HAIR TREATMENT METHOD

Abstract

A hair treatment method, including the step of spraying onto the hair a composition for changing the form of the hair, notably a permanent-waving or curl-reducing composition, using a device, called a low flowrate device, comprising at least two nozzles oriented such that their respective jets collide, these nozzles being supplied with said composition at pressure, the total flowrate of composition delivered by the nozzles being between 0.1 and 3 L/min, preferably between 0.2 and 2 L/min, and even more preferably between 0.3 and 1 L/min.

Claims

1. A hair treatment method, comprising the step consisting in spraying onto the hair a hair form changing composition, using a device, called a low flowrate device, comprising at least two nozzles oriented such that their respective jets collide, these nozzles being supplied with said composition under pressure, the total flowrate of composition delivered by the nozzles being between 0.1 and 3 L/min.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, the hair form changing composition being a permanent-waving composition, the method comprising the application of the composition using said device on hair previously rolled onto at least one roller.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, the composition being formed by injecting a permanent-waving product into a flow of water in a ratio such that the composition contains from 1 to 20% by weight of form changing active substance(s) to the total weight of the composition.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising the following steps: placing rollers in the hair, applying water to the hair rolled onto the rollers, using the low-flowrate distribution device, applying the form changing composition using the low-flowrate device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the concentration of permanent-waving product and/or the flowrate of composition delivered onto the hair is varied in step with the movement of the device relative to the hair.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, the hair form changing composition being a composition for relaxing curls or straightening.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, comprising the step consisting in directing the jets emitted by the nozzles toward the roots such as to plaster the hair down onto the scalp, and then, once the curls have been flattened, the step consisting in moving the head of the device toward the ends of the hair.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein between 5 and 15 seconds are taken to plaster down the roots and then between 5 and 15 seconds are taken to move the head of the device and to apply the composition to the lengths.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein a heated hair iron, is passed over the hair before or after rinsing, without drying the hair beforehand.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the concentration and/or the flowrate of the hair form changing composition is varied in step with the movement of the device relative to the hair.

11. The method as claimed in claim 6, the flow of liquid conveyed to the head of the device comprising a foaming agent, such as a surfactant.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein two supplies are used to supply the head of the device, namely a first supply comprising a first active substance in water and a second supply comprising a second active substance in water.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the application of a gelling agent or thickening agent to the hail.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, comprising: application of the hair form changing composition to the hair and then the application of a thickened composition; or application of the hair form changing composition simultaneously with the application of a thickened composition.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, comprising the application of the hair form changing composition simultaneously with the application of the thickened composition, and wherein the device is oriented such that the flow of the hair form changing composition precedes that of the thickened composition.

The method as claimed in claim 6, the hair form changing composition being delivered onto dry hair.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, the form changing composition being delivered onto the hair at a temperature higher than or equal to 25° C.

18. A hair treatment device, comprising at least one handpiece connected to a supply of permanent-waving or curl-reducing composition—the handpiece comprising two sets of nozzles connected to two respective supplies, each set of nozzles comprising two nozzles of which the jets meet.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0088] The invention may be better understood from reading the following detailed description of non-limiting illustrative embodiments thereof and from examining the appended drawing, in which:

[0089] FIG. 1 is a partial schematic representation of an example of a device according to the invention,

[0090] FIG. 2 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, of a variant embodiment of the invention, and

[0091] FIG. 3 shows an example of an arrangement of the nozzles within the handpiece.

[0092] FIG. 1 shows a low-flowrate distribution device 10 according to the invention, comprising a handpiece 11, also called a “low-flowrate shower device”, for delivering the form changing composition onto the hair, as detailed above.

[0093] The handpiece 11 preferably comprises, as illustrated, a distribution head 12 having at least two nozzles 13 each delivering a respective jet under pressure.

[0094] The X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 axes of the nozzles 13 are oriented such that their jets collide, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the droplets. The nozzles 13 allow the drops to reach a small size and a speed preferably in excess of 8 m/s after the jets have collided.

[0095] Such an arrangement of nozzles is described in the Creaholic S.A. patent EP 1 954 893 B1 and can be reproduced. The angle between the X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 axes is, for example, of the order of 90°.

[0096] The handpiece 11 may have a cavity 89 that is open toward the outside, within which the jets emitted by the nozzles 13 meet, as illustrated in FIG. 3. This cavity 89 may diverge outward, with a recess 91 further widening it close to its opening. The cavity 89 may play a part in guiding the flow generated after the jets meet in the axis of said cavity, toward the outside.

[0097] The speed of the droplets measured at the opening of the cavity 89, in the axis thereof, may be in excess of or equal to 8 m/s.

[0098] In this example, the device 10 operates with a supply from a reservoir 16, for example a tub filled with the solution to be distributed. In a variant, the device is supplied by hot or cold mains water.

[0099] The device 10 may comprise a pump 14 for raising the pressure upstream of the nozzles 13 to a value in excess of or equal to 4 bar. The pump 14 is, for example, a centrifugal pump. In a variant, the composition is pressurized by other means, such as, for example, the use of a sufficient drop in level between the reservoir 16 and the handpiece 11.

[0100] An electronic control system 19, for example comprising a microcontroller, may be provided for controlling the operation of the various constituent elements of the device 10, notably obtaining the desired flowrate at the outlet, if appropriate.

[0101] The control system 19 may comprise, if appropriate, a man-machine interface 20 that makes it possible to adjust various operating parameters.

[0102] According to the invention, the flowrate of fluid delivered by the handpiece 11 is between 0.1 and 3 L/min.

[0103] The hair form changing composition is formed by injecting a form changing product, contained in a reservoir 22 in liquid form, for example, into the water flow upstream of the nozzles 13.

[0104] A flowrate adjustment member 23, such as a solenoid valve or a pump, may be present for controlling the quantity of product injected into the water flow from the reservoir 24. This member 23 is controlled by the control circuit 19.

[0105] In the variant illustrated in FIG. 2, the device 10 comprises two sets of nozzles 13 borne by the respective heads 12a and 12b of the handpiece 11.

[0106] Two supply circuits supply the heads 12a and 12b, for example with a thickened composition and a form changing composition, respectively.

[0107] In the present case, the handpiece 11 is moved in a direction D relative to the hair, such as successively to deposit the thickened composition and the form changing composition onto one and the same area of the hair. The sets of nozzles 13 delivering the thickened composition and the form changing composition may follow one another along the longitudinal axis of the handpiece, as illustrated.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0108] A device according to the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1, was used with a total flowrate of composition delivered by the nozzles of 2 L/min. The diameter of the nozzles was 0.6 mm, the angle between the nozzles was 90°, and the supply pressure to the nozzles was 10 bar.

[0109] A form changing product was made with 13% by weight of TGA (ammonium thioglycolate), aqueous ammonia qs pH 9, and water (formula A).

[0110] The device was set for 80% by weight injection of formula A into water. In other words, Mc/(Mc+Me)=0.8, where Mc is the weight of formula A injected into the flow per unit of time and Me is the quantity of water constituting the flow prior to mixing with the formula.

[0111] In performing the test, the device was used with a supply of hot water (40° C.) and a head of straight hair (Japanese type) of 30 cm.

[0112] The hair was rolled onto 13-mm-diameter rollers and then the form changing composition was applied to the rollers 20 cm from the hair by sweeping the area with the flow delivered by the handpiece for 15 seconds.

[0113] In parallel, a traditional application was carried out by rolling the hair onto the rollers and then applying formula A with a sponge.

[0114] In the first case (invention), all contact with the hands was avoided. In the second case (control), there was a degree of contact between the formula and the fingertips.

Example 1a

[0115] On a first head, the exposure time on both sides was 10 minutes, then rinsing was performed and an 8 volume hydrogen peroxide composition at pH 3.2 was applied for 5 minutes. Next a final rinse was carried out and the hair was unrolled.

[0116] In the case of the invention, the ends of the hair were found to be very curled (mean diameter of curvature of 30 mm), whereas in the case of the control the ends of the hair were little curled (mean diameter of curvature of 44 mm). In both cases, the roots were the same.

Example 1b

[0117] On a second head, the control was repeated with a longer exposure time of 20 minutes, then rinsing was performed and an 8 volume hydrogen peroxide composition at pH 3.2 was applied for 5 minutes. A final rinse was carried out and the hair was unrolled. In the case of the control, the ends of the hair were found to be very curled (diameter of curvature of 30 mm), but the roots were damaged.

Example 2

[0118] Formula B was made with 13% by weight of TGA, aqueous ammonia qs pH 9, 8% by weight of LES (sodium lauryl ether sulfate) and water.

Example 2a

[0119] A head of 30-cm type-4 curly hair was treated using the device according to the invention. After application for 10 seconds, a brush was passed through the hair. Once brushed out, the hair remained in this position. After 50 minutes rinsing was carried out and the hair treated with straighteners. Rinsing was rapid (1 L of water) and the curls were reduced.

[0120] In parallel, the same hair was treated with the same formula manually. A brush was passed through the hair, resulting in tangling that made treatment difficult without placing the hands among the hair. Rinsing was carried out after 50 minutes and the hair treated with straighteners. Rinsing was fairly rapid (1.4 L of water), but the reduction in curls was not uniform.

[0121] In parallel, the same hair was treated with a commercial formula, called “X-Tenso Smoothing Cream”. Application was performed manually and there was a degree of contact with the hands. A brush was passed through the hair. This operation did not give rise to tangling. Rinsing was carried out after 50 minutes and the hair treated with straighteners. Rinsing was lengthy (9 L of water), and the reduction in curls was not uniform.

Example 2b

[0122] The same tests as in Example 2a were performed, with the difference being that the head of 30-cm type-4 curly hair was partially bleached (highlight effect) using Platifiz.

[0123] In the first case (invention), there was no overdosing found on the bleached hair. However, in the other two cases (control), the bleached hair was found to be damaged and rough to the touch.

Example 3

[0124] Formula C was made, based on citric acid (4%) and monoethanolamine (qs pH 4.5) in water.

Example 3a

[0125] The device used was that illustrated in FIG. 2, with two outlets, namely one for formula A and the other for formula C.

[0126] The invention enabled the hair stylist to apply formula A and to activate the supply of formula C to the areas he considered to be fragile.

Example 3b

[0127] The device of Example 1 was used again, with the difference being that there were two controlled injections into the water flow upstream of the nozzles, one for formula A and one for formula C. The invention enabled the hair stylist to apply formula A and to activate the supply of formula C to the areas he considered to be fragile.

Example 4

[0128] The following formula D was prepared:

TABLE-US-00001 Propylene glycol 2 g White mineral oil 8 g (Klearol, from Sonnebom) Vaseline 10 g Non-ionic surfactant 4 g MIXTURE OF CETYLSTEARYL ALCOHOL, OXYETHYLENE SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE (20 EO) (80/20) Water qs 100 g

[0129] The same device as in Example 3a was used again. The hair stylist carried out application from the root to the ends of the hair. Formula A was applied and then formula D was applied on top. The hair stylist found there to be a straightening cream appearance, but without the drawbacks of the latter. The odor of formula A was absent.

[0130] In these examples it will be noted that the invention makes it possible to apply the hair form changing formula more effectively and without having to come into contact with it. A change in form that was of better quality (more uniform) or more precisely targeted (roots) was achieved. The product penetrated deeply, as far as the roots, and made it possible to obtain an effect without overdosing.

[0131] The invention is not limited to that which has just been described. A plurality of products may notably be conveyed in the flow supplying the nozzles with a view to achieving, for example, a personalization effect.