COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING FLUORESCENT COSMETICS

Abstract

A cosmetic composition that fluoresces when irradiated with electromagnetic energy is disclosed. The cosmetic composition may comprise a cosmetically accept medium comprising at least one inorganic compound, wherein the inorganic compound is doped with an inorganic fluorescence activator to cause the composition to emit a fluorescent response when irradiated with light, such as UV light. Related products that include such a composition are also disclosed, including a lip stick, an eyeliner, foundation, blush, body paint, a hair gel, or nail polish. There is also a method for imparting a fluorescent response to at least once keratinous surface of a person that comprises applying to the keratinous surface an effective amount of the composition described herein.

Claims

1. A cosmetic composition comprising: a cosmetically acceptable medium comprising at least one inorganic compound, wherein said inorganic compound is doped with an inorganic fluorescence activator to cause the composition to emit a fluorescent response when irradiated.

2. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the inorganic compound comprises an alkaline earth metal compound or an alkaline earth metal salt.

3. (canceled)

4. The cosmetic composition of claim 3, wherein the alkaline earth metal salt comprises at least one alkaline earth metal carbonate selected from calcium carbonate, barium carbonate, and magnesium carbonate.

5. (canceled)

6. The cosmetic composition of claim 4, wherein the alkaline earth compound comprises a mixture of calcium and magnesium carbonates.

7. The cosmetic composition of claim 6, wherein said mixture comprises co-precipitated calcium and magnesium carbonates.

8. The cosmetic composition of claim 6, wherein the mixture of calcium and magnesium carbonates exhibits distinguishable fluorescence when exposed to the same excitation source.

9. The cosmetic composition of claim 8, wherein the distinguishable fluorescent signature comprises a difference in intensity of the emission spectrum resulting from a difference in the ratios of calcium and magnesium carbonates present in the mixture.

10. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, further providing at least one fluorescent promoter or ligand.

11. The cosmetic composition of claim 10, wherein the at least one fluorescent promoter or ligand comprises fluoride, chloride, bromide, phosphate, sulfate, and combinations thereof.

12. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the inorganic compound comprises an alkaline earth metal compound having a defined crystal structure, wherein the inorganic fluorescence activator is contained in the crystal structure.

13. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the inorganic fluorescence activator comprises at least one mixture, compound, element or alloy of tin, thulium, niobium, cesium, and cobalt.

14. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the inorganic fluorescence activator is configured such that the composition emits fluorescent light in the presence of ultraviolet light.

15. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the inorganic fluorescence activator comprises up to 10 mol % of the composition.

16. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the inorganic fluorescence activator comprises less than 5 mol % of the composition.

17. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the cosmetic composition is in the form of a solution, a colloidal dispersion, an oil-in-water emulsion, a water-in-oil emulsion, a suspension, a powder, a cream, a lotion, a gel, a foam, a mousse, or a spray.

18. The cosmetic composition of claim 17, wherein the cosmetic composition is in the form of an oil-in-water emulsion, or a water-in-oil emulsion, and the composition further comprises at least one additional filler dispersed in the aqueous phase and in the oily phase.

19. The cosmetic composition of claim 18, wherein the at least one additional filler is chosen from waxes, talc, mica, silica, kaolin, polyamide powders, polyethylene powders, starch, hollow microspheres comprising of polymers or silica, porous silicas, and ceramic microcapsules,

20. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one coloring material chosen from pigments, pearlescent agents, dyes, and mixtures thereof

21. The cosmetic composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one cosmetic ingredient chosen from hydrophilic and lipophilic gelling and/or thickening agents, antioxidants, fragrances, preservatives, neutralizing agents, sunscreen agents, vitamins, moisturizing agents, self-tanning compounds, antiwrinkle active principles, emollients, hydrophilic and lipophilic active principles, agents for combating free radicals, sequestering agents, film-forming agents, and mixtures thereof

22. A cosmetic product comprising the cosmetic composition of claim 1, wherein the product is in the forms of a lip stick, lip gloss, an eyeliner, foundation, blush, bodypaint, a hair gel, or nail polish.

23-45. (canceled)

Description

EXAMPLE 1

[0110] A PCC-carbon quantum dot (CQD) composite was produced using the following steps.

[0111] 0.8 g gelatin from bovine skin was added to 40 mL water and was dissolved at 40 C. under agitation, Subsequently, the above admixture was poured into a stainless steel autoclave with a teflon liner of 50 mL capacity and heated at 200 C. for 3 hours. Finally, the reactor was automatically cooled to room temperature, The resulting light yellow solution was centrifuged at 16,000 rpm for 30 minutes to remove precipitate and agglomerated particles and then yielded a light brown aqueous solution of CQDs

[0112] PCC was generated by mixing solutions of calcium chloride (CaCl.sub.2) and sodium carbonate (Na.sub.2CO.sub.3). The resulting PCC, which comprised mainly the vaterite polymorph, was dispersed in the CDQs solution under constant agitation for 2 hours. The resulting product emitted blue fluorescence under UV (365 nm) irradiation. The resulting fluorescent material may be added to a cosmetic composition, such as, for example, lip stick, mascara, nail polish, body paint or a makeup product.

[0113] As an alternate route, PCC was generated by mixing solutions of calcium sulfate (CaSO.sub.4) and ammonium carbonate (NH.sub.4).sub.2CO.sub.3). The resulting PCC, which comprised mainly the vaterite polymorph, was dispersed in the CDQs solution under constant agitation for 2 hours. The resulting product emitted blue fluorescence under UV (365 nm) irradiation, The resulting fluorescent material may be added to a cosmetic composition, such as, for example, lip stick, mascara, nail polish, body paint or a makeup product.

[0114] Alternate routes include using mixtures of vaterite, calcite, and aragonite as substrates. Using amorphous PCC as substrate with subsequent crystallization to vaterite is also possible. Further, ultrafine untreated precipitated calcium carbonates (commercially available as Socal UP) could also be used as a substrate.

EXAMPLE 2

[0115] Diatomaceous earth was decorated with precipitated calcium carbonate using the following method:

[0116] First, 0.036 mol CaCl.sub.2 in 250 mL of water was dissolved with 0.01 mol percent Eu as EuCl.sub.2. A sample of 3.66 g diatomaceous earth was added to the mixture. After that, 0.073 mol NaHCO.sub.3 was also added. The resulting mixture was mixed, filtered, washed, and dried 120 C. for 3 hrs. The resulting product emitted red/orange fluorescence under UV (254 nm) irradiation. The resulting fluorescent material may be added to a cosmetic composition, such as, for example, lip stick, mascara, nail polish, body paint or a makeup product.

[0117] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.