Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K8/00—Cosmetics or similar toiletry preparations
  • A61K8/18—Cosmetics or similar toiletry preparations characterised by the composition
  • A61K8/96—Cosmetics or similar toiletry preparations characterised by the composition containing materials, or derivatives thereof of undetermined constitution
  • A61K8/98—Cosmetics or similar toiletry preparations characterised by the composition containing materials, or derivatives thereof of undetermined constitution of animal origin
  • A61K8/987—Cosmetics or similar toiletry preparations characterised by the composition containing materials, or derivatives thereof of undetermined constitution of animal origin of species other than mammals or birds
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K8/00—Cosmetics or similar toiletry preparations
  • A61K8/18—Cosmetics or similar toiletry preparations characterised by the composition
  • A61K8/96—Cosmetics or similar toiletry preparations characterised by the composition containing materials, or derivatives thereof of undetermined constitution
  • A61K8/98—Cosmetics or similar toiletry preparations characterised by the composition containing materials, or derivatives thereof of undetermined constitution of animal origin
  • A61K8/981—Cosmetics or similar toiletry preparations characterised by the composition containing materials, or derivatives thereof of undetermined constitution of animal origin of mammals or bird
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61Q—SPECIFIC USE OF COSMETICS OR SIMILAR TOILETRY PREPARATIONS
  • A61Q3/00—Manicure or pedicure preparations
  • A61Q3/02—Nail coatings

Definitions

• the present invention relates to improvements in the field of nail care products.
• this invention relates to cosmetic compositions for improving the structure of nails.
• the nails of mammals are composed of epidermis transparent cells called corneocyte cells, which are produced at the root of the nail. These cells join together to form a solid and continuous surface on the back of the terminal phalanges.
• Each nail adheres intimately to the underlying support that forms the bed of the nail.
• the visible part of the nail is called the body of the nail.
• the hidden part is called the root.
• the propagation of the corneocyte cells in the root ensures nail growth.
• the new cells go through a transformation in the solid layers and dry until they form a solid plate.
• the nail permanently receives continuous additions of cells at the level of its bed, which push the bed beyond the extremity of the phalange. Keratin fibrils present inside the corneocyte cells, as well as the intercellular cements present, bring rigidity and flexibility to the nails.
• nails which are brittle and friable eventually break, split or crack due to mechanical shocks.
• the nails may also be degraded in the presence of aggressive chemical agents, particularly those present in household products. Nails degradation may also be a secondary effect of the ageing process. Degradation of nails can be very painful, unpleasant and unsightly, and permit to foreign bodies to cause infection to the nails. Numerous approaches have been investigated in order to improve the resistance of the nails to different aggressions of mechanical, thermal, chemical or temporal nature by hardening or strengthening them.
• compositions based on chemical products such as synthetic gums of an acrylic polymer film, varnishes based on nitrocellulose combined with inert glass fibers and other hardening agents have been proposed respectively in U.S. patents Nos.
• compositions may have an hardening or strengthening action on the nails, they do not allow one to improve the structure of the nails. If any one of these compositions is applied to fragile or soft nails, harder nails may be obtained, but the latter will still have a tendency to crack and break.
• compositions comprising synthetic active agents such as moisturizing, antimicrobial or antifungal agents have been extensively proposed.
• U.S. patent No. 6,517,863 discloses compositions and methods for improving durability and hardness of the nail body. The compositions increase the durability of the nails by forming a protective layer of hydroxyapatite or other calcium phosphate mineral on the nail.
• Such compositions includes synthetic and inorganic bioactive glasses as active agents. These inorganic glass materials are bound to the nails and comprise a plurality of synthetic chemicals products.
• U.S. patent No. 5,645,823 discloses an aqueous solution for restoring and maintaining the compositional balance of normal, healthy keratinous tissue and their adjacent structures.
• the latter composition comprises a plurality of synthetic compounds used as antimicrobial or active agents
• U.S. patent No. 4,919,920 discloses compositions and methods for reinforcing and hardening mammals keratinized appendages, wherein fluoride ions in an aqueous cosmetic carrier are topically applied. The utilization of fluoride ions increases both the hardness and the resistance of the nail. However, this method presents the drawback of generating in situ acidity.
• U.S. patent No. 5,478,551 also discloses the use of fluoride ions for strengthening nails.
• a non-aqueous organic composition containing ammonium hexafluorophosphate is used to provide an effective amount of fluoride ions to the nail body. In the latter two cases, harmful acidic by-products can potentially be formed.
• compositions may prevent brittleness of the nails, they all comprise synthetic chemicals as main active agents, in respect of which long term and/or secondary effects are still not completely known.
• synthetic chemicals as main active agents, in respect of which long term and/or secondary effects are still not completely known.
• the trend has been to avoid synthetic products as much as possible and replace them by natural or organic products.
• functional food, neutraceuticals and natural cosmetic products represents a good example of this trend.
• People are now more aware of the fact that frequent or long term consumption or utilization of certain chemicals may have negative and side effects on human health. Since many of these chemicals are quite recent, the long term effects are often unknown.
• natural or organic products have been extensively used as active agents in pharmaceutical or cosmetic products.
• U.S. patent No. 5,667,768 discloses nail care compositions comprising an organic solution or dispersion of at least one natural active agent.
• the use of such compositions is tedious since they must be applied 2 to 3 times per week for at least 8 weeks in order to provide encouraging results.
• compositions for improving the structure of nails which comprise as main active ingredient a natural active agent.
• a nail cosmetic composition comprising a source of calcium in powder form and a cosmetically acceptable carrier therefor, the source of calcium being selected from the group consisting of pearl, ivory, seashell and mixtures thereof.
• a nail cosmetic composition comprising an active agent and a cosmetically acceptable carrier therefor, the improvement wherein the active agent is selected from the group consisting of pearl powder, ivory powder, seashell powder and mixtures thereof.
• a nail enamel composition comprising:
• a nail enamel composition comprising an active agent, a film former and an organic solvent, the improvement wherein the active agent is selected from the group consisting of pearl powder, ivory powder, seashell powder and mixtures thereof.
• a method of treating nails comprising the step of applying to the nails a nail cosmetic composition or a nail enamel composition according to the invention.
• a method of treating nails comprising the step of applying to the nails at least one layer of a nail cosmetic composition or a nail enamel composition according to the invention.
• an active agent for improving structure of nails comprising a source of calcium in powder form, the source of calcium being selected from the group consisting of pearl, ivory, seashell and mixtures thereof.
• the treated nails have an improved structure.
• Nails treated with the compositions of the present invention are strengthened, and the risks of breaking, splitting and cracking are thus considerably reduced.
• the treated nails have a healthy appearance and their growth rate is increased.
• compositions of the invention can potentially contain few synthetic products, the main active agents used, such as pearl powder, ivory powder or seashell powder, are natural and mild, and are thus not detrimental to the user's health.
• a source of calcium refers to pearl, ivory and seashell. Pearl and seashell comprise calcium carbonate and ivory comprises calcium phosphate.
• the term "ivory” as used herein refers to ivory of an animal source.
• the animal can be an elephant, a mammoth, a walrus, a warthog, a hippo, a sperm whale or a narwhale.
• the animal is a mammoth or an elephant and, more preferably, the animal is a mammoth.
• pearl powder refers to a natural pearl powder which is a source of calcium and more particularly calcium carbonate.
• the pearl powder is obtained by grinding a pearl originally contained inside the shell of a mollusk.
• the expression "seashell powder” as used herein refers to a powder obtained by grinding the shell of mollusks.
• Such a powder preferably comprises nacre, which is also referred to as mother of pearl, amber poria pearl, concha margarita, marine calcium, or concha margaritaferae.
• Nacre a highly ordered microlaminate composite of crystals and biopolymers, is found in the iridescent inner layer of mollusk shells. Its biomaterials comprise calcium carbonate in a matrix of proteins and glycoproteins.
• sustained release agent refers to a thixotropic agent or a rheological agent.
• nitrocellulose viscosity refers to the necessary time for a ball to fall to a given depth in nitrocellulose.
• percentage of nitrocellulose optionally present in the compositions of the invention is given on a dry basis.
• the source of calcium in powder form used in the compositions of the invention can be present in an amount of at least 0.5 % by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.
• the amount of calcium source is comprised between 1.0 and 30.0 % by weight, and more preferably between 2.0 and 10.0 % by weight.
• Use is preferably made of pearl powder.
• the cosmetically acceptable carrier can be present in an amount of 20 to 97 % by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.
• the amount of cosmetically acceptable carrier is comprised between 75 and 95 % by weight.
• the cosmetically acceptable carrier can be selected from the group consisting of a cream, a foam, a gel, a solution, a nail varnish composition, a nail enamel composition, a nail glue, a nail resin and a spray.
• the cosmetically acceptable carrier is a cream, a gel or a solution.
• the cosmetically acceptable carrier can also be selected from the group consisting of a nail enamel composition, a nail glue, a nail varnish composition and a nail resin.
• the source of calcium in powder form is preferably suspended in the cosmetically acceptable carrier.
• the film former can be present in an amount of 10 to 60 % by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.
• the amount of film former is comprised between 15 and 40 % by weight, and more preferably between 20 and 30 % by weight.
• film formers include but are not limited to acrylate esters, acrylate polymers, acrylate copolymers, acrylate terpolymers, cellulose acetates, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, ethyl cellulose, methacrylate esters, methacrylate polymers, methacrylate copolymers, methacrylate terpolymers, nitrocellulose, polycarbonates, polyester resins, polyurethanes, polyvinylbutyral, polyvinyl acetates, polyvinyl acetate phthalates, a tosylamide epoxy resin, a tosylamide formaldehyde resin and mixtures thereof.
• the film former is selected from the group consisting of nitrocellulose, a tosylamide epoxy resin, a tosylamide formaldehyde resin and mixtures thereof.
• the film former preferably comprises a primary film former and a secondary resin.
• the primary film former can be selected from the group consisting of acrylate esters, acrylate polymers, acrylate copolymers, acrylate terpolymers, cellulose acetates, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, ethyl cellulose, methacrylate esters, methacrylate polymers, methacrylate copolymers, methacrylate terpolymers, nitrocellulose and mixtures thereof.
• the primary film former is nitrocellulose.
• the secondary resin can be selected from the group consisting of polyester resins, polyvinylbutyral, polyvinyl acetates, polyvinyl acetate phthalates, a tosylamide epoxy resin, a tosylamide formaldehyde resin and mixtures thereof.
• the secondary resin is selected from the group consisting of a tosylamide epoxy resin, a tosylamide formaldehyde resin and a mixture thereof.
• the organic solvent can be present in an amount of 30 to 90 % by weight, preferably 45 to 80 % by weight and more preferably 50 to 75 % by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.
• organic solvents include but are not limited to abietyl alcohol, acetone, benzyl alcohol, butanol, f-butanol, butoxyethanol, butoxypropanol, n-butyl acetate, sec-butyl acetate, 1 ,4-butylene, butylene glycol, cyclopentane, cyclohexane, diethylene glycol, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethyl ketone, dihydroxyacetone, ethanol, ethyl acetate, glycol, heptane, hexane, isobutyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, methanol, methoxy ethoxy ethanol, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl acetate, methyl isobutyl ketone, propan-1-ol, propan- 2-ol, n-propyl acetate, pentane, propylene glycol, propylene glycol monomethyl
• the organic solvent is n-butyl acetate, ethyl acetate or a mixture thereof.
• the source of calcium in powder form can be suspended in a mixture of the film former and the organic solvent.
• the nail enamel compositions of the invention can further comprise a plasticizer.
• the plasticizer can be present in an amount of 1 to 25 % by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.
• the amount of plasticizer is comprised between 2 and 20 % by weight, and more preferably between 5 and 15 % by weight.
• plasticizers include but are not limited to benzyl benzoate, butyl acetylricinoleate, butyl glycolate, butyl stearate, camphor, citrate esters, diamyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, dibutyl tartrate, dioctyl phthalate, di-2- ethylhexyl phthalate, diisononyl phthalate, di-2-ethylhexyl adipate, diisononyl adipate, dimethoxyethyl phthalate, glycerol triacetate, glyceryl acetylricinoleate, methoxypolyethylene glycol, octyl palmitate, polyethylene glycol, propylene carbonate, propylene glycol, t butoxyethyl phosphate, tributyl phosphate, tricresyl phosphate, trioctyl trimellitate, triphen
• the source of calcium in powder form can be suspended in a mixture of the film former, the organic solvent and the plasticizer.
• the nail enamel compositions of the invention can further comprise a suspending agent.
• the suspending agent can be present in an amount of 0.10 to 15.00 % by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.
• the amount of the suspending agent is comprised between 0.25 and 10.00 % by weight, and more preferably between 0.50 and 5.00 % by weight.
• the suspending agent can be selected from the group consisting of attapulgite, bentonite, hectohte and mixtures thereof.
• the suspending agent is bentonite and more preferably stearalkonium bentonite.
• compositions of the invention can also comprise an additive such antibacterial agents, antifungal agents, botanical extracts, fragrances, moisturizers, preservatives, UV filters, proteins, stabilizers, vitamins or mixtures thereof.
• the active agents and compositions according to the invention can be used for preventing friability of nails, improving the structure of nails, providing an increased growth rate of nails and/or increasing the thickness of nails.
• compositions of the invention are preferably capable of protecting, hardening and/or embellishing the nails.
• the composition can be applied to the nails at least once a week for a period of at least 2 weeks.
• the composition is applied to the nails at least once a week for a period of at least 3 weeks and more preferably for a period of at least 5 weeks.
• the composition can be applied to the nails at least once a week for a period of at least 2 weeks.
• the composition is applied to the nails at least once a week for a period of at least 3 weeks and more preferably for a period of at least 5 weeks.
• the previously applied layer is removed by applying to the nails a nail polish remover.
• the nail cosmetic compositions and nail enamel compositions of the present invention can be prepared by simply mixing together the cosmetic ingredients described hereinabove by stirring.
• the cosmetic ingredients are added one by one to form the composition and, after each addition, the mixture is stirred so as to be homogenized. Examples of satisfactory equipment and how to use it are readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art of nail care products.
• the nail enamel compositions of Examples 1 and 2 were tested so as to determine their efficacy for improving the structure of nails.
• grades 1 to 3 correspond to nails which are extremely thin and peeling; such nails are usually filed using a 400 or 600 grit file and are considered extremely weak nails; grades 4 to 6 correspond to nails of weak to medium quality, which are regularly broken; such nails are usually filed using a 300 grit file and are considered weak to average nails; - grades 7 and 8 correspond to nails of good quality, which are rarely broken; such nails are usually filed using a 200 grit file and are considered good nails; and grades 9 and 10 correspond to very thick and strong nails; such nails are usually filed using a 120 grit file and are considered excellent nails.
• the four test subjects selected were between the ages of 20 and 50 and had different grades of nails.
• the nails of test subjects 1 , 2 and 3 were treated with the nail enamel composition of Example 1 and the nails of test subject 4 were treated with the nail enamel composition of Example 2.
• Test subject 1 had extremely thin and brittle nails prior to treatment with the nail enamel composition of Example 1.
• the nails were of grade 1 and had first been filed with a 600 grit file.
• the subject's nails were cleansed using a nail polish remover and then, two layers of the nail enamel composition were applied to the nails.
• two new layers of the composition were applied each week.
• the nails Prior to applying a new layer, the nails were filed and the previously-applied layer was removed using a nail remover.
• considerable improvements of the nails were noticed.
• the nails were of grade 2, thicker and peeling was no longer observed.
• the nails improved from grade 1 to grade 3 and a 400 grit file was necessary to file the nails.
• Test subject 2 had good quality nails, but the nails of both hands were of a different quality i.e. the nails of the right hand were of grade 7 and the nails of the left hand were of grade 6. The nails of both hands of test subject 2 were filed with a 200 grit file. The same procedure as described for test subject 1 was applied to the nails of test subject 2, with the exception that each week, only one layer of the nail enamel composition of Example 1 was applied instead of two, in view of the quality of the nails. During the second week, substantial improvements of the nails were noticed. The right hand nails were of grade 8 and the left hand nails were of grade 7. After five weeks of treatment, the nails of both hands were longer and of the same quality, and an increased growth rate was observed. The nails of both hands became nails of grade 9 and a 120 grit file was now more appropriate to file the nails.
• Test subject 3 had weak and short nails of grade 2, which were very brittle and of uneven length. Prior to applying the nail enamel composition of Example 1 , the nails were filed with a 400 grit file. The nails of test subject 3 were treated according to the same procedure as described for test subject 1. During the third week, the nails were of grade 3; they were longer and of similar length. After five weeks, the quality of the nails increased to grade 4 for certain nails and to grade 5 for other nails, and they all needed to be filed with a coarser grit such as a 300 grit file.
• Test Subject 4 had grade 5 nails of average thickness prior to treatment with the nail enamel composition of Example 2. The nails were first filed with a 300 grit file prior to applying the composition. The same procedure as described for test subject 2 was applied to the nails of test subject 4, with the exception that nail enamel composition of Example 2 was applied instead of the nail enamel composition of Example 1. During the second week, the quality of the nails increased to grade 6 and, after five weeks, outstanding improvement in nail quality was observed. In particular, the nails were longer and their growth rate was greater. During the five-week treatment, the quality of the nails increased from grade 5 to grade 8 and, at the end, a 200 grit file was thus more appropriate to file them.
• the treatment using the compositions of the invention can be advantageously continued for more than five weeks and that by doing so, a user will still improve the quality of the nails. It should also be understood that by applying the compositions of the invention more than once or twice a week, the improvement in the quality of the nails can be obtained more rapidly.
• the treatment of test subject 1 was extended to seven weeks. In the sixth week, two new layers were applied and few days later, an additional layer was applied without removing the two layers previously applied. In the seventh week, the quality of the nails reached grade 4.
• the compositions of the invention can be applied to the nails by a professional nail technician or by the customer.

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• 2003
  • 2003-05-12 AU AU2003223809A patent/AU2003223809A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-05-12 JP JP2004502957A patent/JP4268123B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-05-12 EP EP03720060A patent/EP1526829A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-05-12 WO PCT/CA2003/000699 patent/WO2003094870A1/en active Application Filing

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