Volume giving cleansing composition

The present invention is related to an aqueous cleansing composition for keratin fibres especially human hair with excellent volume enhancing effect.

Cleansing compositions have been known for many years. Many patent applications and scientific publications deal with such compositions aiming at cleansing and especially improved conditioning effects wherein volume enhancing effect of human hair has gained particular attention. Although this, there is still need for improvement.

Hair volume is especially an aggravated problem for people with fine hair. All shampoo compositions comprise conditioning ingredients which are deposited to hair surface during washing process and improve various properties of hair such as combability, shine and elasticity. High level of conditioning ingredients is especially needed for damaged hair which is due to environmental effects and/or chemical hair dressing cycles lost its natural smooth surface structure. Very often, for fine hair, and especially fine and damaged hair, there is a loss of hair volume because of these conditioning ingredients contained in shampoo compositions. Therefore, there is highly need for new compositions which condition hair in a usual way but does not cause loss of volume.

In order to solve volume problem, people with fine hair use often hair styling compositions which simply fixes hair at a style by hardening on hair surface after application. This has, however, a big disadvantage as hair does not feel soft and natural upon touching.

The aim of the present invention is providing cleansing compositions for hair which gives hair volume and body and at the same time provides hair good conditioning effects with improved combability, elasticity, shine and manageability.

Present inventors have surprisingly found out that a cleansing composition based one or more surfactants and comprising an ethoxylated monogylceride and a polypropylene glycol provides hair excellent volume and body with good hair conditioning effect.

Therefore, first object of the present invention is a cleansing composition for hair comprising at least one surfactant selected from anionic, non-ionic and amphoteric ones and furthermore comprising at least one ethoxylated monoglyceride according to the general structure

wherein R₁ is a saturated or unsaturated and branched or straight alkyl chain with a chain length of 7 to 21 C atoms and x+y+z has a value of 3 to 200 and at least one (poly)propylene glycol according to the following formula

wherein n has a value between 1 and 70.

Within the meaning of the present invention, with the term ethoxylated monoglyceride compounds according to the above formula are meant.

Second object of the present invention is the use of a cleansing composition based on at least one surfactant selected from anionic, non-ionic and amphoteric ones and comprising at least one ethoxylated monoglyceride of the above formula and at least one (poly)propylene glycol for increasing hair volume and body.

Cleansing composition of the present invention comprises at least one ethoxylated monoglyceride according to the above general formula. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention R₁ is a saturated or unsaturated and branched or straight alkyl chain with a chain length of 11 to 17 C atoms, more preferably 13 to 17 C atoms and most preferably 15 to 17 C atoms and x+y+z has preferably a value of 10 to 150, more preferably 20 to 100 and most preferably 40 to 90.

Ethoxalted monogylcerides are known for their thickening ability in the area of hair cleansing compositions. For example WO 03/063818 A1 discloses ethoxylated glycerides as thickening agents in combination with ethoxylated fatty alcohol and ethoxylated partial gylcerides. WO 2004/024110 A1 and WO 03/013467 A1 disclose cleansing compositions comprising an ethoxylated monogylceride. The compositions in the latter two publications are free from polypropylene glycol especially the ones will be mentioned as preferred compounds below.

Non-limiting suitable examples of ethoxylated monoglycerides are PEG-6 glyceryl caprate, PEG-3 glyceryl cocoate, PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate, PEG-30 glyceryl cocoate, PEG-40 glyceryl cocoate, PEG-78 glyceryl cocoate, PEG-80 glyceryl cocoate, PEG-3 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-5 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-6 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-8 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-9 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-10 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-15 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-20 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-25 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-30 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-40 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-50 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-60 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-90 glyceryl isostearate, PEG-7 glyceryl laurate, PEG-8 glyceryl laurate, PEG-12 glyceryl laurate, PEG-15 glyceryl laurate, PEG-20 glyceryl laurate, PEG-23 glyceryl laurate, PEG-30 glyceryl laurate, PEG-5 glyceryl oleate, PEG-10 glyceryl oleate, PEG-15 glyceryl oleate, PEG-20 glyceryl oleate, PEG-25 glyceryl oleate, PEG-30 glyceryl oleate, PEG-15 glyceryl ricinoleate, PEG-20 glyceryl ricinoleate, PEG-5 glyceryl sesquioleate, PEG-7 glyceryl soyate, PEG-30 glyceryl soyate, PEG-5 glyceryl stearate, PEG-10 glyceryl stearate, PEG-15 glyceryl stearate, PEG-20 glyceryl stearate, PEG-25 glyceryl stearate, PEG-30 glyceryl stearate, PEG-40 glyceryl stearate, PEG-60 glyceryl stearate, PEG-120 glyceryl stearate, PEG-200 glyceryl stearate, PEG-28 glyceryl tallowate, PEG-80 glyceryl tallowate, PEG-82 glyceryl tallowate, PEG-130 glyceryl tallowate and PEG-200 glyceryl tallowate.

Among the ethoxylated monogylcerides, with fatty acid chain of laurate, isostearate, oleate and stearate are preferred. More preferred are with fatty acid chain of isostearate, oleate and stearate. The most preferred are with fatty acid chain of isostearate and stearate. Especially preferred is with fatty acid chain of isostearate.