WO2008110995A2

WO2008110995A2 - Solubilizing system for volatile ingredients

Info

Publication number: WO2008110995A2
Application number: PCT/IB2008/050898
Authority: WO
Inventors: Florin Joseph Vlad
Original assignee: Firmenich Sa
Priority date: 2007-03-15
Filing date: 2008-03-12
Publication date: 2008-09-18
Also published as: WO2008110995A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to novel solubilizing systems for fragrances, comprising glycols and DL-panthenol. The fragrance compositions obtained with this system are used to incorporate perfume into shower gels and shampoos.

Description

SOLUBILIZING SYSTEM FOR VOLATILES

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a solubilizing system for volatile substances, namely for fragrance ingredients or mixtures of ingredients, and to the advantageous uses thereof to prepare in particular shower and bath gels and shampoos. The invention discloses a fragrance solubilization concept particularly useful in concentrated surfactant systems such as clear perfume gels, shower gels and body washes, shampoos and hair styling gels or leave-on conditioners. The main purpose of the invention is to provide a fragrance solubilization technology that can be adapted to particular surfactant containing products regardless of the nature of the fragrance composition.

Other aspects of the invention concern the use of said technology to perfume consumer products in particular, or to modify other attributes of such products, such as antibacterial properties, malodor coverage ability or yet cosmeceutical properties. The products resulting from such use are also the object of the invention.

Background

Many solubilizing systems for volatiles, and in particular for perfuming ingredients and their mixtures, have been described in the prior art. The vast majority of these systems use ethanol or other lower alcohol solvents, together with appropriate surfactants.

The present invention addresses in particular the issues related to the perfuming of consumer products such as clear perfume gels, shower gels and body washes, shampoos, styling gels and hair leave-on conditioners, which are typically concentrated surfactant- containing products. The traditional way to achieve fragrance solubilization in such an established

(given) surfactant base product, typically 1-2% w/w fragrance in a clear shower gel, is to dilute the fragrance with a high amount of a hydrophilic solvent such as propylene glycol and/or to add a high amount of the surfactant to solubilize the hydrophobic perfume. However, in most cases the total amount of such solubilizing ingredients heavily exceeds the amount of fragrance to be solubilized. As a result, the fragrance performs less well from the point of view of its impact on the user, and its perfuming effect on the skin and hair, than it would normally have done if delivered from a consumer product requiring a lower level of surfactant concentration. Moreover, when it is desired to obtain a clear shower gel or shampoo, there is greater difficulty in ensuring the gel stability and transparency over its storage period and normal usage. In addition, it is often necessary to adapt the surfactant system to the nature of the fragrance to be solubilized, or vice-versa, and this often results in a limitation of fragrance creativity.

Some recent prior art documents, of which US 2004209795 Al is a notable example, have disclosed new solubilizing systems for fragrances which aim to reduce some of the above-mentioned problems related to fragrance solubilization for application in consumer products. Although these are particularly useful to solubilize a great number of perfuming mixtures with great versatility, there is still a need to devise new solvent systems for fragrances to be applied in specific consumer products.

The present invention specifically addresses the above problems and provides a solubilizing system, or carrier, for the perfume which facilitates solubilization of the latter in a shower gel or a shampoo formula regardless of the fragrance composition, due to a synergistic mechanism established between the gel surfactant system and the proposed solubilizing vehicle. The solubilizing system according to the present invention makes it possible to increase the concentration of fragrance in bath and shower gels, in shampoos and the other products above-mentioned, from the current level of 1-2% w/w to up to 5% w/w, regardless of the fragrance composition, without affecting the appearance, stability and viscosity of the end product into which the solubilized fragrance is incorporated. Moreover, when the end product is diluted upon use during the shower or shampooing process for example, a perfume blooming effect is observed, thus improving the consumer perception of the product.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention thus relates to a solubilizing system for volatile ingredients, which is based on the use of DL-panthenol and possibly further comprises at least one glycol. Particularly advantageous glycols include propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol (hereinafter also referred to as DIPG) and butylene glycol. The volatile ingredient is preferably a fragrance ingredient or mixture of ingredients. The invention also relates to fragrance compositions resulting from the use of this solubilizing system. According to a preferred embodiment of the latter, there is provided a fragrance composition consisting of DL-panthenol, at least one glycol and perfume.

The solubilizing system may contain more than one glycol and, optionally, also glycerol.

The invention further provides products comprising a solubilizing system as cited above, together with a perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients. Body washes and shower gels having a concentration in fragrance which exceeds 2% by weight of their total weight are particular forms of such compositions, highly appreciated for their improved fragrance impact.

Other objects of the invention relate to processes for preparing the compositions above-mentioned and methods for their use to treat or perfume human or animal skin or hair.

Detailed Description of the Invention and Preferred Embodiments

It is the object of the invention to provide a solubilizing system for volatile ingredients, comprising at least 10% by weight of DL-panthenol, and a glycol or a mixture of glycols preferably present in an amount of 50% by weight or more, all weights being relative to the total weight of solubilizing system. By a "glycol or mixture of glycols", it is understood here a compound or a mixture of compounds selected amongst the diols (2 alcohol groups) preferably comprising from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, linear or branched, of current use in perfumery. Amongst these, there can be cited ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, and their monoethers, in particular diethylene glycol and dipropylene glycol. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the solubilizing system will comprise dipropylene glycol (DIPG).

The solubiling system may further comprise propylene glycol (PG) which, when present, will preferably form less than 25% by weight, more preferably from 5 to 20% by weight, of the weight of solubilizing system. Glycerol may optionally be added in an amount of up to 5% by weight of the solubilizing system weight. The above-mentioned ingredients are commercial products readily available to the skilled person. DL-Panthenol, a solid product also known as provitamine B5, is used in a large variety of body, skin and hair care products for its skin calming and hydrating properties, but, to the best of our knowledge, it has never been taught to be useful as presently claimed, as a component of a fragrance solubilization system as herein taught.

The solubilizing systems of the invention wherein DIPG is present in an amount between 50 and 75% by weight, and DL-panthenol in an amount of 10 to 25% by weight, relative to the weight of solubilizing system, are particularly advantageous for use in body wash type products and in shampoos. A more specific embodiment of the solubilizing system essentially consists of DL- panthenol and a glycol or mixture of glycols, preferably DIPG and PG. An advantageous embodiment of the latter consists of around 50% by weight of DIPG, about 25% by weight of DL-panthenol and about 25% by weight of PG, all weights being relative to the total weight of solubilizing system. Another such embodiment consists of around 75% by weight of dipropylene glycol, about 12.5% by weight of DL-panthenol and about 12.5% by weight of PG, all weights being relative to the total weight of solubilizing system.

Throughout this description, when not specifically defined, the abbreviation w/w represents the weight to weight ratio between two ingredients, and particularly the weight of a specific ingredient relative to the total weight of solubilizing system, composition or product according to the invention.

The above-described solubilizing systems are useful to prepare fragrance compositions and products comprising fragrances. In particular, the invention provides useful perfume concentrates or clear fragranced products, comprising a perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients, and wherein the weight ratio of solubilizing system to said perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients is comprised between 0.1 and 1.5.

By a "perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients", it is meant here an "oil", i.e. essentially a lipophilic organic liquid that is practically insoluble in water. An example of a suitable oil is a liquid that comprises at least 75% w/w, preferably 90% w/w or more, of a perfume ingredient or perfuming composition. The nature of such ingredients in the fragrance to be solubilized is however immaterial for the purpose of the invention, the person skilled in the art being able to choose a solubilizing system according to the invention which is suitable to provide compositions having the appropriate amount of perfume for the intended use in body washes and shampoos. In fact, the skilled person is able to adapt the appropriate ingredients of the solubilizing system, namely amongst the preferred compounds above-cited, as well as their proportions, as a function of the perfume composition and the surfactant system in the end product, and this without undue effort.

Even very hydrophobic fragrance oils or ingredients thereof, that contain only small amounts of polar solvents, or are completely free of polar solvents, can be solubilized in the form of stable compositions and provide clear microemulsion end products.

Therefore, as the perfume or perfuming composition there can be used any perfuming ingredient or, as happens more often, any mixture of perfuming ingredients currently used in perfumery, i.e. of compounds capable of imparting an olfactive effect to the composition to which they are added, to impart thereto a desired odor or to modify its odor. Said perfuming ingredients can be of natural or synthetic origin. A detailed description of said ingredients would not be warranted here and, in any case, it cannot be exhaustive. Generally speaking, it can be mentioned that these ingredients belong to chemical classes as varied as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, ethers, acetates, nitriles, terpene hydrocarbons, nitrogenous or sulphurous heterocyclic compounds and essential oils of natural or synthetic origin. The nature of these ingredients can be found in specialized books of perfumery ingredients, e.g. in S. Arctander (Perfume and Flavor Chemicals, Montclair N.J., USA 1969), or similar textbooks of reference, and a more detailed description thereof is not warranted here. The selection of such ingredients is carried out by the perfumer without particular difficulty, on the basis of her/his general knowledge and as a function of the nature of the product to be modified and of the desired sensory effect, i.e. the perfuming effect that is to be imparted to the consumer product to be perfumed.

The perfume oil composition may also contain antibacterial agents or malodor counteracting agents, in particular odorant molecules and their mixtures which are capable of masking or eliminating body and hair malodor, as well as surface malodors (kitchen, bathroom, pet litter, rubbish bin) or malodor resulting from tobacco smoking for example. Concerning the physical properties of the oil, one can use a large variety of oils.

According to particular embodiments of the invention, the fragrance ingredient or composition shall present a surface tension comprised in a specific range, namely between 28 and 35 mN/m. It is also possible to use, as oil, a low polar oil, in particular a low polar perfume. By "low polar oil or perfume" we mean here, for example, an oil or perfume rich in highly hydrophobic ingredients or an oil or perfume that contains only small amounts of polar solvents or is completely free of polar solvents. As low polar perfumes one can mention those containing from 5% w/w, or even

20% w/w, to 99% w/w of terpenes and/or from 5 to 30% w/w of musks; percentages being relative to the total weight of the oil.

According to preferred embodiments of the fragrance compositions of the invention, the weight ratio of solubilizing system to said perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients is comprised between 0.5 and 1.5, and more preferably between 0.9 and 1.1. The solubilizing system of the invention, and the fragrance compositions there- resulting, may also contain small amounts of at least one organic or inorganic salt, or a precursor thereof, of low molecular mass, e.g. below 400 g/mol. The concentration of such salts shall not be above 2% by weight, relative to the weight of the solubilizing system above-described, and will preferably form up to 1% w/w of the latter.

Suitable such salts are preferably selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium salts of the following acids: pyridine carboxylic acids, proline acid, pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, benzoic acid, hydroxyl-benzoic acid, amino- benzoic acids, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, bicarbonate, succinic acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, a Cg-Cio derivative of benzoic, hydroxyl-benzoic or amino-benzoic acid substituted by one or two Ci-C₃ alkyl groups (such as the sodium salt of p-methyl-benzoic acid or of p-isopropyl-hydroxyl-benzoic acid), benzene-sulfonic acid, a C7-C9 benzene- sulfonic acid substituted by one or two methyl or ethyl groups (such as potassium toluene sulfonate), optionally hydroxylated naphthalene-sulfonic acid, an optionally hydroxylated C11-C16 naphthalene-sulfonic acid substituted by one or two Ci-C₅ alkyl groups (such as sodium butylnaphtalene sulfonate), C3 to Ce alkanoic acids (such as the sodium salt of pentanoic acid); and any mixture of said salts.

Most preferably, these compounds are advantageously chosen amongst the following compounds: pyrrolidone carboxylic acid sodium salt (also known as Ajidew^® NL-50 from Ajinomoto), sodium benzoate, sodium molybdate, sodium borate, sodium L- lactate, calcium L-ascorbate, sodium bicarbonate and di-sodium succinate, and mixtures thereof. Sodium benzoate and sodium lactate are particularly useful salts for the purposes of the invention.

The invention also relates to consumer products such as perfume gels, shower gels and body washes, shampoos and hair leave-on conditioners, and in particular to body and hair cleansing products which are stable clear compositions containing a fragrance. Traditional body washes, shower gels and shampoos are essentially clear water based compositions containing surfactants in an amount sufficient to solubilize any ingredient which is insoluble in water. Most fragrance ingredients and their mixtures fall in this category and shower gels and shampoos which comprise at least 50% w/w of aqueous phase often contain large amounts of surfactant in order to allow the fragrance to be solubilized in the aqueous product base and thus provide a clear product. Moreover, the amount of surfactant depends on the nature of the fragrance ingredients and highly hydrophobic fragrance ingredients cannot be easily solubilized.

Typically, a shower gel or a shampoo base is thus a water-based product comprising a primary surfactant, which is generally anionic, a secondary surfactant which may be nonionic, amphoteric or a betaine for example, intended to enhance the foaming properties of the gel, and other hydrophilic additives such as viscosity modifiers, colorants, preservatives, humectants, etc.

The solubilizing system of the invention has made it possible to incorporate a large range of diverse fragrances in a shower gel or shampoo, in concentrations of up to 5% w/w, and preferably above 2% w/w, irrespective of the nature of the surfactant, whilst keeping the ratio between the fragrance weight and the surfactant weight equal to or below 1.

The invention thus also provides consumer products as cited above, and in particular a body wash or shower gel, or a shampoo, comprising water, a surfactant system, and a fragrance composition as defined above, wherein the w/w ratio between the surfactant system and the fragrance is < 1. By the "fragrance" it is meant here the perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients that are capable of imparting or modifying the odor of the consumer product, in particular the shower gel or shampoo. The fragrance is therefore understood as the perfuming compound or compounds in the fragrance composition, the latter also containing the solubilizing system according to the invention. The surfactant system is preferably a mixture of a primary ionic surfactant with a secondary non-ionic surfactant. The ionic surfactant is preferably an anionic surface active substance.

Suitable anionic surfactants comprise the salts of C6-C24 mono- or di- sulfonic, alkylsulfuric, alkylarylsulfuric, alkylarylphosphate or carboxylic acids and also the polyethylene glycol co-polymers with sulfonic or carboxylic acids. Specific, but not limiting examples of said anionic surfactants are sodium, potassium, ammonium or mono-, di- or tri-ethanolammonium salts of C6-C12 dialkyl sulfosuccinic acids (such as sodium dioctyl-sulfosuccinate, namely the products commercialized by Cytec Industries, Inc. under the tradename Aerosol OT, in the form of flakes or solutions), C7-C24 alkarylsulfonic acids (such as sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate), C₆-Ci₅ alkylsulfuric acid (such as sodium dodecylsulfate), C10-C20 acyl glutamic acid (such as sodium cocoyl glutamate), or polyethylene glycol/dimethicone sulfosuccinic acids (such as disodium PEG- 12 dimethicone sulfo succinate known under the tradename Mackanate^® DC-50 from The Mclntyre Group).

As the co-surfactant in the surface active system of the consumer product according to the invention, there can be used an amphoteric or non-ionic surfactant.

Suitable amphoteric surfactants comprise C10-C25 betaines, amphoacetates and imidazoline derivatives, as well as the polyethylene glycol/fatty amine/glycine/IPDI copolymers. Specific, but non limiting, examples of said amphoteric surfactants are the Ci₀-C₂O fatty amido C₂-C₅ alkyl betaines (such as cocoamidopropyl betaine), coco- and lauro-amphoacetates (such as sodium cocoamphoacetate known under the tradename Mackam^® HPC-32 commercialized by Mclntyre Group), and the polyethylene glycol/Cio- C₂₀ fatty alkyl amine/glycine/IPDI copolymers (such as PEG- 13 soyamine-Glycine/IPDI Copolymer also known under the trademark Polytaine^® PPI-SA- 15 from ALZO).

The non-ionic secondary surfactants include ethoxylated and/or propoxylated (C₅- Ci₂ alkyl)phenols ethers containing 5 to 20 EO or PO units (such as polyethylene glycol nonylphenyl ethers, polyethylene glycol octylphenyl ethers, also known under the generic tradename Polystep^®), polyethylene glycol sorbitol ether containing 3 to 30 EO units (such as sorbitol esters with oleic, myristic, stearic, palmitic acid also known as those known under the tradenames Tween^® from ICI or Glycosperse^® from LONZA), sucrose esters with Cg-C₂O fatty acid (such as sucrose esters with oleic, palmitic or stearic acid, such as Ryoto Sugar Ester M- 1695 commercialized by Mitsubishi-Kagaku Foods Corporation), ethoxylated aliphatic C6-C₂0 alcohols containing 2 to 30 EO units (such as ethoxylated secondary C₆-C₂O alcohols), C₈-C₂O polyglyceryl esters (such as glycerol-polyethylene glycol oxystearate commercialized by BASF under the tradename Chremophor^® CO40), polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol block copolymers (such as those known under the tradename Pluronics^® from BASF), ethoxylated glycol ether containing 2 to 30 EO units (such as PEG-IO stearyl ether also known under the tradename Volpo^® S-IO from CRODA), or polyethylene glycol mono- or -diester of aliphatic C5-C₁₁ carboxylic acids containing 2 to 10 EO units (EO stands for ethylene oxide and PO stands for propylene oxide). Useful and advantageous examples are the (polyoxyethylene)- nonylphenylethers with HLB between 6 and 18, such as MAKON^®-10 from STEPAN Company, or Secondary (Ethoxylated) Alcohols with HLB between 6 and 18, such as TERGITOL^®15-S-9 from The Dow Chemical Company or any other non-ionic surfactants with the HLB value between 6 and 18, such as the copolymeric Pluronic^® F-68 surfactants from BASF. According to specific embodiments of the invention there will be used non- ionic surfactants having an HLB below 13.

The solubilizing system of the invention carrying the desired fragrance, forming a concentrated perfume system or composition according to the invention, can be incorporated into the consumer product, namely the body wash, shower gel or shampoo product base, in an amount sufficient to ensure a concentration thereof in fragrance of 2% by weight or more, preferably between 2 and 4% w/w. The concentrated perfume compositions of the invention can be incorporated in any such end product regardless of the nature of the surfactant system thereof and the amount of water in the product, and this readily without any need to adapt the end product base to the particular nature of each fragrance, unlike what is the case with the prior known consumer products of this type.

According to the invention, such consumer products thus comprise a concentrated fragrance composition as described above, resulting from the solubilization of given perfuming ingredients or mixtures of ingredients in the invention's solubilizing system, and a consumer product base. For the sake of clarity, it has to be mentioned that, by "consumer product base" we mean here a consumer product that is compatible with perfuming ingredients in particular. In other words, a perfumed product according to the invention comprises the product's functional formulation (cleaning, moisturizing, softening, etc function), as well as optionally additional benefit agents, corresponding to a consumer product, namely a bath or shower gel or a shampoo, and an olfactively effective amount of at least one of the invention's concentrated fragrance compositions.

Therefore, the perfume gels, shower gels and body washes, shampoos and hair leave-on conditioners, and the hair styling gels of the invention, may optionally contain other current ingredients such as vitamins, emollients, humectants or any cosmetic ingredient that can enhance the washing performance or the skin feel of the product, in the usual amounts current in such products.

Typical formulations of clear consumer product gels that can be perfumed according to the invention comprise the following:

Table 1 : Typical formulations of consumer end product gels

The ingredients of such products are commercially available and current in the cosmetic and body and hair care products.

The invention's fragrance compositions and fragranced products can be prepared according to any method known in the art. A suitable method according to the invention consists in a process for the preparation of a clear composition comprising a perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients and a solubilizing system therefor, said process comprising the following successive steps: a) admixing dipropylene glycol (DIPG), DL-panthenol, and, optionally, propylene glycol (PG) and/or glycerol, in appropriate weight amounts, to form a solubilizing system for the perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients, comprising at least 50% by weight of DIPG and at least 10% by weight of DL-panthenol, all weights being relative to the total weight of solubilizing system obtained; and b) adding to the formed solubilizing system a perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients to form a fragrance composition.

Following a preferred embodiment of this process, the perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients is added in step b) in an amount sufficient to obtain a weight ratio of solubilizing system to said perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients comprised between 0.1 and 1.5. Preferred solubilizing systems according to the invention as described above, and fragrance compositions obtained therefrom, can thus be prepared using this process.

When it is desired to prepare perfume gels, shower gels and body washes, shampoos, styling gels and hair leave-on conditioners according to the invention, it is advantageous to use a process as described above further comprising the step of c) incorporating the fragrance composition obtained in b) into a water based surfactant- containing product comprising appropriate ingredients, to form a clear body wash or shampoo product having a w/w ratio between the surfactant and the perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients which is < 1. The process according to the invention does not require any specific equipment and can be carried out in the usual mixing equipment currently used for producing bath and shower gels and body wash products, or shampoos.

These methods also make it possible to obtain the clear products starting from materials presented in the form of separate ingredient kits to be admixed at a later stage by the user or the consumer product, namely the body wash or hair treating product, manufacturer. In particular, it goes without saying that the compositions of the invention do not require water to be pre-added to the other ingredients before use of the composition by the consumer or by a consumer product manufacturer.

The products obtained as described above are useful for application to human and animal skin, hair and, when applicable, animal fur. In particular the body washes and shampoos according to the invention are clear and stable products, the perfume impact of which is enhanced when compared to prior known shower gels and shampoos, as they can carry an enhanced amount of fragrance, whilst conserving the usual stability and clear appearance characteristics of such products. It goes without saying moreover that, although the invention relates more particularly to body and gel products, intended for treating, cleaning and/or perfuming skin or hair, its scope extends to any surface treating clear consumer product which is substantially formed of water and a surfactant system, and to which the fragrance compositions according to the invention can be readily added to improve the fragrance impact of said consumer product and the blooming fragrance effect obtainable upon dilution of the product in water. For instance, the fragrance compositions of the invention are also quite convenient for use in consumer products intended for cleaning and/or deodorizing surfaces such as glass windows or other glass surfaces, floors, kitchen and bathroom surfaces in particular.

Examples The following examples are further illustrative of the present invention embodiments.

Example 1

Preparation of solubilizing systems, concentrated fragrance compositions, and consumer products according to the invention

A. Solubilizing systems according to the invention were prepared with the ingredients indicated in the Table 2, used in the proportions disclosed.

Table 2 - Solubilizer compositions

Provitamin B5; origin: TRI-K Industries, Inc., Northvale, New Jersey, USA.

B. Concentrated perfume compositions according to the invention were then prepared by admixture of perfumes (unsolubilized mixtures of perfuming ingredients), as indicated in Table 3, all available from Firmenich Inc., with the solubilizing system Sl indicated above, in the relative proportions indicated in the Table. The perfumes used presented a large range of surface tensions, as indicated in Table 3.

C. All perfume compositions described in Table 3 were readily incorporated into a shower gel base, to prepare clear shower gel products containing 4 weight % of perfume, relative to the total weight of the shower gel. In order to do this, the fragrance and the solubilizer were admixed in each case in the appropriate proportions necessary to provide the ratio indicated in Table 3, and the composition thus obtained was added to the shower gel base in the amount necessary to obtain the desired perfume concentration. Table 3 - Concentrated Perfume Compositions

Example 2

Preparation of consumer products according to the invention

Clear shower gels according to the invention were prepared using fragrance compositions as described in Table 4 below, by means of a solubilizing system of DL-panthenol and DIPG or another glycol, in the amounts indicated in the table.

Table 4 - Perfumed consumer products

* See Example 1

** cps, Brookfield Viscosemeter, at 22 C

Claims

1. A solubilizing system for volatile ingredients, comprising at least 10% by weight of DL-panthenol, and a glycol or a mixture of glycols present in an amount of 50% by weight or more, all weights being relative to the total weight of solubilizing system.

2. A solubilizing system according to claim 1, containing at least dipropylene glycol (DIPG).

3. A solubilizing system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising propylene glycol (PG) and/or glycerol.

4. A solubilizing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said glycol or mixture of glycols is present in an amount comprised between 50 and 75% by weight, and DL-panthenol is present in an amount of 10 to 25% by weight, relative to the weight of solubilizing system.

5. A solubilizing system according to claim 1 , which consists of DL-panthenol and a glycol or mixture of glycols.

6. A solubilizing system according to claim 5, containing 25% or more, by weight, of DL-panthenol.

7. A solubilizing system according to claim 5, comprising a mixture of glycols consisting of DIPG and polyethylene glycol.

8. A solubilizing system according to claim 3, wherein the amount of glycerol is not above 5% by weight, relative to the weight of solubilizing system.

9. A solubilizing system according to claim 5, consisting of 50% by weight of DIPG, 25% by weight of DL-panthenol and 25% by weight of PG, all weights being relative to the total weight of solubilizing system.

10. A solubilizing system according to claim 5, consisting of around 75% by weight of dipropylene glycol, about 12.5% by weight of DL-panthenol and about 12.5% by weight of PG, all weights being relative to the total weight of solubilizing system.

11. A fragrance composition consisting of a solubilizing system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, together with a perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients.

12. A fragrance composition according to claim 11, in the form of a concentrated fragrance product, comprising a perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients, and wherein the weight ratio of solubilizing system to said perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients is comprised between 0.1 and 1.5.

13. A fragrance composition according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients presents a surface tension comprised between 28 and 35 mN/m.

14. A fragrance composition according to claim 12, wherein the weight ratio of solubilizing system to said perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients is comprised between 0.5 and 1.5, more preferably between 0.9 and 1.1.

15. A fragrance composition according to any one of claims 11 to 14, further comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid sodium salt, sodium benzoate, sodium molybdate, sodium borate, sodium L-lactate, calcium L-ascorbate, sodium bicarbonate, di-sodium succinate, and mixtures thereof.

16. A clear consumer product, in particular a body wash or shampoo product, comprising water and a surfactant system, together with a fragrance composition according to any one of claims 11 to 15, and wherein the w/w ratio between the surfactant system and the perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients is < 1.

17. A product according to claim 16, wherein the surfactant system is a mixture of a primary ionic surfactant with a secondary non-ionic, preferably anionic, surfactant.

18. A product according to claim 16 or 17, comprising above 2%, and preferably around 4% by weight or more, of perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients, relative to the total weight of the product.

19. A method to prepare a consumer product intended for the treatment of skin or hair, wherein there is added to an un-perfumed consumer product base, current for such a product, a fragrance composition according to any one of claims 11 to 15, in an amount sufficient to prepare a perfumed consumer product containing above 2% by weight of fragrance, relative to the total weight of the product.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said fragrance composition is added in an amount sufficient to obtain a perfumed consumer product containing at least

4% by weight of fragrance, relative to the total weight of said consumer product.

21. A perfumed consumer product obtainable by the method according to claim 19 or 20.

22. A process for the preparation of a fragrance composition comprising a perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients and a solubilizing system therefor, said process comprising the following successive steps: a) admixing dipropylene glycol (DIPG), DL-panthenol, and, optionally, propylene glycol (PG) and/or glycerol, in appropriate weight amounts, to form a solubilizing system for the perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients, said solubilizing system comprising at least 50% by weight of DIPG and at least 10% by weight of DL-panthenol, all weights being relative to the total weight of solubilizing system obtained; and b) adding to the formed solubilizing system a perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients to form the fragrance composition.

23. A process according to claim 22, wherein in step b) there is added a perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients in an amount sufficient to obtain a weight ratio of solubilizing system to said perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients comprised between 0.9 and 1.1.

24. A process according to claim 22 or 23, which further comprises: c) incorporating the composition obtained in b) into a water based surfactant-containing product comprising appropriate ingredients, to form a clear body wash or shampoo product having a w/w ratio between the surfactant and the perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients which is < 1.

25. A process according to claim 24, wherein the clear composition obtained in step b) is added to the product in step c) in an amount sufficient to provide 2% by weight or more of perfuming ingredient or mixture of ingredients, relative to the total weight of the product.

26. A method for treating human or animal skin or hair or, which comprises applying to said skin or hair a product according to any one of claims 16 to 18.

27. A perfumed consumer product according to claim 16 or 21, in the form of a perfume gel, a shower gel or a body wash, a shampoo, a styling gel or a hair leave-on conditioner.