US2154925A

US2154925A - Hair waving

Info

Publication number: US2154925A
Application number: US145949A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alexander L Wilson
Original assignee: Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Corp
Current assignee: Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Corp
Priority date: 1937-06-02
Filing date: 1937-06-02
Publication date: 1939-04-18
Anticipated expiration: 1956-04-18

Description

Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNiTED STATES- 2,154,925 mun WAVING Alexander L. Wilson, Indiana Township, Allegheny County, Pa., assignor to Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Corporation, a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application June 2, 1937, Serial No. 145,949

7 Claims. (01. low-87.1)

this purpose. This operation results in retention of the modified conformation by the hair for an indefinite period of time, and this procedure in one form or another is the basis of the so-called permanent waving of hair.

This invention provides a novel and remarkably eflicacious hair waving composition, and it includes an improved method for application in the art of waving hair. It resides in the use of softening agents for hair, which are aqueous solutions (or emulsions) essentially containing water-soluble, volatile organic bases, or amines, of the class of which morpholine is a typical member, and which are capable of evaporating while exerting a substantially constant alkaline action on the hair; all as more fully hereinafter described.

Many hair waving compositions have been previously proposed, and the list of alkaline softening agents suggested for use in compositions of this type is extensive. In-general, alkaline materials previously proposed for this purpose can be divided into two classes, viz. those containing or capable of generating a volatile alkali, specifically ammonia, and those comprising a nonvolatile alkaline material. The latter group includes both inorganic alkaline agents, such as sodium and potassium borates, carbonates, sulfites, phosphates, and the like, as well as organic substances represented by certain organic sulphonates, and various high-boiling organic bases, such as triethanolamine. It has also been proposed to form hair waving compositions in which both a volatile alkali and a fixed base were used in an effort to overcome the respective disadvantages of each type of material. Compositions containing alkaline agents of either or both of the two classes mentioned suffer primarily from the same disability, namely, a pronounced and progressive change in concentration of the alkaline substance during the operations involved in waving the hair. Those compositions which contain ammonia per se must have this material initially present in high concentration in order that the desired softening effect will be obtained on the hair before the exceedingly volatile ammonia has been lost through evaporation. Such compositions evolve large quantities of ammonia from the containers in which they are stored and handled, and during use. The familiar disagreeable, irritating odor of ammonia is undesirable in hair waving establishments, and the initial high concentration of this substance in the compositions used causes the solution to exert an undesirably harsh action on the hair and skin. On the other hand, non-volatile alkaline agents, of both inorganic and organic nature, become more concentrated during the hair waving operation. Because of this fact, the alkaline action may become unduly harsh, and result in serious impairment of the hair structure. Also, in the case of inorganic materials, the alkaline substance may precipitate or fuse in the hair itself, and cause it to become brittle, and devoid of its natural life and resilency.

This invention largely obviates the disadvantageous features of previously proposed hair waving compositions, and its benefits will be apparent.

Morpholine, I

CH:.CHs is a mildlyalkaine, water-soluble liquid of moderate volatility which is non-hygroscopic, and which possesses a faintly ammoniacal odor. The boiling point of morpholine is 128.3 C., and it has a specific gravity of 1.0016 at 20/20 C. In 25% aqueous solution, morpholine has a pH of about 11.2, and it may be used in the hair waving compositions of this invention in concentrations of from 3% to about 30%. Other organic bases suitable for use in accordance with this inventlon may be selected from the addition and substitution products of morpholine which are watersoluble and basic in character. These products should be chosen from the class whose boiling points, or the boiling points of their aqueous solutions, lie between about and about C. Representative of such substances are 2,6 dimethyl morpholine, N-ethyl morpholine, N- methyl morpholine, N-ethoxy ethyl morpholine, N-vinoxy ethyl morpholine, and related alkyl, alkylene, alkyloxy and alkylenoxy derivatives of morpholine.

In every case, the active waving composition is an aqueous solution of an amine of the class indicated above, but other ingredients may be addedto such solutions or used in conjunction with them- These additional substances may be of the various types previously used in hair waving compositions, and they include thickeners, such as gum arabic, gum tragacanth or rosin, as well as oils or fatty substances, such as mineral oil, lanolin, olive oil, castor oil, and related materials. Hygroscopic materials, such as glycerol or the'polyalkylene glycols, may-be used, and the entire composition may be formed into an emulsion with suitable emulsifying agents. A specific example of a composition useful in accordance with this invention was composed of an aqueous solution containing about 10% to 20% of morpholine. In general, the. waving operation is carried out much in accordance with the procedures heretofore followed in this art. The hair, after segregation into tresses, is formed into waves or curls as desired by means'of mandrels, or curlers, on which the tresses are held tightly in the desired formation. The hair is then thoroughly moistened with the hair waving composition and subjected to a heating period of 5 to 20 minutes. In most cases, heating for about 10 minutes is entirely adequate. Heat, in this operation, may be derived electrically, or it may be generated chemically, or supplied by other means. In some cases, evaporation of the solution at atmospheric temperature is suillcient, and no added heat is required. A variation, and a preferred practice, of the waving operation may be carried out by wetting the hair with the waving solution before it is wound about the mandrel and after it has been separated into the desired stresses. In every case, it has been found that natural-appearing and lasting waves are produced.

Compositions containing morpholine provide unusual controlof the hair waving temperature as well as of the degree of alkalinity of the waving composition. Thus, a composition initially comprising a 15% solution of morpholine in water, under conditions of use, will not increase to a residual concentration of morpholine greater than about 20%, nor will its boiling point increase to above about 101 C. Opposed to this, solutions of ammonia boil over a wide range and the temperature increases to approach C. when all the ammonia is evaporated, while solutions of non-volatile bases have boiling points which steadily increase above 100 C. as they become more concentrated.

The production of waves by means of the compositions of this invention containing morpholine, or the equivalent morpholine addition and substitution products or other equivalent amine, has been uniformly successful on all types of hair. Even in those cases where bleaching or dyeing of the hair precluded successful'application of waves by previously known methods, it has been found that the present invention enabled entirely satisfactory waving to be carried out. This also has been found to be true in instances where waving by other means has subjected the hair to such drastic treatment as to damage its struc- I ture severely. The waves produced in almost every type of hair by the methods of this inven-v tion, using compositions containing morpholine, or its equivalents, have been found to be of sufficient depth and crispness to render subsequent hair dressing very easy. Repeated use of the composition of this invention on the same head of hair has shown no detectable injury to the hair, but instead has brought about a very satisfactory physical condition.

Modifications of the composition'and procedural features described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and such variations are included within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

-1. A composition for waving hair. which is composed of an aqueous composition essentially containing from about 3% to about 30% of a watar-soluble, mildly alkaline morpholine, which composition boils between about 80 and about C.

2. A composition for waving hair which comprises an aqueous solution containing about 10% to about 20% of morpholine.

3. Method of waving hair which comprises forming the hair into a wave while it is softened by the action of an aqueous composition essentially containing a mildly alkaline, water-soluble, volatile morpholine, which composition is capable of evaporating from the hair while exerting a substantially constant alkaline action there- 4. Method of waving hair which comprises forming the hair into waves and fixing the wave therein by the action of heat and a softening agent comprising an aqueous composition essentially containing a mildly alkaline, water-soluble, volatile amine of the group consisting of morpholine and morpholine addition and substitution products, which composition is capable of evaporating from the hair while exerting a subforming the hair into a wave while it is softened by the action of an aqueous composition essentially containing a mildly alkaline, water-soluble morpholine, which composition boils between about 80 and 140 C.

'IJMethod of waving hair which comprises forming the hair into a wave whileit is softened by the action of an aqueous solution containing about 10% to about 20% of morph'oline.

ALEXANDER L. WILSON.