COSMETIC PRODUCTS COMPRISING CREAM OF TARTER AND SODIUM BICARBONATE

Abstract: A surfactant product comprising a dicarboxylic acid, sodium bicarbonate and a surfactant preferably dihydroxybutanedioic acid, sodium bicarbonate and a surfactant and most preferably comprising cream of tarter, sodium bicarbonate and a surfactant. A mixture of sodium bicarbonate, cream of tarter and liquid surfactant forms a paste which hardens into a solid over a period of a few hours. The mixture provides a solid material which is highly stable.

Description: COSMETIC PRODUCTS COMPR IS ING CREAM OF TARTER AND SOD I UM B ICARBONATE The present invention relates to surfactants particularly those for use in contact with the human or animal body. There is an increasing awareness of environmental issues particularly with regard to the disposal of product packaging and the like. The present invention has been made against this background. Surfactants are conventionally supplied in containers made, for example, of a rigid or semirigid plastics material. The container adds significantly to the cost of the product and environmental pollution is caused by the disposal of empty containers. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a surfactant product for use in contact with the human or animal body, the product having the form of a solid and comprising cream of tarter, sodium bicarbonate and a surfactant. In addition to the already mentioned beneficial reduction in costs and avoidance of environmental pollution, the present invention can provide appealing novelty items. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail and by way of further example only. Although the invention relates to surfactants for use in contact with the human or animal body generally, a description will be given in relation to a bubble bath product. Conventionally bubble bath is a liquid which is sold in a range of containers often, for example, made of a rigid or semi-rigid plastics material. The provision of the container adds significantly to the cost of the product and environmental pollution is caused by the disposal of the empty containers. It has surprisingly been found that the simple mixture of conventional liquid bubble bath with sodium bicarbonate and cream of tartar produces a relatively stable solid form product. The product is remarkably stable, for example, in not rapidly reacting with water in the atmosphere at normal indoor humidity levels. Effervescent bath tablets have been known for many years. Such bath tablets can contain sodium bicarbonate and it has also been proposed to provide a bath product comprising a mixture of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate. The product resulting from the mixture of cream of tartar and sodium bicarbonate has, however, very different in characteristics from those of a citric acid and sodium bicarbonate mixture. A mixture containing sodium bicarbonate and citric acid will effervesce strongly when immersed in water and dissolve quickly. That is, they are highly unstable in the presence of water, as is required by their intended use. It is therefor highly surprising that a mixture consisting of sodium bicarbonate and cream of tarter provide a solid material which is highly stable. It is even more surprising that the formation of a stable solid material can be retained when a conventional liquid bubble bath is added to the cream of tartar and sodium bicarbonate mixture. A mixture of 60 % sodium bicarbonate, 30% cream of tarter and 10% surfactant forms a paste which hardens into a solid over a period of a few hours. The resultant solid material can be broken with the hands and thus small pieces of a solid bar of bubble bath can be broken -off and added to a bath as required. The material is thus in stark contrast to the known effervescent bath tablets which disintegrate if an attempt is made to break-off small pieces in the manner just described. As mentioned above, in preparation the product is in the form of a paste which subsequently hardens in to a stable solid. The final product can thus very easily be formed in many useful and/or novelty shapes. Moreover, there is no requirement for a rigid plastics container; which reduces costs and avoids environmental pollution caused by the disposal of empty containers. One example of the relative ratios of the components is given above. These can of course be varied, the requirement being only that a useable solid form product results. It appears most preferable for the sodium bicarbonate to constitute 50% to 60% of the initial mixture, cream of tarter 25% to 30% and surfactant 10% to 25%. Small amounts of additives may be included, such as a fragrance and/or colourant. Stated generally, a broad range would be for the sodium bicarbonate to constitute 30%o to 65% of the initial mixture, cream of tarter 15% to 32.5% and surfactant 2.5% to 55%. Although the above description has been of a solid bubble bath as an example of a surfactant, it will be appreciated that the invention is equally well suited to other surfactants/uses. As specific examples mention is made of replacement of the conventional liquid bubble bath by conventional: shampoos, shower gels, toothpastes, facial washes etc. Thus, the surfactant will normally be a foaming agent. Cream of tartar is readily available and has be used in the above examples for ease of reference. Cream of tartar is of course a form of tartaric acid, itself also known as dihydroxybutanedioic acid, a dicarboxylic acid and one of the most widely distributed of plant acids. Cream of tartar is a common name for potassium hydrogen tartar. Other common names include Crystals of Argolis. The substance is usually obtained from by-products of wine fermentation. In partially purified form , tartar was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans and the free acid was first isolated in 1769. It's use with a surfactant is, however, not known to have been previously proposed. The present invention is not limited to the use of cream of tartar, other forms of organic acid being considered equally applicable. Beneficial additives can include one or more essential oils. Colouring additives can also be used to provide not only a general aesthetic appeal but also marketing possibilities by incorporating a brand name or the like with an effect similar to the lettering in edible rock or candy. This can be achieved by moulding the letters from a paste incorporating a colouring additive and then moulding the paste of the main body around the individual letters.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A surfactant product for use in contact with the human or animal body, the product having the form of a solid and comprising cream of tarter, sodium bicarbonate and a surfactant. 2. A surfactant product for use in contact with the human or animal body, the product having the form of a solid and comprising dihydroxybutanedioic acid, sodium bicarbonate and a surfactant. 3. A surfactant product for use in contact with the human or animal body, the product having the form of a solid and comprising a dicarboxylic acid, sodium bicarbonate and a surfactant. 4. A surfactant product as claimed in any preceding claim and prepared from a mixture including 50 % to 60% by weight of sodium bicarbonate. 5. A surfactant product as claimed in any preceding claim and prepared from a mixture including 10 % to 25% by weight of surfactant. 6. A surfactant product as claimed in claim 1 and prepared from a mixture including 25 % to 30%) by weight cream of tartar. 7. A surfactant product as claimed in any preceding claim and further including one or more additives. 8. A surfactant product as claimed in claim 7 including a fragrance as an additive. 9. A surfactant product as claimed in any preceding claim and further including a colouring additive providing lettering or the like in the product. 10. A surfactant product as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the surfactant is a bubble bath. 11. A surfactant product as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 wherein the surfactant is a shampoo. 12. A surfactant product as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 wherein the surfactant is a shower gel. 13. A surfactant product as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 wherein the surfactant is a toothpaste. 14. A surfactant product as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 wherein the surfactant is a facial wash.

Inventors: AMBROSEN HELEN, AMBROSEN, HELEN
Applicants: AMBROSEN HELEN, LUSH LIMITED, AMBROSEN, HELEN
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A61K7
IPC codes: A61K8, A61Q5, A61Q11, A61Q19, C11D3, C11D10