A composition for forming a solid material at a temperature of about 60 F. to about 77 F. comprising an oil phase including one or more oils in an amount of from 30% to 70% by weight of the composition, and one or more alcohols; and an aqueous phase including one or more polyglycerides; wherein the ratio of the aqueous phase to the one or more polyglycerides does not exceed 2.5:1.

The present invention teaches a foamable pharmaceutical carrier comprising a benefit agent, selected from the group consisting of a dicarboxylic acid and a dicarboxylic acid ester; a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of at least one surface-active agent; at least one polymeric agent and mixtures thereof; a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, a hydrophilic solvent, a hydrophobic solvent, a potent solvent, a polar solvent, a silicone, an emollient, and mixtures thereof, wherein the benefit agent, stabilizer and solvent are selected to provide a composition that is substantially resistant to aging and to phase separation and or can substantially stabilize other active ingredients. The invention further relates to a foamable composition further containing a liquefied hydrocarbon gas propellant.

A hot wax composition useful in removing hair from skin contains an effective amount of a thermally activated pigment which causes the composition to change color when it is heated sufficiently for use in hair removal and then change color again when the composition has cooled enough to be removed.

The invention concerns a method for straightening keratinous fibers including: (i) a step of applying on the keratinous fibers a hair straightening composition containing at least one alpha-hydroxy and/or keto acid derivative, the pH of said composition being not more than 9 (ii) a step of increasing the temperature of the keratinous fibers, using heating means, to a temperature ranging between 110 and 250 C.

There is provided herein a method of treating thermally and/or chemically damaged including the following steps: contacting thermally and/or chemically damaged hair with a hair treating composition comprising a aminosilicone of the general formula (I):
MD.sub.xD.sub.yM(I)
wherein: M=R.sup.1R.sup.2.sub.2SiO.sub.1/2 D=R.sup.2.sub.2SiO.sub.2/2, and D=R.sup.2R.sup.3SiO.sub.2/2, and
where R.sup.1 is an alkyl group having 12 to 50 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is a substituted or un-substituted hydrocarbon group having 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 is 3-aminopropyl group and/or a N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl group, x has a value of 1 to about 2,000, and y has a value of 1 to about 50.

Kits and composition comprising: (i) a thermo-responsive hydrogel characterized by a viscosity suitable for hardening after administration on a subject's skin; (ii) a bacterial growth medium; and optionally, (iii) a population of non-pathogenic viable bacteria, are provided. Methods for topically delivering a therapeutic or cosmeceutical agent such as for inhibiting or reducing growth of microorganisms on a subject's skin are further provided.

The invention concerns a method for straightening keratinous fibers including: (i) a step of applying on the keratinous fibers a hair straightening composition containing at least one polyhydroxylated aromatic compound, (ii) a step of increasing the temperature of the keratinous fibers, using heating means, to a temperature ranging between 110 and 250 C.

Disclosed is a method of crosslinking protein fibers, including wool fibers, by (i) providing a crosslinking agent including an oxidized sugar mixture having a plurality of different oxidized sugars of different molecular lengths and having at least two aldehyde groups (e.g., oxidized soy flour sugars); and (ii) infiltrating a plurality of non-crosslinked protein fibers with the crosslinking agent under conditions effective to cause protein molecules contained in the non-crosslinked protein fibers to become crosslinked. This method yields a population of crosslinked protein fibers, where the protein molecules of the non-crosslinked protein fibers include amine groups that react with the aldehyde groups of the oxidized sugars to achieve the crosslinking of the protein molecules to yield the crosslinked protein fibers.

The invention relates to an alcohol-free cosmetic or pharmaceutical foam carrier comprising water, a hydrophobic solvent, a foam adjuvant agent, a surface-active agent and a water gelling agent. The cosmetic or pharmaceutical foam carrier does not contain aliphatic alcohols, making it non-irritating and non-drying. The alcohol-free foam carrier is suitable for inclusion of both water-soluble and oil soluble pharmaceutical and cosmetic agents.

The invention concerns a method for straightening keratinous fibers including: (i) a step of applying on the keratinous fibers a hair straightening composition containing at least one alpha-hydroxy and/or keto acid derivative, the pH of said composition being not more than 9 (ii) a step of increasing the temperature of the keratinous fibers, using heating means, to a temperature ranging between 110 and 250 C.