Patent ID: 7754666

Claim:
A method of reducing the irritation associated with a personal care composition comprising combining a low molecular weight polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polysaccharide polymers derived from starch, inulin, guar, xanthan, carragenan, chitosan, pectin, or schizophyllan, such polymers having a molecular weight of from about 3,500 to about 500,000 g/mol, and an alternating octadecene/maleic anhydride copolymer having a molecular weight of from about 20,000 to about 25,000 and capable of binding a surfactant thereto, with at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 12.5 weight % active surfactant in composition, amphoteric surfactants, and combinations of two or more thereof.