WO2020182626A1

WO2020182626A1 - A method of providing a sustainable cleansing or conditioning product

Info

Publication number: WO2020182626A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/055911
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Lawrence Bailey; Peter Simon Carew; Lee Dewson; Georgios GKOTSIS; Benjamin Jesukumar Rajapandian
Original assignee: Unilever Plc; Unilever N.V.; Conopco, Inc., D/B/A Unilever
Priority date: 2019-03-14
Filing date: 2020-03-05
Publication date: 2020-09-17

Abstract

The present invention is in the field of sustainable cleansing or conditioning products; in particular, relates to a method of providing a sustainable cleansing or conditioning product to a consumer with reduced usage of plastic for packaging while maintaining the general consumer expectation of the product. Different methods are known in the art to reduce plastics in packaging cleansing and conditioning products. However, when it involves a change in the way the product is delivered to the consumers, it has been a challenge to provide consumer satisfaction. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sustainable cleansing or conditioning product which uses reduced volume of plastic or packaging material without affecting the general consumer expectation of a cleansing or conditioning product. It has been found that this can be achieved by the method of the present invention.

Description

A METHOD OF PROVIDING A SUSTAINABLE CLEANSING OR CONDITIONING

PRODUCT

Field of the Invention

The present invention is in the field of sustainable cleansing or conditioning products; in particular, relates to a method of providing a sustainable cleansing or conditioning product to a consumer with reduced usage of plastic for packaging while maintaining the general consumer expectation of the product.

Background of the Invention

Majority of the cleansing and conditioning products (eg: shampoos, conditioners, hand dishwash liquids) are currently sold as ready to use viscous liquids. These products are prepared and packed in factories and delivered to the consumer as ready to use liquid products. Since they are in liquid format, the use of plastic for packaging is inevitable. Once the product is used completely, these plastic bottles are discarded. While it is convenient for the consumer to simply throw them away, they have also become a waste challenge.

Waste sustainability is fast becoming an issue in most of the countries, especially in Asia, threatening to overrun landfills and create new ones from what are otherwise beautiful landscapes and endangering the water supply by contamination.

Hence, a need remains for reducing plastic for packaging cleansing and conditioning products.

Different methods are known in the art to reduce plastics in packaging cleansing and conditioning products. However, when it involves a change in the way the product is delivered to the consumers, it has been a challenge to provide consumer satisfaction.

Consumers do not like taking a step back in this developing world. Any new method should be as easy as for example, pouring a shampoo out of a bottle or even easier than that. While this is the expectation of the consumer, changes in format to inferior quality (sticky or unpleasant to touch, even with wet hands), a wait time, complex processes and devices are also not appreciated.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sustainable cleansing or conditioning product which uses reduced volume of plastic or packaging material without affecting the general consumer expectation of a cleansing or conditioning product.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a sustainable cleansing or conditioning product which uses reduced volume of plastic or packaging material without having to use complex mechanisms or processes in providing the product.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cleansing or conditioning product with less thickeners and structurants and which is gentle on the skin.

Surprisingly, it has been found that the above objects can be achieved by activating a low water cleansing or conditioning composition in solid form with a solvent to form a liquid cleanser or conditioner.

Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of providing a sustainable cleansing or conditioning product to a consumer comprising the steps of: providing a solid form of the cleansing or conditioning product; activating the solid form with a solvent to form a liquid cleanser or conditioner; and dispensing the liquid cleanser or conditioner in the form of foam; wherein the solid form comprises less than 10% by weight of water and is activated in less than 10 minutes to form the liquid cleanser or conditioner and wherein the liquid cleanser or conditioner is dispensed in the form of foam using a foam pump dispenser.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides use of a method of providing a sustainable cleansing or conditioning product to a consumer comprising the steps of: providing a solid form of the cleansing or conditioning product; activating the solid form with a solvent to form a liquid cleanser or conditioner; and dispensing the liquid cleanser or conditioner in the form of foam using a foam pump dispenser; wherein the solid form comprises less than 10% by weight of water, for plastic waste reduction in packaging.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a kit comprising a foam pump dispenser and a sustainable cleansing product in solid form comprising one or more cleansing surfactants, a benefit agent and a fragrance.

These and other aspects, features and advantages will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed description and the appended claims. For the avoidance of doubt, any feature of one aspect of the present invention may be utilised in any other aspect of the invention. The word“comprising” is intended to mean“including” but not necessarily“consisting of” or“composed of.” In other words, the listed steps or options need not be exhaustive. It is noted that the examples given in the description below are intended to clarify the invention and are not intended to limit the invention to those examples per se. Similarly, all percentages are weight/weight percentages unless otherwise indicated. Except in the operating and comparative examples, or where otherwise explicitly indicated, all numbers in this description indicating amounts of material or conditions of reaction, physical properties of materials and/or use are to be understood as modified by the word“about”.

Numerical ranges expressed in the format "from x to y" are understood to include x and y. When for a specific feature multiple preferred ranges are described in the

format "from x to y", it is understood that all ranges combining the different endpoints are also contemplated.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method of providing a sustainable cleansing or conditioning product to a consumer comprising the steps of: providing a solid form of the cleansing or conditioning product; activating the solid form with a solvent to form a liquid cleanser or conditioner; and dispensing the liquid cleanser or conditioner in the form of foam; wherein the solid form comprises less than 10% by weight of water.

By activating it is meant that the solid form is left to dissolve, react or interact with the solvent to form a liquid cleanser or conditioner. In a preferred embodiment the solid form is activated without any agitation, shaking or stirring to form the liquid cleanser or conditioner. It is essential to achieve the object of the invention that the solid form is activated in less than 10 minutes to form the liquid cleanser or conditioner, preferably less than 8 minutes, more preferably less than 6 minutes, even more preferably less than 5 minutes, still more preferably less than 4.5 minutes, or even less than 3 minutes or 2 minutes.

The solid form is typically a dehydrated solid form of the cleansing or conditioning product that may be activated with a solvent to obtain the liquid cleanser or conditioner. By solid form of the cleansing or conditioning product, it is meant a dehydrated form in any shape or format that can pass easily through the neck of the bottle. Non-limiting examples include the form of a tablet, powder, granules, a gel blob, a capsule with a concentrate or a pod with compartments.

The solid form comprises less than 10% of water, preferably less than 9%, more preferably less than 8%, still more preferably less than 7%, even more preferably less than 6%, or even less than 5% or even less than 4% or even less than 3% or even less than 2% or even less than 1 % by weight of the total composition of the solid form.

The solid form, in its simplest composition comprises one or more cleansing

surfactants, a benefit agent and a fragrance.

As used herein the term“cleansing surfactant” refers to anionic and

amphoteric/zwitterionic surfactants. Non-ionic surfactants are not considered to be part of the cleansing surfactant.

The anionic surfactant is present in the composition in a concentration of 5 to 15%, preferably at least 5%, more preferably at least 7%, still more preferably at least 8%, even more preferably at least 9% but typically not more than 14%, preferably not more than 12%, more preferably not more than 11 %, still more preferably not more than 10% by weight of the composition.

The preferred anionic surfactant is sodium laureth ethyl sulphate, of which sodium laureth ethyl sulphate 1 EO being the most preferred. The amphoteric/zwitterionic surfactant is present in the composition in a concentration of 1 to 5%, preferably at least 1.5%, more preferably at least 2%, still more preferably at least 2.5%, even more preferably at least 3% but typically not more than 4.5%, preferably not more than 4%, more preferably not more than 3.5 by weight of the composition.

Betaine is the preferred amphoteric/zwitterionic surfactant.

Among the suitable betaines for use herein are betaines represented by the general formula:

R¹⁰[C(O)NH-(CH₂)y]z -N⁺(R¹¹)(R¹²) CH₂C0₂- (IV) where R¹⁰ is C6 to C30, more particularly C6 to C24 alkyl, z is 0 or 1 , R¹¹ and R¹² are independently alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or carboxyalkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and y is 2 or 3; and salts thereof. In one embodiment, at half of the groups R¹⁰ are C8 to C18 alkyl.

In another embodiment, at least half of the groups R¹⁰ are C 10 to C14 alkyl. R¹⁰ may be saturated or unsaturated. In one embodiment, R¹⁰ is derived from coconut oil or palm kernel oil. In one embodiment R¹¹ and R¹² are methyl. The formula (IV) betaines include the simple betaines:

R¹⁰ -N⁺(R¹¹)(R¹²) CH₂C0₂- (IVa) where R¹⁰, R¹¹ , and R¹² are as described above, and the amidobetaines:

R¹⁰C(O)NH-(CH₂)_y -N⁺(R^{1 1})(R¹²) CH₂C0₃- (IVb) where R¹⁰, R¹¹ , R¹², and y are as described above. The preferred betaine is an amidobetaine, preferably cocoamidopropylbetaine.

Benefit agents include guar gum, polyquaternium 10, dimethicone, dimethiconol, high molecular weight polyethylene glycols (PEG) and styling polymers. Polyquaternium 10 and high molecular weight polyethylene glycols (PEG) being the most preferred. The cleansing or conditioning compositions of the invention may contain one or more additional ingredients for enhancing performance and/or consumer appeal. Such ingredients include, for example, fragrances, hair conditioning agents (eg: silicones), emotives, pH adjusting agents, buffers, preservatives, to name a few.

In a preferred embodiment the product is a cleansing product, the composition of which comprises 10% by weight of sodium laureth ethyl sulphate 1 EO, 1.5% by weight of cocoamidopropylbetaine, 0.1 % by weight of polyquaternium 10 and a fragrance.

In the meaning of the present invention, the solid form of the cleansing or conditioning product when dissolved in a solvent, provides a liquid cleanser or conditioner.

Typically, the liquid cleanser or conditioner has a pH of 3.0 to 7.0, preferably at least 3.5, more preferably at least 4, still more preferably at least 4.5 but typically not more than 6.5, preferably not more than 6, more preferably not more than 5.5 or even not more than 5.

Viscosity of the liquid cleanser or conditioner is low enough to be pumped from the dispenser into the hand and form a viable foam. Preferably, the viscosity of the liquid cleanser or conditioner is from 1 to 50 mPa-s at 20 °C, preferably at least 5 mPa-s, more preferably at least 10 mPa-s, still more preferably at least 15 mPa-s, even more preferably at least 20 mPa-s but typically not more than 45 mPa-s, preferably not more than 40 mPa-s, more preferably not more than 35 mPa-s, still more preferably not more than 30 mPa-s or even more preferably not more than 25 mPa-s. For the avoidance of doubt, by activation of defined viscosity products, it is meant that the defined viscosity is obtained within the indicated activation time.

It is preferred that the solvent is ideally a polar solvent or a mixture of polar solvents. The preferred solvent is water, more preferably warm water having a temperature of 20 to 50°C, preferably at least 25°C, more preferably at least 30°C, but typically not more than 45°C, preferably not more than 40°C, more preferably not more than 35°C.

A foam dispenser is used to dispense the liquid cleanser or conditioner as foam. Typically, the foam dispenser according to the invention is a reusable foam dispenser. Said foam dispenser for producing the foam can be of any of the manually activated means as is known in the art, e.g. trigger-type, pump-type or the non-aerosol self- pressurized type foam means.

By reusable it is typically meant that the dispenser can be reused at least 3 times, preferably at least 4 times, more preferable at least 5 times, still more preferably at least 7 times or even 10 times more than a normal or conventional dispenser.

More preferably, the foam dispenser is a manually activated, foam pump dispenser. Said foam pump dispenser comprises a container and a pump mechanism which securely screws or snaps onto the container. A foam pump dispenser is advantageous for an accurate or right dosage dispensing than the trigger-type which dispenses in the form of fine mist. The foam pump dispenser is also advantageous over the other types of manually activated dispensers’ due to its simple mechanism. The solid form is activated in the container of the foam pump dispenser.

The pump mechanism comprises a pump chamber of substantially fixed volume, having an opening at the inner end thereof. Within the pump chamber is located a pump stem having a piston on the end thereof disposed for reciprocal motion in the pump chamber. The pump stem has a passageway there through with a dispensing outlet at the outer end of the passageway and an axial inlet port located inwardly thereof.

The cleansing or conditioning product may include personal care detergent

compositions such as shampoo, conditioner, soap (such as hand wash, face wash or body wash/shower gel), mouthwash, intimate wash, shaving gel or home care detergent compositions such as hand dishwash

Preferably the cleansing or conditioning product is a shampoo or a conditioner for personal care or a hand dishwash for home care. In a preferred embodiment the product is a personal cleansing product which is a shampoo or a home cleansing product which is a hand dishwash

In a second aspect, the present invention relates to use of a method of providing a sustainable cleansing or conditioning product to a consumer comprising the steps of: providing a solid form of the cleansing or conditioning product; activating the solid form with a solvent to form a liquid cleanser or conditioner; and dispensing the liquid cleanser or conditioner in the form of foam; wherein the solid form comprises less than 10% by weight of water, for plastic waste reduction in packaging. In a third aspect, the present invention relates to a kit comprising a foam pump dispenser and a sustainable cleansing product in solid form comprising one or more cleansing surfactants, a benefit agent and a fragrance.

Claims

1 A method of providing a sustainable cleansing or conditioning product to a

consumer comprising the steps of: a Providing a solid form of the cleansing or conditioning product;

b Activating the solid form with a solvent to form a liquid cleanser or

conditioner; and

c Dispensing the liquid cleanser or conditioner in the form of foam; wherein the solid form comprises less than 10% by weight of water and is activated in less than 10 minutes to form the liquid cleanser or conditioner and wherein the liquid cleanser or conditioner is dispensed in the form of foam using a foam pump dispenser.

2 A method according to claim 1 wherein the solid form is activated in less than 5 minutes.

3 A method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the solid form of the cleansing or conditioning product is activated in the container of the foam pump dispenser.

4 A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the solvent is water. 5 A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pH of the liquid cleanser or conditioner is 3.0 to 7.0.

6 A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the viscosity of the liquid cleanser or conditioner is from 1 to 50 mPa-s at 20 °C.

7 A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the product is a cleansing product.

8 Use of a method of providing a sustainable cleansing or conditioning product to a consumer comprising the steps of: a Providing a solid form of the cleansing or conditioning product;

b Activating the solid form with a solvent to form a liquid cleanser or

conditioner; and

c Dispensing the liquid cleanser or conditioner in the form of foam using a foam pump dispenser; wherein the solid form comprises less than 10% by weight of water, for plastic waste reduction in packaging. A kit comprising a foam pump dispenser and a sustainable cleansing product in solid form comprising one or more cleansing surfactants, a benefit agent and a fragrance.