Process for the provision of variedly coloured incisions on compact or poured cosmetic products

Abstract: A process for the provision of variedly coloured incisions on a cosmetic product is described, that comprises the steps of superimposing a coloured thin surface layer (8) onto the cosmetic product (1) and utilising a laser beam (5) directed towards said surface layer (1) and said cosmetic products (1) as an incident tool.

Description: The present invention concerns a procedure for the provision of variedly coloured incisions on compact or poured cosmetic products. By the term "compact cosmetic products" those powder cosmetic products are herein meant which have been transformed into a compact powder by means of a process of pressing into an appropriate container. By the term "poured cosmetic products" those products are instead meant which, after a melting process, get poured and metered into a container. For many years there have been on the market make-up products that have surface relieves or incisions that can be provided by several methods so as to generate relieves or incisions having very variable shape, sizes and depths. JP-A-62164610 discloses a process for the provision of marks on solid powdery cosmetic products, which utilises a laser beam directed towards the surface of the cosmetic product. It is possible to provide marks such as letters, figures, symbols, patterns, etc., to the surface. DE-A-19730887 discloses a similar process for food products. Now it has been noticed that the aesthetic effect resulting from such process of incision can be additionally improved up to creating incisions having very pleasant coloration, colour gradient and chromatic contrasts. This is obtained, according to the present invention, by superimposing a thin coloured surface layer onto the cosmetic product and by incising both said layer and the cosmetic product underneath according to desired lines and depths. In this way, by varying the colour and/or the colour gradient and/or the distribution of the colours of the surface layer and by incising the aforesaid layer and the cosmetic products below, that are variedly coloured too, according to variable lines and patterns and also with variable depths of incising, it is possible to obtain extremely variable and pleasant designs and chromatic effects. The incising process according to the invention is schematically exemplified in the enclosed drawings, in which: Figure 1 schematically shows a laser source controlled by a computer during the incising stage of the surface of a cosmetic product provided with a coloured thin surface layer; Figures 2 and 3 show in top plan possible surface incision designs that can be made with the process according to the invention. In Figure a 1 cosmetic product 1 of any colour, housed inside a container 2 and provided with a thin surface layer 8, in its turn coloured in a uniform or variable way from one zone to the other, is located under a laser source 3, which a computer 4 controls in order to have it emit a laser beam 5 with angle variable according to the design of the incision to be realised, with any desired depth, on the surface of the cosmetic product. Figure 2 shows as an example a cosmetic product with incision realised as marks 6, 6 ' and 6'' separate from each other. These marks can have different design and different depth, and above all various colour depending on the colour of the cosmetic product 1, of the colour of surface layer 8 and the depth of incision itself. Figure 3 shows as an example a cosmetic product with incision realised as lines 7, 7 ' and 7'' that cross one another. Also for these lines the previous considerations regarding the variability of the design, depth and colour hold true. Naturally many other, even more complex designs and with the most different chromatic effects, can be realised with the same technique. To the purpose of the desired incision it is indifferent that the cosmetic product is a compact or poured type.

Claims: Process for providing a variedly coloured surface on a cosmetic product, comprising the steps of: a) covering the surface of the cosmetic product with a coloured thin layer; and b) incising the coloured thin layer and the cosmetic product underneath by a laser beam directed towards said layer and surface. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that said laser beam (5) is emitted by a laser source (3) controlled by a computer (4). Process according to claim 1, characterized in that said cosmetic products (1) is a compact type one. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that said cosmetic products (1) is a poured type one.

Inventors: AVALLE NADIA, AVALLE, NADIA
Applicants: INTERCOS S P A, INTERCOS S.P.A.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B41M5
IPC codes: B41M5