This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2017/063323, filed Jun. 1, 2017, which claims foreign priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of European Application No. 16173310.0 filed Jun. 7, 2016 the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to a process for treating hair wherein the hair is semi permanently shaped and subsequently reshaped with the application of an aqueous composition.

Semi-permanent hair shaping has recently become widely used, especially for hair straightening with aqueous compositions comprising non reducing compounds. The hair straightened in this way holds its straightened shape for several hair washes to several months. However, this process does not allow consumers to have their hair subsequently adjusted into variable shapes and especially giving hair curls in order to increase the volume is not possible. In other words, these processes do not give any flexibility in subsequent hair shaping.

Well known traditional processes based on the use of reductive and oxidative compositions produces solid hair shapes which may not be changed without using additional chemical processes. Furthermore, these processes do damage hair which results in loss of hair natural properties, especially its strength and elasticity.

Resorcinol and its derivatives have been suggested for straightening hair in EP 2029236. The document focuses solely on straightening and does not provide any evidence of curling and flexible hair shaping.

The well-established glyoxylic acid based semi-permanent straighteners, such as in WO2012/010351, uses straightening iron and provides relatively long lasting straightening. Here again, there is no flexibility given of reshaping hair.

WO 2011/039098 discloses permanent styling process using two thiosiloxanes for providing long lasting styling benefits. According to the process, oxidative fixative is needed with the aid of hydrogen peroxide.

WO 2005/011626 discloses method of restyling hair using very hydrophobic, almost non-aqueous compositions. Hair is arranged in a defined shape and fixed physically with the composition. The effect is not long lasting.

The above summarized processes provide certain level of hair shaping which may be effective in the given shape but does not provide, or in some cases even make impossible, to change the hair style without using additional chemical process. The use of additional chemical processes on already chemically processed hair is harmful as it further damages hair which results in loss of hair natural properties.

The aim of the present invention is to find a new process for flexibly and durably shaping hair, especially curling and straightening semi permanently, and which makes change of hair shape possible without using any extensive chemical processes.

The present inventors have unexpectedly found that treating hair with a composition comprising one or more compounds selected from catechine, resorcinol and its derivatives which does not comprise any alpha hydroxy acid makes possible obtaining durable larger curls and gives possibility to change hair style flexibly from straight to curly solely with the aid of hair styling tools such as irons, brushes, etc., and without using any additional chemical treatment process.

Accordingly, the first object of the present invention is a process for treating hair comprising the following steps:a—optionally cleansing hair,b—optionally drying the hair,c—applying an aqueous composition onto hair comprising one or more compounds of the general structure


wherein

R1represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,

X represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group, or a methoxy group,

Rx1represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group, which is optionally substituted with up to three hydroxy groups or methoxy groups and which optionally forms a condensed ring with 1,3-dioxolane, and

Ry11represents a hydroxy group, a methoxy group, or an aromatic hydrocarbon group, which is optionally substituted with up to three hydroxy groups or methoxy groups and which optionally forms a condensed ring with 1,3-dioxolane, or an arylcarbonyloxy group or aralkylcarbonyloxy group, which is optionally substituted with up to three hydroxy groups or methoxy groups,

and/or

one or more compounds of the general structure


wherein R1 is hydrogen or methyl, A1 and A2 are the same or different and are selected from hydrogen, C1 to C12 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl, C7 to C12 aralkyl or arylalkenyl which may have a substituent, C1 to C6 linear or branched alkoxy or alkenyloxy, halogen or —COR2 wherein R2 is selected from C1 to C12 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl, C7 to C12 aralkyl or arylalkenyl which may have a substituent or C6 to C12 aromatic hydrocarbon which may have a substituent, B is selected form hydrogen, C1 to C12 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl, C7 to C12 aralkyl or arylalkenyl which may have a substituent, —OR3 or —COOR3 wherein R3 is selected from hydrogen, C1 to C6 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl, D is selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, methyl or C1 to C12 linear or branched alkoxy or alkenyloxy, E is selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl or C1 to C6 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl, or C1 to C6 linear or branched alkoxy or alkenyloxy, and two or three of A1, A2, B and E are hydrogen and the others are not containing sulfonic group, and wherein D is hydrogen or methyl, A1 and B or A2 and B may be bonded mutually to form a benzene ring which may have hydroxyl,
with the condition that the composition does not comprise any compound of the general structure and/or a hydrate thereof and/or a salt thereof
R—CO—R′
wherein R is selected from hydrogen, COOH, CN, optionally substituted C1-C10alkyl, optionally substituted C2-C10alkenyl, optionally substituted C2-C10alkynyl, optionally substituted C3-C10cycloalkyl, optionally substituted C6-C10aryl or a 5-10-membered, optionally substituted heteroaryl group, wherein the optional substituents of the alkyl group are selected from halogen, hydroxyl, amino and C1-C4alkoxy, and the optional substituents of the other groups are selected from halogen, hydroxyl, amino, C1-C4alkyl and C1-C4alkoxy and R′ is COOH,d—increasing the temperature of the hair to a temperature in the range of 80 to 230° C. for 5 to 120 min,e—Optionally rinsing off the hair,f—Optionally blow drying the hair.

Another object of the present invention is a kit for hair comprising the aqueous composition as described above used in the process of the present invention.

In case that hair is given a curly shape, the hair is put on the curlers either before or after the step “c”. The curlers are then taken off from hair after step “d” and prior to rinsing of the hair.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hair to be treated is dry and clean and therefore, prior to application of the aqueous composition onto hair in step c, hair, especially the dirty hair, is washed with a cleansing composition and dried. It should be noted that the treating humid, wet hair is not at all excluded from the scope of the invention. After the step d, preferably the hair is rinsed off with water and dried with a blow drier.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, hair to be shaped is not treated with a reducing composition prior to semi permanently shaping with the present invention.

The process of the present invention does not involve reducing and oxidizing steps and therefore the composition used in the process is practically free of reducing agents. Therefore, the total concentration of reducing agents, if present, is less than 0.1% by weight, calculated to the total of the composition.

The hair is applied the aqueous composition comprising one or more compounds of the general structure according to Formula I and/or one or more compounds of the general structure of the Formula (II) above.

As the compounds represented by the formula I, a compound, wherein, in the above formula, R1and X are defined as those described above, Rx1represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group, which is optionally substituted with up to three hydroxy groups or methoxy groups, and RY represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group, a methoxy group, or an arylcarbonyloxy group or aralkylcarbonyloxy group, which is optionally substituted with up to three hydroxy groups or methoxy groups, is preferable.

Examples of the compounds corresponding to the Formula I include catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, meciadanol, afzelechin, epiafzelechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, phylloflavan, fisetinidol, guibourtinidol, and robinetinidol. The most preferred is Catechin.

The suitable compounds according to Formula (II) are resorcinol, 2-methyl resorcinol, 4-n-butyl resorcinol, 4-chlorresorcinol, resveratrol, phloretin and 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxybenzophenone. The most preferred is resorcinol.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the aqueous composition comprises only catechin.

The aqueous composition comprises one or more compounds of the Formula I and/or one or more compounds of the Formula II at a total concentration in the range of 1% to 50%, preferably 2% to 40%, more preferably 2.5% to 35% and even more preferably 4% to 30% by weight, calculated to the total of the aqueous composition.

The pH of the aqueous composition is in the range of 1.5 to 10, preferably 2 to 9, more preferably 4 to 8.

The aqueous composition comprises one or more alkalizing agents. Suitable ones are ammonia and alkyl- or alkanolamines according to the general structure


wherein R1, R2, and R3are same or different H, from C1to C4, C3to C4unsaturated alkyl, C3to C4branched alkyl, C1to C4hydroxyl alkyl, C3to C4unsaturated hydroxyl alkyl, C3to C4branched hydroxyl alkyl, with the condition that at least one of R1, R2, or R3is different from H, wherein the alkalizing agents preferably selected from ammonia, monoethanolamine, and aminomethyl-propanol, and particularly suitable one is aminomethyl-propanol.

The alkalizing agent is comprised in the aqueous composition at a total concentration of 0.1% to 10%, preferably 0.25% to 7.5%, more preferably 0.5% to 5% and most preferably 1% to 4% by weight calculated to the total of the aqueous composition.

The hair temperature is increased after application of the aqueous composition to a temperature in the range of 80 to 230° C., preferably in the range of 100 to 200° C., more preferably 110 to 180° C. and most preferably 120 to 180° C. Heating up the hair may be carried out with various tools such as irons, digital perming machine, in case curly hair is the target, which heats up the curlers and the heat is transferred to the hair. It has been observed that optimal and safe operation of the digital curling rods is achieved at a temperature 140° C.+/−10° C.

Although it may be possible to leave in the compositions applied onto hair and finishing the process without rinsing off the hair with water, rinsing off after finishing the obligatory treatment steps is preferred in order to maintain the natural cosmetic properties of hair, especially uncoated/unloaded feel and soft feeling upon touching.

In order to secure the optimal treatment, the hair is processed under elevated temperatures in an environment in which hair drying is prevented.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the aqueous composition may comprise one or more thickening polymers selected from anionic, nonionic, cationic and amphoteric polymers, preferably selected from polymers with a viscosity of at least 500 mPa·s measured at a polymer concentration of 1% by weight in water and at 20° C. with a Brookfield viscometer, such as at 10 rpm for 1 min, with an appropriate spindle.

Suitable polymers are cellulose polymers, alginates, polysaccarides and acrylic acid polymers, preferably methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, methylhydroxyethylcellulose, methylhydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, alginic acids, sodium alginates, ammonium alginates, calcium alginates, gum arabic, guar gum or xanthan gum, dehydroxanthan gum or acrylic acid polymers known with the CTFA adopted name Carbomer and its derivatives.

The preferred polymers are hydroxyethylcellulose, dehydroxanthan gum, xanthan gum, guar gum and polymeric anionic thickeners Carbomer and its derivatives. The particularly preferred thickening agent is dehydroxanthan gum. The thickening agents are preferably comprised in the composition at a total concentration in the range of 0.1% to 2%, preferably, 0.2% to 1.75%, more preferably 0.25% to 1.5% and most preferably 0.3% to 1.25% by weight, calculated to the total of the aqueous composition. It should be noted that thickening is necessary in order to keep the aqueous compositions on the hair during their processing time.

The aqueous composition may comprise one or more of the commonly used hair conditioning compounds. These compounds are for example fatty alcohols, surfactants such as anionic, nonionic, cationic and amphoteric ones, ubiquinones, ceramides, organic solvents, lipophilic ingredients such as vegetable oils, mineral oils, silicones, fatty acid fatty alcohol esters, preservatives, amino acids, and polyols. It should be noted that these compounds are optionally comprised in the composition and their incompatibility must be carefully considered prior to addition into the composition.

The composition may comprise one or more fatty alcohols. In particular the compositions may further be in the form of an emulsion and then comprises preferably one or more fatty alcohols and one or more surfactants as emulsifier. Suitable fatty alcohols are the ones with the chain length of 14 to 22 C atoms which may be saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched which may as well be substituted. Non-limiting examples are myristyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol and cetostearyl alcohol. The total concentration of fatty alcohol is in the range from 0.1% to 7.5%, preferably 0.2% to 5% by weight, calculated to the total of the composition.

The surfactants suitable are selected from anionic, nonionic, amphoteric and/or cationic surfactants. The anionic, nonionic, amphoteric surfactants are used generally as emulsifier or solubilizer whereas the cationic surfactants are at the same time particularly used as hair conditioners.

Anionic surfactants suitable are in principle known from the cleansing compositions. These are anionic surfactants of the sulfate, sulfonate, carboxylate and alkyl phosphate type, for example, the known C10-C18-alkyl sulfates, and in particular the respective ether sulfates, for example, C12-C14-alkyl ether sulfate, lauryl ether sulfate, especially with 1 to 4 ethylene oxide groups in the molecule, monoglyceride (ether) sulfates, fatty acid amide sulfates obtained by ethoxylation and subsequent sulfatation of fatty acid alkanolamides, and the alkali salts thereof, as well as the salts of long-chain mono- and dialkyl phosphates.

Additional anionic surfactants useful within the scope of the invention are α-olefin sulfonates or the salts thereof, and in particular alkali salts of sulfosuccinic acid semiesters, for example, the disodium salt of monooctyl sulfosuccinate and alkali salts of long-chain monoalkyl ethoxysulfosuccinates.

Suitable surfactants of the carboxylate type are alkyl polyether carboxylic acids and the salts thereof as well as alkyl amido polyether carboxylic acids and salts thereof. Such products have been known for some time and are on the market, for example, under the trade name “AKYPO®” and “AKYPO-SOFT®”.

Further suitable anionic surfactants are also C8-C22-acyl aminocarboxylic acids or the water-soluble salts thereof. Especially preferred is N-lauroyl glutamate, in particular as sodium salt, as well as, for example, N-lauroyl sarcosinate, N—C12-C18-acyl asparaginic acid, N-myristoyl sarcosinate, N-oleoyl sarcosinate, N-lauroyl methylalanine, N-lauroyl lysine and N-lauroyl aminopropyl glycine, preferably in form of the water-soluble alkali or ammonium, in particular the sodium salts thereof, preferably in admixture with the above-named anionic surfactants.

It is also possible to use mixtures of several anionic surfactants.

Further suitable surfactants are nonionic surfactants. Non-limiting examples are long-chain fatty acid mono- and dialkanolamides, such as coco fatty acid mono- or diethanolamide and myristic fatty acid mono or diethanolamide, stearic acid mono or diethanolamide, alkyl polyglucosides with an alkyl group of 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and with 1 to 5 glucoside units, sorbitan esters, such as polyethylene glycol sorbitan stearic, palmitic, myristic and lauric acid esters, fatty acid polyglycol esters or poly-condensates of ethyleneoxide and propyleneoxide, as they are on the market, for example, under the trade name “Pluronics®”, as well as fatty alcohol ethoxylates, C22-fatty alcohol ethoxylates, known by the generic terms “Laureth”, “Myristeth”, “Oleth”, “Ceteth”, “Deceth”, “Steareth” and “Ceteareth” according to the CTFA nomenclature, including addition of the number of ethylene oxide molecules, e.g., “Laureth-16”: The average degree of ethoxylation thereby ranges between about 2.5 and about 100, preferably about 10 and about 30.

Suitable amphoteric surfactants are in particular the various known betaines such as alkyl betaines, fatty acid amidoalkyl betaines and sulfobetaines, for example, lauryl hydroxysulfobetaine; long-chain alkyl amino acids, such as cocoaminoacetate, cocoaminopropionate and sodium cocoamphopropionate and -acetate have also been proven suitable.

Suitable cationic surfactants are according to the general structure


where R5is a saturated or unsaturated, branched or linear alkyl chain with 8-22 C atoms or
R7CONH(CH2)n
where R7is saturated or unsaturated, branched or linear alkyl chain with 7-21 C atoms and n has typical value of 1-4 or
R8COO(CH2)n
where R8is saturated or unsaturated, branched or linear alkyl chain with 7-21 C atoms and n has typical value of 1-4, and

R4is H or unsaturated or saturated, branched or linear alkyl chain with 1-22 C atoms or
R7CONH(CH2)n
or
R8COO(CH2)n
where R7, R8and n are same as above.

R9and R6are H or lower alkyl chain with 1 to 4 Carbon atoms, and X is typically chloride, bromide, methosulfate.

Typical examples of those ingredients are cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, stearyl trimonium chloride, dipalmitoyl dimonium chloride, distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, stearamidopropyl trimonuim chloride, dioleoylethyl dimethyl ammonium methosulfate, dioleoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate.

The concentration of total surfactants in the composition is in the range of 0.1% to 10%, preferably 0.2% to 7.5% and most preferably 0.2% to 5% by weight, calculated to the total of the composition.

The aqueous composition may further comprise lipophilic ingredients such as vegetable oils, for example, jojoba oil or any other natural oil; liquid paraffins, especially paraffinum perliquidum and parafiinum subliquidum, silicones for example linear polysiloxanes such as dimethicones with various consistency and dimethiconols, aminated silicones with secondary, tertiary or quaternary ammonium groups such as polysilicone 9, and quaternium 80, cyclic silicones such as cyclomethicones, arylated silicones such as phenyl trimethicone; fatty acid esters such as octyl palmitate, isocetyl palmitate, isopropyl palmitate and octyl stearate, C10- to C36-fatty acid triglycerides, as well as their mixtures. Total concentration of these lipophilic compounds is in the range of 0.1% to 20% by weight, preferably from 1% to 15% by weight, and more preferably from 2% to 10% by weight, calculated to the total of the composition.

The composition may also comprise cationic polymers as conditioning and/or thickening agents. Those are cationic cellulose type polymers know as Polymer JR type from Amerchol such as Polyquaternium 10 or cationic guar gum known with trade name Jaguar from Rhone-Poulenc and chemically for example Guar hydroxypropyl trimonium chloride. Furthermore, chitosan and chitin can also be included in the compositions as cationic natural polymers.

Furthermore, it has been found suitable to use those cationic polymers known with their CTFA category name Polyquaternium. Typical examples of those Polyquaternium 4, Polyquaternium 6, Polyquaternium 7, Polyquaternium 10, Polyquaternium 11, Polyquaternium 16, Polyquaternium 22, Polyquaternium 24, Polyquaternium 28, Polyquaternium 30, Polyquaternium 37, Polyquaternium 36, Polyquaternium 46, Polyquaternium 67, and Polyquaternium 72.

The composition may comprise one or more ceramide compound, such as the one according to general formula


where R11and R12are independent from each other alkyl- or. alkenyl group with 10 to 22 carbon atoms, R13is alkyl or hydroxyl alkyl with 1 to 4 carbon atoms group and n is a number between 1 to 6, preferably 2 or 3. Preferred compound according to the above chemical structure is cetyl-PG-hydroxyethylpalmitamide. Concentration of ceramide type of compounds ranges from 0.01% to 2%, preferably 0.01% to 1% by weight calculated to the total of the composition.

The composition may comprise ubiquinone of the formula:


wherein n is a number from 1 to 10. The concentration of ubiquinone can vary between 0.001% and 10% by weight, calculated to the total of the composition.

The composition may comprise one or more organic solvent such as 2-phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol, 2-phenylethanol and 2-benzyloxyethanol. Suitable aliphatic alcohols are ethanol, isopropanol, propanol, n-butanol, isobutanol, t-butanol and 1-pentanol. Total concentration of one or more organic solvent is in the range of 1% to 50%, preferably 2% to 40% and more preferably 5% to 30% and most preferably 5% to 20% by weight calculated to the total of the composition.

The composition may further comprise one or more polyols, preferably at a concentration in the range of 0.01% to 5%, preferably 0.1% to 3% and more preferably 0.2% to 2.5% and most preferably 0.25% to 2% by weight calculated to the total of the composition. Suitable ones are propylene glycol, diproplylene glycol, glycerine, panthenol and its derivatives.

The compositions may further comprise any known preservatives if necessary, fragrance and any other cosmetically acceptable ingredient.

The following examples are to illustrate the invention but not to limit.

