80% PG, or as a water-based body wash with 30-45% water and 20-60% wash active substances such as laureth sulfates, betains etc., or as decorative cosmetics e.g. eye shadow with 85-95% water, 0.2-1.5% glycerine, 1-5% PVP (polyvinyl pyrrolidone) and 1-5% polyacrylates, or as a lip gloss with 30-50% water, 0.5-12% wax and polyethylene, respectively, and other usual auxiliaries such as e.g. Versagel ME1600, all of them together with the cooling complex of the invention.

Surprisingly, it has been found that a complex of the aforementioned menthane derivatives, each of which has a certain cooling effect, even if used alone, has a particularly long-lasting cooling effect of up to 8 hours if it is combined with the other substantial components of the complex in a cosmetic composition. Particularly preferred are clear gels, and especially those clear gels containing a total of menthane derivatives not exceeding 0.5% by weight, especially those containing not more than 0.3% by weight, wherein Menthyl PCA does not make up more than 0.25% by weight, preferred 0.15% by weight. It is particularly preferred that Menthyl Lactate be contained in an amount of ≦0.1% by weight, all percentages being relative to the gel's total weight.

The gel according to the invention has a cooling effect lasting for at least 2 hours, particularly for 3-6 hours and particularly preferred for up to 8 hours. This has been confirmed by means of tests.

The invention will now be explained in more detail by means of examples. All percentages are in % by weight unless indicated otherwise.