PROCEDURE AND DEVICE FOR THE APPLICATION OF COSMETIC PRODUCTS AT CONTROLLED TEMPERATURES BELOW ROOM TEMPERATURE

Abstract: Procedure for cooling a cosmetic preparation to a predetermined temperature at the moment of application, without recourse to sources of refrigeration external to the preparation package, in which the preparation is inserted into a container whose walls are in contact with, or form an integral part of, a second container in which are separately contained the two or more components which, being mixed in suitable proportions, absorb the heat necessary to raise the temperature of the cosmetic preparation to that required, the said components whose mixing absorbed heat being contained in separate compartments delimited by walls made of material easily ruptured to allow their mixing.

Description: Description "PROCEDURE AND DEVICE FOR THE APPLICATION OF COSMETIC PRODUCTS AT CONTROLLED TEMPERATURES BELOW ROOM TEMPERATURE" Technical field The present invention relates to a procedure for bringing a cosmetic product to a controlled temperature for a predetermined period to improve its application. Background art It is known that temperature variations significantly influence the level of activity of a cosmetic preparation; it is also known that the structure of the skin and its ability to modify its reactions, have always been influenced by the gradient between room temperature and body temperature because of a buffer effect. A procedure was described in the Italian Patent Application No. MI99A000084 of 19 January 1999 by the same applicant, for heating the cosmetic application without recourse to external heat sources to allow application at a temperature higher than room temperature. In the same Patent Application, the beneficial effects of hot application of certain cosmetic products were described and a device that heated the said products was proposed. It has now been found that some cosmetic products, while exercising a beneficial effect on the skin, give better results when applied at temperatures lower than room temperature. In some cases the application of the cold cosmetic product prolongs the action of the applied product, probably due to the vasoconstrictor effect of the reaction of the skin to cold, which reduces the penetration rate of the active ingredient of the cosmetic product. In other cases, such application reduces or eliminates those chemical components that are added to the composition to give a cooling sensation at the moment of application. These «cooling» components - usually alcohol's - give rise to a serious side effect known as dry skin phenomenon which causes the skin to lose its original elasticity and in some cases can even cause lacerations of the skin. Furthermore, it has been found that by using the device described in the of the aforementioned patent application and substituting the reagents as necessary, it is possible to bring the cosmetic product to a temperatures lower than the room temperature for the time needed for its application. Disclosure of invention A primary objective of the present invention is to supply a simple and economical procedure to cool a cosmetic product to a predetermined temperature at the moment of its application without recourse to sources of refrigeration outside the packaged product. A second objective of the present invention is to propose a device which contains the dosed cosmetic preparation and which brings the said dose to the predetermined temperature by a simple operation. Further objectives will result from the description that follows and of the examples of the application of the procedure to particular cosmetic preparations. The procedure according to the present invention consists of holding the cosmetic preparation in a container whose outer walls are in contact with, or form an integral part of, a second container in which there are two or more separated compounds which, when mixed in suitable proportions, absorb the heat necessary to reduce the temperature of the cosmetic preparation to that required. The components that absorb heat when mixed and determine the degree of cooling of the cosmetic preparation are in individual compartments separated by walls made from an easily-ruptured material. One of the components is usually water and the other is a salt that absorbs heat while it dissolves in water. Among the salts more usefully used are ammonium or sodium acetates ; ammonium, sodium or potassium nitrates ; ammonium, magnesium or potassium carbonates, or mixtures of the above. The preferred components are ammonium acetate or ammonium nitrate. The cosmetic preparations which can be used according to the procedure of the present invention are all those whose action is favored by their slow absorption due to vasoconstriction which permits prolonged action on the skin. Examples of such preparations are gels for the skin surrounding the eyes, skin-moisturizing milks, some anti-wrinkle creams, etc. This procedure could advantageously be used for those cosmetic or therapeutic compounds that are advised to be kept refrigerated before application. Examples of this type are products for resting the legs and compositions to be applied to burns. The temperatures to which the cosmetic preparations must be cooled according to the present invention, vary between 5°C and 20°C below the ambient temperature, depending on the cosmetic preparation involved, the sensitivity of the person undergoing the treatment, and the type of treatment. It is possible to produce packs of the same product that can be cooled to different temperatures by varying the relative proportions and the quantities of the components of the heat-absorbing mixture. It is also possible to specify application at different times after the initiation of the cooling process, thus enabling different temperatures of application to be used. The device used to achieve the application procedure of cosmetic preparations according to the present invention is, as already mentioned, substantially similar to that described in Patent Application No. MI99A000084 of 19 Jan 1999 by the same applicant. The device according to the present invention consists of a receptacle or ampoule containing the cosmetic preparation to which is attached a long tubular element closed at its extremity which constitutes the dispenser. The ampoule is completely enclosed in a container from which protrudes the closed extremity of the dispenser. The container comprises a plurality of separate compartments or bags that contain water or the refrigerating agent. The rupture of the bags causes the components to mix and cool the ampoule containing the cosmetic preparation. It is sufficient to cut the extremity of the dispenser to deliver the cosmetic preparation at the desired temperature. The relative quantities of water and ammonium nitrate can be measured to give a range of treatment temperatures. Furthermore, varying the quantities of ammonium nitrate in the plurality of bags gives a range of cooling levels of the preparation with the same package. The advantages of the procedure according to the invention and the method of implementing it will be better understood from the examples of application which follow and which are by way of example only and should not be considered limiting in any way. Best mode to carry out the invention To describe in detail the preferred method of implementing the procedure according to the invention, the single attached drawing shows a prospective view, partly in section, of a device for the application of a cooled cosmetic preparation. Figure 1 indicates the ampoule 1 containing the cosmetic preparation 2 equipped with a tubular dispenser 3 which presents a peripheral canula 4 at its extremity to permit the removal of the terminal part at the moment of application of the cosmetic preparation. The ampoule 1, made of deformable material, is inserted into a container 5 which contains granules of ammonium nitrate 6. Inside the container 5 are two bags 7 and 8 which contain water and which are separated from the area in which the granules of ammonium nitrate 6 are contained by the impermeable walls of the bags. The impermeable walls of the bags may be ruptured (from the outside) by applying manual pressure to weakened zones 9. The rupture of the bag or bags (7, 8) causes contact between the ammonium nitrate 6 and the water, with heat of hydration being absorbed. After shaking the container 5 for a specified time, the preparation 2 inside the ampoule 1 reaches the predetermined temperature and is ready for application. For this purpose, the extremity of the tubular dispenser 3 is removed by cutting the tubular element in the region of the peripheral canula 4, permitting the cosmetic preparation to be squeezed out by slight pressure applied to the ampoule 1. Applications of cosmetic preparations were carried out using the device as described, above and the results were compared with similar applications carried out at room temperature and/or with similar products with «cooling» agents added: Trial N°. 1 TREATMENT WITH LEG-RESTING PRODUCT A leg-resting product containing octyle palmitate, iso-nonyl-nonanoate, phospho-lipids, starch, menthol, escine, glycerin, alga extract, phenoxyethanol, methyl-, ethyl-, propyl- parabene, peanut oil, BHA, BHT, propyl-gallate, citric acid, water, and propylene glycol was cooled to 10°C below room temperature by the device according to the invention, using ammonium nitrate and water. The product (Product A) was applied to one leg of the patient while a similar product containing ethanol to give «cooling» sensation (Product B) was applied to the other. The application was repeated for ten days. In both cases, the patient reported a beneficial feeling of repose and reduction of muscular pain. However, the limb treated with Product B containing alcohol showed a pronounced skin-drying effect. The treatment was repeated without the cooling procedure according to the present invention. The sensation of repose and alleviation of muscular pain was much reduced. Trial N°. 2 TREATMENT OF AREA SURROUNDING EYE A gel for the treatment of the area surrounding the eye was applied following cooling by the device and procedure according to the present invention using a mixture of 18g of ammonium nitrate and 12g of water as cooling agents. A control was carried out by applying the same quantity of product without subjecting it to the procedure according to the present invention. The area of skin treated according to the present invention gave greater skin elasticity than that area treated with the same product uncooled. TREATMENT OF BURNS A cream based on natural nutrient substances including honey and rice and grain collagen was prepared. This cream cooled to 10°C below room temperature and applied on the skin; it gave a persisting feeling of coolness, suggesting an advantageous use in the treatment of burns.

Claims: CLAIMS 1) Procedure for cooling a cosmetic preparation to a predetermined temperature at the moment of application, without the use of sources of refrigeration external to the preparation package, characterized by the cosmetic preparation being inserted into a container whose external walls are in contact with, or constitute an integral part of, a second container in which are separately contained two or more components which, being mixed in suitable proportions, absorb the heat to cool the cosmetic preparation to the desired temperature, the said components being kept separated in compartments delimited by walls which are easily ruptured to allow their mixture. 2) Procedure according to Claim 1, characterized by the cosmetic preparation being selected from among preparations to alleviate tiredness in the legs, gels for treating the area surrounding the eyes, and creams for the treatment of burns. 3) Procedure according to Claim 1 and/or 2, characterized by the components that are mixed to absorb the heat necessary to lower the temperature of the cosmetic preparation being ammonium nitrate and water. 4) Procedure according to one or more of Claims 1 to 3, characterized by the quantities of components selected and their relative proportions being chosen based on the treatment temperature desired. 5) Device for the realization of the procedure according to one or more of Claims 1 to 4, characterized by comprising a receptacle or ampoule (1) containing the cosmetic preparation (2) to which is fixed an elongated tubular element (3), closed at its extremity which forms the dispenser, the ampoule (1) being completely enclosed in a container (5) from which the closed extremity of dispenser (3) protrudes, the container (5) containing ammonium nitrate (6) and providing separate bags, (7) and (8), which contain water, the rupture of the said bags causing the mixing of the components and the cooling of the ampoule containing the cosmetic preparation, the extremity of the dispenser being removed to allow the cosmetic preparation to be dispensed at the desired temperature. 6) Device according to Claim 5, characterized by the ammonium nitrate being in the container 5 and the water being present in the bags (7) and (8). 7) Device according to Claim 5 or 6, characterized by the dispenser (3) having at its extremity a peripheral canula (4) to facilitate the removal of the terminal part. 8) Device according to Claim 5 and/or 6, characterized by the ampoule (1) being made of a compressible material to facilitate the delivery of the cosmetic preparation through the dispenser tube (3) by means of light pressure on the walls of the said ampoule 1.

Inventors: BARBESINO CLAUDIO, BARBESINO, CLAUDIO
Applicants: BARBESINO CLAUDIO, ISTITUTO PROFILATTICO ITALIANO, BARBESINO, CLAUDIO, ISTITUTO PROFILATTICO ITALIANO TORINO-I.P.I.T. S.R.L.
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A45D34
IPC codes: A45D34, A45D37, A45D40, F25D5