GB2330773A

GB2330773A - A skin-moisturising preparation containing an anti-bacterial agent

Info

Publication number: GB2330773A
Application number: GB9823883A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Atulkumar Sumanbhai Patel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-10-31
Filing date: 1998-10-30
Publication date: 1999-05-05
Anticipated expiration: 2018-10-30
Also published as: GB9823883D0; GB9723068D0; GB2330773B

Abstract

A preparation for use as a dry skin moisturiser and/or in the treatment of dry skin conditions, such as eczema, comprises (i) white soft paraffin (12-16%, all % given by weight); (ii) a liquid paraffin (4-8%); (iii) emulsifying ointment (4-9%); (iv) lanolin ointment (1-3%) and (v) an anti-bacterial agent. The anti-bacterial agent is preferably one of chlorocresol, phenoxyethanol, phenol or, most preferably, benzalkonium chloride. The emulsifying ointment is preferably prepared from a mixture of 30% emulsifying wax, 50% white soft paraffin and 20% liquid paraffin. The preparation may he used directly as a skin moisturiser or it may be added to various other cosmetic preparations, such as lipsticks, foundations and cleansing, hand, body or night creams to which it imparts moisturising properties. The preparation may be used as an ointment or it may be combined with an aqueous cream base to form a cream. A suitable aqueous cream base comprises 1 % phenoxyethanol, 30% and 69% purified water.

Description

A SRIN~-MOISTURISING PREPARATION This invention relates to a skin-moisturising preparation. The skin-moisturising preparation may be a cream, a lotion, a bath oil or a facial wash.

Skin-moisturising preparations are well known. The known skin-moisturising preparations are usually satisfactory for normal skin but they are often not satisfactory for dry skin and dry skin conditions, for example excema, where persons may experience itchiness as a result of the dry skin or dry skin conditions.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a skin-moisturising preparation which can be used on both normal skin and dry skin, and which is effective on dry skin to stop itchiness associated with the dry skin and dry skin conditions.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a skinmoisturising preparation comprising the following ingredients: (i) white soft paraffin; (ii) a liquid paraffin; (iii) emulsifying ointment; (iv) lanolin ointment; and (v) an anti-bacterial agent.

The ingredients (i) - (v) may be mixed in any suitable and appropriate base to give the required form of the skinmoisturising preparation, for example a cream, a lotion, a bath oil or a facial wash. Depending upon the type of base, the skin-moisturising preparation can be formed as a solid, a semi-solid, a gel, a cream or a liquid.

The skin-moisturising preparation may be one in which the ingredients (i) (iv) are present in the following proportions by weight: (i) white soft paraffin 12 - 16%; (ii) a liquid paraffin 4 - ; (iii) emulsifying ointment 4 - 9%; and (iv) lanolin ointment 1 - 3%.

Preferably, the ingredients (i) (iv) are present in the following proportions by weight: (i) white soft paraffin 14W ; (ii) a liquid paraffin 6%; (iii) emulsifying ointment 6W ; and (iv) lanolin ointment 1%.

The skin-moisturising preparation of the present invention may be sold in jars, tubes, bottles or any other suitable and appropriate containers. As indicated above, the skin-moisturising preparation is especially useful for moisturising dry skin and for treating dry skin conditions, although it may be used for moisturising all types of skin.

The liquid paraffin may be that known as liquid paraffin or that known as light liquid paraffin. The light liquid paraffin has a lower kinematic viscosity than the liquid paraffin.

Any suitable and appropriate emulsifying ointment may be used in the skin-moisturising cream. An example of a suitable emulsifying ointment is an emulsifying ointment containing 30% emulsifying wax, 50k white soft paraffin and 20% liquid paraffin, all percentages being by weight.

The skin-moisturising preparation may include an aqueous cream base, the skin-moisturising preparation then being in the form of a cream. With the cream, the benzalkonium chloride will usually be in solution. For other types of the skin-moisturising preparation, the benzalkonium chloride may be in solution or not, as may be suitable and appropriate. An example of a suitable aqueous cream base is a cream containing 30% emulsifying ointment, 1% phenoxyethanol and 69% purified water, all percentages being by weight.

The purpose of the anti-bacterial agent is to prevent or inhibit the growth of bacteria in the skin-moisturising preparation. A presently preferred anti-bacterial agent is benzalkonium chloride. Examples of other anti-bacterial agents that may be used are liquefied phenol, phenoxyethanol and chlorocresol.

The amount of the anti-bacterial agent used is normally not critical. The amount used will depend on the precise type of anti-bacterial agent being used. When the anti-bacterial agent is benzalkonium chloride, then the benzalkonium chloride is preferably present with the above mentioned preferred ingredient proportions as 0.02% by weight.

The skin-moisturing preparation may be used on its own. In this case, the skin-moisturising preparation will normally be sold simply as a skin-moisturing preparation in an appropriate container. The skin-moisturising preparation may also be used in other products. Thus, for example, the skin-moisturising preparation may be used in cosmetic products or in baby products. Examples of cosmetic products are lipsticks, foundations, cleansing creams, hand creams, body creams and night creams.

Examples of baby products are various types of baby creams.

When the skin-moisturising preparation is included in another product, then the other product will normally be sold under its usual name of, for example, a lipstick, a foundation or a baby cream. The skin-moisturising preparation will be in the other product and it will improve the skin-moisturing function of the other product.

In order to ensure that the invention is fully understood, reference will now be made to the following Examples.

EXAMPLE I A skin-moisturising preparation in the form of a skinmoisturising cream was prepared from 14% white soft paraffin, 6% liquid paraffin, 6% emulsifying ointment, 1% lanolin ointment, and 0.02% benzalkonium chloride solution in an aqueous cream base, all percentages being percentages by weight. The benzalkonium chloride was used as a preservative. The aqueous cream base contained 30% emulsifying ointment, 1% phenoxyethanol and 69% purified water, all percentages being by weight. The emulsifying ointment contained 30% emulsifying wax, 50 white soft paraffin and 20% liquid paraffin, all percentages being by weight. The skin-moisturising cream was prepared by adding the stated ingredients to the aqueous cream base and then mixing everything thoroughly together. The resulting skinmoisturising cream was then placed in containers in the form of jars for use.

The skin-moisturising cream was given to five patients who had dry itchy skin. The patients were told to apply the skin-moisturising cream three times a day for a period of one month. At the end of the one month period, all the five patients were found to have skin that was moist, and the itchiness had stopped.

EXAMPLE II Eight doctors took part in a blind trial using the skin-moisturising cream of Example I, and a selection of known available skin-moisturising creams. The doctors themselves preferred the skin-moisturising cream of Example I.

The doctors then chose patients from their surgeries, the patients having dry skin conditions. The patients were treated with the skin-moisturising cream of Example 1. The dry skin was treated three times a day for a period of one month. The patients reported that they preferred the skinmoisturising cream of Example 1 to the known available skin-moisturising creams that they had previously been using.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying Examples has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A skin-moisturising preparation comprising the following ingredients; (i) white soft paraffin; (ii) a liquid paraffin; (iii) emulsifying ointment; (iv) lanolin ointment; and (v) an anti-bacterial agent.
2. A skin-moisturising preparation according to claim 1 in which the ingredients (i) (iv) are present in the following proportions by weight: (i) white soft paraffin 12 - 16%; (ii) a liquid paraffin 4 - 8%; (iii) emulsifying ointment 4 - 900, (iv) lanolin ointment 1 - 3%.
3. A skin-moisturising preparation according to claim 2 in which the ingredients (i) (iv) are present in the following proportions by weight: (i) white soft paraffin 14%; (ii) a liquid paraffin 6k ; (iii) emulsifying ointment 6W ; and (iv) lanolin ointment 1%.
4. A skin-moisturising preparation according to any one of the preceding claims in which the emulsifying ointment is an emulsifying ointment containing 30% emulsifying wax, 50k white soft paraffin and 20% liquid paraffin, all percentages being by weight.
5. A skin-moisturising preparation according to any one of the preceding claims and including an aqueous cream base, the skin-moisturising preparation then being in the form of a cream.
6. A skin-moisturising preparation according to claim 5 in which the aqueous cream base contains 30% emulsifying ointment, 1% phenoxyethanol and 69% purified water, all percentages being by weight.
7. A skin-moisturising preparation according to any one of the preceding claims in which the anti-bacterial agent is benzalkonium chloride, liquefied phenol, phenoxyethanol or chlorocresol.
8. A skin-moisturising preparation according to claims 3 and 7 in which the benzalkonium chloride is present as 0. 02t by weight benzalkonium chloride.
9. A skin-moisturising preparation according to claim 1 and substantially as herein described.