Zinc oxide particles are prepared as a dry powder through a vapor phase formed by a plasma process, or by introducing defects into stoichiometric zinc oxide particles in a liquid carrier through mechanical stress. The zinc oxide has an O:Zn ratio of at least 0.99, an average particle size of 10 to 300 nm, and a sufficient concentration of oxygen vacancies and zinc vacancies to give a dispersion of the particles in C12-C15 alkyl benzoate an orange to tan color corresponding to a ΔE value of at least 15 in a Dispersion Color Test. The particles contain no aggregates and have no detectable particles 500 nm or larger, on a number-weighted basis

Metal oxide powder formed of metal oxide particles, in which the metal oxide powder has first metal oxide particles having at least one protrusion portion and second metal oxide particles, the first metal oxide particles have an average primary particle diameter of 100 nm or more and 1,000 nm or less, the second metal oxide particles have an average primary particle diameter of less than 100 nm, and a fraction of a total mass of particles having a primary particle diameter of less than 100 nm in a total mass of the metal oxide powder is 0.3% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less.

Present invention relates to a substantially anhydrous composition comprising suspended particles insoluble therein for conditioning and/or styling hair. The composition for hair comprises one or more fatty substances and/or waxes solid at 20° C., one or more surfactants and calcium sulphate powder, with the condition that the composition does not comprise water at a concentration more than or equal to 5% by weight, calculated to the total of the composition.

One compound according to the present invention contains silicon fine particles having a capability of generating hydrogen or aggregates of the silicon fine particles. The compound that contains the silicon fine particles or the aggregates having a capability of generating hydrogen is capable of generating hydrogen in the body of, for example, an animal that has ingested the compound. For a plant, the compound can be disposed or charged into, for example, moisture (water-containing liquid) or fertilizer to be provided to the plant, to supply the plant with hydrogen generated from the compound.

The application describes a pigment suspension comprising a) at least one colorant compound selected from the group of pigments and b) at least one phosphoric acid ester. The application also discloses a cosmetic agent obtainable by combining the pigment suspension with one or more organic C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkoxysilanes and/or condensation products thereof.

Disclosed a method of preparing composite particles comprising a non-porous spherical particulate inorganic material deposited on a plate-like inorganic material, where refractive index of said particulate inorganic material is greater than that of said plate-like inorganic particulate material, wherein, said spherical material occupies 20 to 80% of total surface area of said plate-like material and wherein the amount of said spherical material accounts for 2 to 20 wt % of said composite particles, further wherein said plate-like inorganic material is mica and said non-porous spherical particulate inorganic material is silicone dioxide, said method comprising the steps of: (iv) silanization of said plate-like inorganic material to get a silanized material having functional groups “A”; (v) silanization of said non-porous spherical particulate inorganic material to get a silanized material having functional groups “B”, where A≠B; and where said “A” and said “B” are capable of reacting with each other such that by way of their reaction, said non-porous spherical particulate inorganic material deposits on said plate-like inorganic material; and, (vi) reacting said silanized material having functional groups “A” with said silanized material having functional groups “B”.

Biocompatible UV-absorbing nanoparticles or microparticles that can be embedded in the skin using techniques such as those used to create a tattoo with tattoo ink. The “tattoo” using the biocompatible UV-absorbing nanoparticles or microparticles provides skin protection against sunburn, photoaging, and skin cancers in a permanent or semi-permanent way, but remain clear in the visible light spectrum, or matched closely to the user's specific skin tone. These particles can be solid uniform UV-absorbers, microencapsulated UV-absorbers, or UV-absorbing material embedded in or coated on solid materials. Long-term sun protection from an invisible (does not change the color of the skin) material, embedded in the skin (dermis layer).

A powder cosmetic containing: an inorganic powder; and a polyaspartic acid alkali metal salt that coats a part or all of a surface of the inorganic powder, in which a weight average molecular weight x of the polyaspartic acid alkali metal salt is from 1,000 to 150,000, and the weight average molecular weight x of the polyaspartic acid alkali metal salt and a mass ratio y of the polyaspartic acid alkali metal salt to a total amount of the inorganic powder and the polyaspartic acid alkali metal salt satisfy the following relationships: y≤1.6×10.sup.7x.sup.−2.275 and y≥1.3×10.sup.5x.sup.−2.232.

A composition having one or more leak resistant capsules.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a water-in-oil type emulsion cosmetic that has a replenishing and smooth feel-of-use, that, once applied, forms a uniform coating, and that can minimize the appearance of skin roughness such as pores while covering discoloration such as spots and freckles, but that does not give an impression of a thick coating. The present invention provides a water-in-oil type emulsion cosmetic characterized by containing (A) 0.1-20 mass % of metallic soap-treated powder, and (B) a water-absorptive polymer having 0.01-2 mass % of a carboxyl group. The (B) water-absorptive polymer having a carboxyl group of this cosmetic preferably can absorb 10-1,000 times its own weight.