WO2015071548A1

WO2015071548A1 - Method of producing cosmetic compositions, cosmetic compositions and use thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2015071548A1
Application number: PCT/FI2014/050865
Authority: WO
Inventors: Saila SEPPO
Original assignee: Greenbutton Oy
Priority date: 2013-11-15
Filing date: 2014-11-17
Publication date: 2015-05-21
Also published as: FI125303B; FI20136136A

Abstract

Method of producing a composition suitable for use as a skin lotion, cosmetic preparations and uses thereof. The composition is formed by a vegetable oil mixed with a filler by a method in which a vegetable oil is provided, a filler selected from the group of finely divided wood materials which are essentially dry is provided, and the vegetable oil is mixed with the wood material such that the oil is absorbed by the wood material. The mixing is carried out at a ratio of oil-to-wood material which is sufficient to saturate the finely divided wood material with the oil. The composition has an extended shelf-life and when used as a hand lotion or hand cream it gives good results in the treatment of dry skin. It exhibits a revitalizing and nourishing effect on the skin.

Description

METHOD OF PRODUCING COSMETIC COMPOSITIONS, COSMETIC

COMPOSITIONS AND USE THEREOF

Technical Field

The present invention relates to cosmetic compositions. In particular, the invention concerns compositions useful for example for skin treatment, which contain vegetable oils mixed with a filler. The present invention also concerns a method of producing vegetable oil compositions and the use of the compositions so obtained as skin or hand lotions and creams.

Background Art Lotions and creams for hand care typically contain fats, such as oils, as central ingredients. Commercial products also contain perfumes.

For consumers it is difficult to find a hand care lotion that would efficient in the long run. User comfort requires that hand lotions have high consistency. This can be achieved by mixing vegetable oils and solid fats. Frequently, there is then a need for emulsifying agent and softener.

Thus, a base lotion can be produced by using beeswax, lanolin, paraffin, sodium

tetraborate and various scents as raw-materials. The components are typically mixed together by heating: beeswax and paraffin are heated until the wax starts melting. The molten material is cooled and mixed with a cooled mixture of a heated emulsifier (for example sodium tetraborate or borax powder) and scent is added. A lotion or cream prepared in this way has a shelf life of merely a week. It is also known in the art to incorporate into hand lotions mineral salts which are rubbing and nuturing substances. The use of chemicals is not, however, suitable for all consumers e.g. because of idiosyncracy. Hand cleansing compositions containing natural fats and oils together with inert filler materials are also known from US Patent No. 3,477,951.In the known compositions, the inert filler is fine sawdust, pumice-stone dust, cellulose, methyl cellulose and ethyl cellulose, and it is used at a concentration of 0.2 to 18.7 % by weight of the total composition. The fat portion of the composition is preferably a mixture of solid or liquid animal glycerides, fatty acids or their esters which are mixed in a fluid state with the other components to give a thick creamy mass.

US 3,477,951 contains no working embodiments that would exemplify the use of any of the fillers listed therein.

While it is mentioned in US 3,477,951 that the known composition is of soothing benefit to hands which are worn by years of mechanical labor, it is only intended for cleansing of the skin. Considering the modest amounts of fillers used, the composition obviously is greasy. This is evidenced by the fact that the publication recommends the user wear gloves to cover the hands when a light coating of the known has been applied on the hands.

Analogously with US 3,477,951, Chinese published patent application CN 1165853 (Tang Zhenyu) discloses hand washing compositions which contain vegetable powder, such as saw dust or wood bark and 18 Chinese medicaments mixed into a detergent which is said to be efficient in removing oily dirt from hands.

Further combinations of oils or waxes with wood materials are disclosed in DE 1 198009 B, US 2392779 A and US 2011142788 Al .

Finally, saw dust has also been used in commercial hand washes for removing grimy dirt (a hand wash composition supplied by VesiTekno Tukku Oy under the tradename Holste).

Thus, the art fails to give any teaching of lotions which have a long shelf life and which are capable of being used on clean skin for moisturizing and softening the skin. Summary of Invention

Technical Problem It is an aim of the present invention to provide novel skin treatment compositions which have utility as skin lotions or creams and which have extended shelf life and skin softening and nourishing properties.

It is another aim to provide methods for manufacturing such compositions.

It is a third aim to provide the use of novel lotions. Solution to Problem Dry saw dust is acrid and feels unpleasant on the skin. In connection with the present invention it has surprisingly been found that dry saw dust and other similar finely divided wood materials can be impregnated with a vegetable oil, which is liquid at room

temperature, to produce a composition which as such can be used as a skin lotion or cream, in particular hand lotion or cream.

The present method comprises providing a vegetable oil and providing a filler selected from the group of finely divided wood materials. The vegetable oil is mixed with the wood material such that essentially all of the oil is absorbed by the wood material. The mixing is carried out at a ratio of oil-to-wood material which is sufficient to impregnate or saturate substantially all of the finely divided wood material with the oil.

The obtained saturated filler is recovered. The composition is, if so desired, formulated into a cosmetic preparation, e.g. by incorporating additives. A composition of the present kind, preferably consisting only of vegetable oil and finely divided wood material, will have a long shelf life and it will have a pleasant feel to the skin even after rubbing off of the composition. Thus, the finely divided wood material works like a carrier and storage of the oil and not merely as an inert filler of the composition. More specifically, the present method is characterized by what is stated in the

characterizing part of claim 1.

The cosmetic compositions according to the present invention are characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 14.

The use is characterized by what is stated in the claim 21.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

For the preparation of the present compositions, there is no need to apply heating and cooling, as commonplace with the skin lotions nowadays in use, which contain

components which are waxy at ambient temperature. According to the present invention, mixing of the vegetable oil and the finely divided wood material is readily carried out at room temperature, and the finely divided wood material is properly impregnated, or "wetted", when oil is added at a ratio of about 1 part of oil to 1...6 parts of the wood material.

It has been found that the composition thus obtained has a shelf-life greater than 1 month, in some embodiments of more than 2 months, for example 6 up to 36 months, even without the addition of any stabilizing agents.

The composition can be used as a skin lotion, in particular as a hand lotion or hand cream, and it gives good results in the treatment of dry skin. The product will exhibit a revitalizing and nourishing effect on the skin.

That effect is derived from natural materials. The fat balance of the skin will be set at an optimum value due to the fact that the skin lotion or skin cream will bring sufficient, but not too much, oil on the skin, since the wood material dynamically absorbs oil.

The composition can be used as such, or, if so desired further formulated, as a skin lotion or skin cream. In addition to conventional additives and adjuvants of cosmetic

compositions, the present composition can be mixed with conventional lotions and creams. Thus, in one embodiment, the compositions can form about 1 to 75 % by weight of a conventional skin lotion or cream.

The present compositions can also be mixed with other natural materials, such as peat, milled seeds and milled pits and combinations thereof.

One important advantage of the present invention is that it completely eliminates the need for plastic particles. Such particles, frequently produced from polyolefms, such as polyethylene, have an average size of less 5 mm and they are commonly are used in cosmetics. It has been found that plastic particles may give rise to microparticles which efficiently absorb toxic materials and, once dispersed in aquatic environment, may be taken up by organisms and accumulate biologically.

Further advantages of the present technology will appear from the following detailed description of embodiments.

Description of Embodiments

For the purpose of the present technology, "ambient temperature" stands for a temperature of 15 to 30 °C, in particular 17 to 25 °C.

As was discussed above, the present technology provides a method of producing a composition suitable for use as a skin lotion or skin cream. The composition is formed by a vegetable oil mixed with a filler.

The method comprises

- providing a vegetable oil;

- providing a filler selected from the group of finely divided wood materials which are essentially dry;

- mixing said vegetable oil with said wood material such that essentially all of the oil is absorbed by the wood material, the mixing further being carried out at a ratio of oil-to-wood material which is sufficient to saturate substantially all of the finely divided wood material with the oil; and

- optionally formulating it into a cosmetic preparation. An oil suitable for the present compositions can be obtained from a source of vegetable oils. Examples of suitable sources include the following raw-materials: nuts, such as cashew nut, peanuts, pecan nuts and Brazil nuts; almond; crops, such as maize, oats, rapeseed, soybean, rice; and generally annular or perennial plants, such as lupine, kenaf, Calendula, cotton, hemp, Euphorbia, pumpkin seed, coriander, mustard seed, sesame, safflower, sunflowers, olives, castor beans, avocado, coconut, and oil palm. The list is not exhaustive. A preferred embodiment comprises using olive oil, rapeseed oil, colza oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, almond oil, soybean oil, hempseed oil, linseed oil, mustard oil, palm oil, peanut oil, castor oil, cocanut oil, grapeseed, and corn oil and mixtures thereof. Such oils are essentially odorless or even have a pleasant scent. They also are free from harmful side-products and impurities which may contain reactive groups, and contain a significant portion of unsaturated fatty acids.

A particularly preferred embodiment comprises using a vegetable oil which is liquid at ambient temperature. Advantageously a vegetable oil is used, having a melting point of less than 35 °C, in particular 25 °C or lower. Liquid oils can readily be mixed with the wood filler and impregnate well into the filler material.

A particularly preferred embodiment comprises using a vegetable oil which, already as such, has an extended shelf-life at ambient temperature. One advantageous embodiment is represented by olive oil.

Olive oil is a fatty acid obtained from stone fruits of the oil tree. Washed olives are crushed in a mill and kneaded into a mass in steel barrels. The vegetable liquid, oil and seed are separated in a centrifuge. The temperature is maintained at 30 °C at the most. Olive oil contains abundant amounts of antioxidants and it has a long shelf-life. Protected from light, olive oil can be stored for up to a year and still exhibit impeccable properties. Olives and olive oil are substances which maintain and promote health.

Olive oil makes the skin elastic and healthy. It is also suitable for atopic and sensitive skin. Rapeseed oil or Canola oil is obtained from seeds of plants of the Canola species, e.g. the rape plant. The oil is obtained by pressing of the plant seeds. Rapeseed and Canola oil contain important omega-3-fatty acids. Sun flower oil can be extracted or pressed from the seeds of the sunflower plant. The sun flower oil contains primarily linolic acids in triglyceride form. Sun flower oil containing oleic acid has an improved shell life.

One or several stabilizers, such as benzoic acid, can be added to the composition. Also other auxiliary agents selected from the group of antioxidants, perfumes (in addition to stabilizers) can be added. The total concentration of such compounds is typically less than 10 %, in particular 5 % or less, for example 0.1 to 3 %, calculated from the total weight of the composition. As has appeared from the above, the use of stabilizers is generally superfluous in the present novel technology.

The wood material employed in the present embodiments is preferably a finely divided lignocellulosic material. It contains the constituents of native wood, viz. cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin along with extractives. As will be explained more closely below, the finely divided wood material is preferably selected from wood powder, saw dust, cutter shavings and combinations thereof.

Advantageously, the finely divided wood material is selected from non-powdery sawdust such that the wood material contains a large portion (10 % or more by weight) of non- powdery wood material. In an advantageous embodiment, coarse sawdust or cutter shavings or combinations thereof are used as said non-powdery wood material.

The material used preferably exhibits particles having irregular shape with at least some off-round edges generated by mechanical processing of wood raw-material carried out by, in particular, cutting with a cutter or a saw. This kind of material is preferred to a powdery material obtained by grinding and sanding which typically generates more spherical particles. As well-known, wood is supplied to pulp mills generally in the form of logs. The logs are barked and the barked tree is chipped. The chips thus obtained are sieved. This forms a raw-material which can be used as finely divided wood material in the present technology. Not only the pulp mills but also the saw mills use logs. At saw mills side products are generated by wood processing - wood chips and shavings, which are sold to pulp mills, and saw dust. Such side products may amount to about 5 to 15 % of the total weight of the raw material.

Sawdust is used for production of wood boards (particle boards), coarse particles being incorporated into the middle layer of the particle boards, whereas fine powder is used for the smooth surfaces thereof. Sawdust is traditionally also used for insulation purposes, and for production of energy. Sawdust in particular of the kind used for the inner parts of the particle boards is a suitable raw-material for the present compositions. Cutter shavings produced by wood cutters form another suitable raw-material for the present compositions.

In one preferred embodiment, wood material comprises, or consists essentially of, a fraction of particles greater than powder, in the following also called "coarse particles". The particle size can be determined optically or by sieving using suitable screens. Thus, typically, the coarse particles fraction contains particles corresponding to particle size < 24 mesh (>710 μιη) as well as particles corresponding to particle size 24 to 60 mesh size (350 to 710 μιη). Such particles jointly are characterized as having a particle size < 60 mesh (equal to or greater than 350 μιη).

For cutter shavings, the particles are more irregularly shaped and difficult to characterize by screening. Generally, cutter shavings have the form of thin slices having a thickness depending on the cutting depth of the cutter. Typically the thickness is in the range of 0.01 to 0.5 mm. The length of the shavings can vary between roughly 0.1 and 50 mm. Such shavings can be obtained with wood cutter at a cutting depth of about 0.05 to 0.5 mm. The coarse fraction forms 10 to 100 % of the volume of the finely divided wood material.

In one embodiment, the coarse particles of sawdust have an average grain size of about 0.1 to 2.5 mm. Preferably the particles of the fraction have an average grain size of about 0.5 to 1.5 mm, calculated from the particles largest dimension. In another embodiment, cutter shavings produced using a cutter depth of about 0.075 to 0.125 mm are used. In a further preferred embodiment, mixtures of coarse sawdust particles and cutter shavings are used.

In one embodiment, the finely divided wood material is composed of a first fraction formed by coarse wood particles (including cutter shavings) and a second fraction formed by sawdust powder. The first fraction forms more than 50 %, preferably more than 60 %, in particular more than 70 % by volume of the finely divided wood material. The first fraction can be formed by coarse wood particles or cutter shavings or a mixtures

(combinations) thereof. When mixtures of coarse wood particles and cutter shavings are used, they are employed at volume ratios of 5:95 to 95:5, in particular 20:80 to 80:20. The second fraction forms less that 50 %, preferably less than 40 %, in particular less than 30 % by volume of the finely divided wood material. Typically, the finely divided wood material always contains some powdery material, for example at least 5 % by volume.

In one preferred embodiment, the finely divided wood material is derived from a deciduous wood species, a coniferous wood species or a combination thereof. In particular the finely divided wood material is mainly derived from a coniferous wood species or combination of several coniferous wood species. Thus, at least 60 % by weight, in particular at least 70 % by weight, preferably at least 80 % and up to 100 % by weight, is formed by wood material of one or more, typically 1 or 2 different, coniferous wood species.

Preferably the wood material is derived from a coniferous wood species of a kind exhibiting a high content of extractives. The content of extractive in the coniferous wood species, from which at least a part of the finely divided wood material is obtained, is up to 10 %, for example about 0.1 to 7.5 %, in particular about 1 to 5 %, calculated from the dry weight of the material of the coniferous wood species.

The finely divided wood material is essentially dry. Typically it is dried to a moisture content smaller than the equilibrium content of the ambient. Thus, the finely divided wood material exhibits a moisture content of less than 10 %, preferably less than 7.5 % and advantageously less than 5 %. In particularly preferred embodiments, the moisture content is less than 2 %, in particular even less than 1 %, of the weight of the finely divided wood material.

The wood of the finely divided wood material is essentially in native condition, i.e.

chemically unmodified. If necessary, the finely divided wood material however is dried before use to meet the above limits with regard to moisture content. To maintain the capability of the wood material of working as a carrier and absorbent filler component, extended thermal treatment leading to a decomposition of the lignocellulosic wood matrix is preferably avoided.

In addition to the wood-based fillers, it is also possible to use other wood-derived components, such as microcellulose, micro crystalline cellulose and level-off DP (degree of polymerization) cellulose.

Micro crystalline cellulose has the same molecular formula as standard cellulose, but it differs in the characteristics. It can be obtained from wood, straw, sugar beet and potatoes. In a preferred embodiment, the vegetable oil is mixed with the wood material such that essentially all of the oil is absorbed by the wood material. The mixing can for example be carried out at a ratio of oil-to-wood material which is sufficient to impregnate or "saturate" substantially all of the finely divided wood material with the oil. The term "saturate" vs. "saturated" means that the wood material is soaked or impregnated with oil but only to the extent that it is still, without any other pressure than normal air pressure (101 kPa) and gravity, to keep the oil. Thus, the vegetable oil will essentially not separate from the wood material upon standing (of the material) for 24 hours or more. The finely divided wood material typically takes up a golden-yellow colour upon contact with the oil, and this colouring or evenness of colouring can also be used for examining the completeness of the absorption. The finely divided, impregnated wood material is essentially water- free, and it is substantially in a non- swollen status after contacting with oil.

The mixing is carried out at a volume ratio of wood particles-to-oil of 1 : 1 or more, in particular 2: 1, preferably not more than 6 : 1 , in particular about 2: 1 to 5 : 1.

The mixing is normally by a batch process. Thus, a predetermined amount of oil is fed into a vessel and the predetermined amount of particulate wood material is then added all at once or, in one preferred embodiment, little by little while mixing to ensure that the wood material is properly impregnated with the oil. It is also possible to reverse the order of addition such that a predetermined amount of particulate wood material is first fed into a vessel and then a predetermined amount of oil is added, for example little by little.

The mixing is normally carried out at ambient temperature. In one alternative embodiment, to increase the ease of mixing, a temperature somewhat above ambient is to be used, up to about 40 to 50 °C at the most. This is particularly suitable for oils having a high melting point, typically exceeding 10 °C (for example canola oil, grapeseed oil). The saturated filler can be recovered and used as such.

Optionally, the filler can be formulated into a cosmetic preparation for example by adding auxiliary agents or adjuvants. Any additional compounds can be added during or after manufacture. In one embodiment, the additional compounds are mixed with the filler after the step of contacting the finely divided wood material with the oil. In another embodiment, the additional compounds are mixed with the finely divided wood material and the oil components simultaneously. If the additional compounds are soluble they can also be dissolved in oil before the oil is mixed with the wood filler. Conventional skin lotions or creams can also be mixed with the compositions. The proportion of additional compounds and conventional skin lotions or creams can amount to about 0.1 to 90 %, in particular about 1 to 75 %, by weight of the total weight of the total composition. As referred to above, using the above technology, it is possible to produce cosmetic preparations containing a wood filler saturated with a vegetable oil. The filler is a finely divided wood material. The filler is free from unabsorbed vegetable oil.

In a preferred embodiment, a cosmetic preparation comprises at least about 20 to 50 parts by weight of finely divided wood material and 60 to 100 parts by weight of vegetable oil and no, or up to 1000 parts by weight of, auxiliary agents, including conventional skin lotions and creams. The weight ratio of oil to wood material is preferably less than 4.5, for example less than 4.4 and preferably less than 4.28. Typically, the amount of auxiliary agents, including conventional skin lotions and creams is 100 parts by weight or less.

The present technology comprises also the use of a cosmetic preparation according to the above for moisturizing and invigorating skin, in particular the skin on hands. It can be used wherein dry or damaged, for example chapped skin is being treated.

Thus, the present technology provides, e.g., novel skin lotions, skin creams, hand lotions, hand creams, peeling creams, and soothing lotions. Using the present compositions it is possible to reduce the number of daily applications. As stated above, the present compositions are typically free from plastic components.

In the following examples, a 1 : 1 mixture of coarse sawdust (< 60 mesh) and cutter shavings formed by pine wood using a wood cutter at a cutting depth of about 0.1 mm was used. The mixture contained also a minor portion of powdery sawdust (roughly 5 to 10 % by volume).

Example 1

The wood material was provided in completely dry form having a weight of 50 g per litre. It had a moisture content of less than about 0.5 % by weight.

The dry wood material was mixed with olive oil at a volume ratio of 4: 1 at room temperature (22 °C). Mixing was continued until the material was completely impregnated with the oil. The wood material retained a golden-yellow colour. Upon standing practically no oil migrated from the wood. It was also found that the wood particle-oil composition retained its properties and pleasantly oily scent even after one month of storing in an open container. Example 1A - comparative

A corresponding wood material having a moisture content of 15 % by weight was mixed with olive oil at a volume ratio of 4: 1 as explained in Example 1. Some of the oil remained unabsorbed.

Upon standing some oil and water was drained from the sawdust. Furthermore, after storage in an open container, the composition gained a pungent smell indicating some changes of the oil. Example IB - use of skin cream composition

The composition of Example 1 was tested on very dry hands. The skin cream composition was applied on the skin and the hands were rubbed for a while in order to improve the peripheral blood circulation of the hands. While rubbing the hands oil was absorbed by the skin such that the made the skin feel pleasantly soft and oily. The wood material remains on the skin. By rinsing the hands with water, the solid matter could be removed. However, the skin retained an oily touch. This softening effect was retained for a long period of time, up to several days. There was no need for creaming of the dry hands after this. Example 2

The procedure of Example 1 was followed for preparing a wood particle-oil composition. As in Example 1 , the creamy composition was rubbed into dry hands, and then, finally, the hands were dried with a kitchen towel to remove solid matter from the hands. It was found that the treatment improved elasticity of the skin, cell formation and revitalization of the skin. Example 3

The procedure of Example 1 was followed, but the mixing ratio was 2: 1. Example 4

The procedure of Example 1 was followed, but the mixing ratio was 3: 1. Example 5

The procedure of Example 1 was followed, but the mixing ratio was 1 : 1. Example 6 The procedure of Example 1 was followed, but the mixing ratio was 5: 1. Example 7

The procedure of Example 1 was followed, modified by adding a perfume to the hand cream.

Example 8

The procedure of Example 1 was followed but in addition lemon scent was added to the hand cream for stimulating senses while the cream softened and revitalized the skin.

Example 9

As in Example 1, but the oil was sunflower oil.

Example 10

As in Example 1, but the oil was rapeseed oil. Example 11

10 g of coarse sawdust was mixed with 40.5 g olive oil, at a mass ratio of 4.1 (19.8 % sawdust in the mixture).

Example 12

9 g of coarse sawdust was mixed with 40 g olive oil, at a mass ratio of 4.4 (18.4 % sawdust in the mixture). Example 13 (comparative)

The procedure of Example 1 was followed, but the mixing ratio was 7: 1.

Not all of the sawdust was impregnated and some of the dry sawdust had particles with sharp edges which felt unpleasant.

Example 14 (comparative)

By comparison, olive oil as such was used as a skin lotion. No revitalizing effect was obtained when the hands were rubbed. Dosage and application of the oil was difficult; even if the oil could be sprayed on the hands not all of the sprayed oil was taken up by the hand and it was difficult to apply evenly a correct amount of oil.

In another comparison, conventional hand lotions, such as Biomains, supplied by

Biothermin, was used. The hands became greasy by the application of the cream, and complete absorption of the cream took some time. Afterwards, a renewed application was still soon needed. Thus, the conventional hand lotion only oiled the skin but did not provide a revitalization effect on the hands.

Example 15

Example 1 was repeated using a wood material obtained from eucalyptus wood. The oil saturated coarse particles and shavings exhibited good shelf life. Industrial Applicability

The present compositions are generally applicable for skin treatment in particular for cosmetic purposes but also for nourishing purposes and for treatment of chapped skin, for example on the hands. The compositions can be combined with known lotions and creams.

Citation List

US 3477951 A

CN 1165853

DE 1 198009 B

US 2392779 A

US 2011142788 Al

Claims

1. Method of producing a composition suitable for use as a skin lotion, said composition being formed by a vegetable oil mixed with a filler, comprising the steps of

- providing a vegetable oil;

- optionally formulating it into a cosmetic preparation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vegetable oil is selected from the group of olive oil, rapeseed oil, colza oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, almond oil, soybean oil, hempseed oil, linseed oil, mustard oil, palm oil, peanut oil, castor oil, cocanut oil, grapeseed, and corn oil and mixtures thereof, preferably a vegetable oil having a melting point of less than 35 °C, in particular 25 °C or lower.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the finely divided wood material is selected from wood powder, saw dust, cutter shavings and combinations thereof, in particular the finely divided wood material is selected from wood material containing a large portion, typically 50 % or more, by volume, of non-powdery wood material.

4. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the wood material comprises, or consists essentially of, coarse particles.

5. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the wood material comprises, or consists essentially of, a fraction of

- particles corresponding to particle size < 24 mesh (>710 μιη) and particles

corresponding to particle size 24 to 60 mesh size (350 to 710 μιη); or

- cutter shavings; or

- combinations thereof.

6. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the wood material comprises, or consists essentially of, a fraction of particles having an average grain size of about 0.1 to 2.5 mm, preferably an average grain size of about 0.5 to 1 mm, calculated from the particles largest dimension, or cutter shavings obtained by wood cutter at a cutting depth of about 0.05 to 0.5 mm; or a combinations thereof.

7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the finely divided wood material is derived from a deciduous wood species, a coniferous wood species or a combination thereof, in particular the finely divided wood material is mainly derived from a coniferous wood species or combination of several coniferous wood species.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein wood material is derived from a coniferous wood species exhibiting a high content of extractives, said content of extractives preferably amount to about 1 to 5 % by weight.

9. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the finely divided wood material exhibits a moisture content of less than less than 10 %, preferably less than 7.5 %, in particular less than 5 %, advantageously less than 2 %, suitably less than 1 %, of the total weight, before it is mixed with vegetable oil.

10. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mixing is carried out at a volume ratio of wood material-to-oil of 1 : 1 or more, in particular 2: 1, preferably not more than 6: 1 , in particular about 2: 1 to 5 : 1.

11. The method according to any of the preceding claims, comprising producing a skin lotion exhibiting a shelf life of at least one month, preferably 2 months up to at least one year, at ambient temperature.

12. The method according to any of the preceding claims, comprising adding at least one additional component selected from the group of stabilizing agents, antioxidants, perfumes and conventional skin lotions and creams, or combinations thereof, said additional component preferably being mixed with the saturated filler.

13. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mixing is carried out at ambient temperature.

14. Cosmetic preparation, such as a skin lotion, in particular a hand lotion, obtained by a method according to any of claims 1 to 13.

15. Cosmetic preparation, such as a skin lotion, in particular a hand lotion, consisting of a filler saturated with a vegetable oil, said filler being a finely divided wood material which is free from unabsorbed vegetable oil, said cosmetic preparation optionally being obtainable by a method according to any of claims 1 to 13.

16. The cosmetic preparation according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the vegetable oil will essentially not separate from the wood material upon standing.

17. The cosmetic preparation according to any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the vegetable oil is selected from the group of olive oil, rapeseed oil, colza oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, almond oil, soybean oil, hempseed oil, linseed oil, mustard oil, palm oil, peanut oil, castor oil, cocanut oil and corn oil and mixtures thereof.

18. The cosmetic preparation according to any of claims 14 to 17, wherein the wood material is selected from sawdust, wood powder and cutter shavings and combinations thereof, in particular the wood material comprises, or consists essentially of, a fraction of particles which meets one or several of the following criteria:

- particle size < 60 mesh (equal to or greater than 350 μιη);

- a grain size of about 0.1 to 2.5 mm (largest dimension); and

- cutter shavings obtained by wood cutter at a cutting depth of about 0.05 to 0.5 mm; or a combinations thereof.

19. The cosmetic preparation according to any of claims 14 to 18, comprising at least about 20 to 50 parts by weight of finely divided wood material and 60 to 100 parts by weight of vegetable oil and and no, or up to 1000 parts by weight of, auxiliary agents, including conventional skin lotions and creams, the weight ratio of oil to wood material being less than 4.5, for example less than 4.4 and preferably less than 4.28.

20. The cosmetic preparation according to any of claims 14 to 19, comprising less than 10 %, preferably less than 7.5 %, in particular less than 5 %, advantageously less than 2 %, moisture, calculated from the dry weight of the wood material.

21. Use of a cosmetic preparation according to any of claims 14 to 20 for moisturizing and invogorating skin, in particular the skin on hands.

22. Use according to claim 21, wherein dry or damaged, for example chapped skin is being treated.