Hair Treatment

Hair treatment composition and method of treating hair with the same

Hair Treatment Abstract
A hair treatment composition simultaneously tones, shampoos and conditions hair in from about one to about three minutes. The composition includes henna material having a natural lawsone component and a natural fixer component, an aqueous-based carrier having an acidic pH, a non-toxic organic solvent for extracting quantities of the natural lawsone and fixer components from the henna material, synthetic lawsone for making more coloring principle available, a fixing agent cooperating with the natural fixer component for fixing the natural lawsone component and/or synthetic lawsone to the hair, cleaning agents for shampooing the hair, and conditioning agents for conditioning the hair.

Hair Treatment Claims
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. A method of treating hair, comprising the steps of:

(a) mixing henna material having a natural lawsone component and a natural fixer component in an aqueous-based carrier;

(b) mixing a glycol with the henna material in the carrier and thereby extracting quantities of the natural lawsone and fixer components from the henna material to thereby form a henna extract;

(c) mixing synthetic lawsone with the extract to thereby form a sub-mixture for increasing the color intensity imparted to the hair to a level above that imparted to the hair by the extracted natural lawsone component alone;

(d) mixing a cationic polymeric fixing agent with the sub-mixture to thereby form a hair treatment composition for fixing both the synthetic lawsone and the extracted natural fixer component to the hair in a time period which is shorter than the time required for the extracted natural fixer component alone to fix the extracted natural lawsone component to the hair; and

(e) applying the hair treatment composition to the hair for toning the same with the increased color intensity and in the shorter time period.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of cleaning the hair simultaneously with said applying step by adding a cleaning agent to said composition prior to such application, said cleaning agent being operative for shampooing the hair and also for extracting additional quantities of said natural lawsone component and said natural fixer component from said henna material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said cleaning step includes adding a cation-biased cleaning agent.

4. The method of claim 1; and further comprising the step of conditioning the hair simultaneously with said applying step by adding a conditioning agent to said composition prior to such application.

5. The method of claim 1; and further comprising the step of adjusting the pH of said composition to an acidic level by adding an acidic agent to said composition prior to such application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of mixing a fixing agent includes mixing a cationic polyamide-amine copolymer with the sub-mixture.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of mixing a cationic polyamide-amine copolymer with the sub-mixture includes mixing adipic acid/dimethylaminohydroxy propyl diethylenetriamine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said shorter time period is from about one to about three minutes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of mixing a glycol includes mixing hexylene glycol with the henna material in the carrier.

10. A method of making a hair treatment composition, comprising:

(a) mixing henna material having a natural lawsone component and a natural fixer component in an aqueous-based carrier;

(b) mixing a glycol with the henna material in the carrier and thereby extracting quantities of the natural lawsone and fixer components from the henna material to thereby form a henna extract;

(c) mixing synthetic lawsone with the extract to thereby form a sub-mixture for increasing the color intensity imparted to the hair to a level above that imparted to the hair by the extracted natural lawsone component alone; and

(d) mixing a cationic polymeric fixing agent with the sub-mixture to thereby form a hair treatment composition for fixing both the synthetic lawsone and the extracted natural fixer component to the hair in a time period which is shorter than the time required for the extracted natural fixer component alone to fix the extracted natural lawsone component to the hair.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of mixing a fixing agent includes mixing a cationic polyamide-amine copolymer with the sub-mixture.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of mixing a cationic polyamide-amine copolymer with the sub-mixture includes mixing adipicacid/dimethylaminohydroxy propyl diethylenetriamine.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said shorter time period is from about one to about three minutes.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of mixing a glycol includes mixing hexylene glycol with the henna material in the carrier.

15. The method of claim 10; and further comprising the step of mixing a cation-biased cleaning agent with the hair treatment composition.

16. The method of claim 10; and further comprising the step of mixing a conditioning agent with the hair treatment composition.

17. The method of claim 10; and further comprising the step of mixing an acidic agent with the hair treatment composition.

18. A hair treatment composition for application to hair, comprising:

(a) an aqueous-based carrier;

(b) henna material having a natural lawsone component and a natural fixer component in the carrier;

(c) a glycol in the carrier for extracting quantities of the natural lawsone and fixer components from the henna material to thereby form a henna extract;

(d) synthetic lawsone in the extract to thereby form a sub-mixture for increasing the color intensity imparted to the hair to a level above that imparted to the hair by the extracted natural lawsone component alone; and

(e) a cationic polymeric fixing agent in the sub-mixture to thereby form a hair treatment composition for fixing both the synthetic lawsone and the extracted natural fixer component to the hair in a time period which is shorter than the time required for the extracted natural fixer component alone to fix the extracted natural lawsone component to the hair.

19. The composition of claim 18, wherein said fixing agent is a cationic polyamide-amine copolymer.

20. The composition of claim 19, wherein said cationic polyamide-amine copolymer is adipic acid/dimethylaminohydroxy propyl diethylenetriamine.

21. The composition of claim 18, wherein said glycol is hexylene glycol.

22. The composition of claim 18; and further comprising a cation-biased cleaning agent in said carrier for cleaning the hair.

23. The composition of claim 18; and further comprising a conditioning agent in said carrier for conditioning the hair.

24. The composition of claim 18; and further comprising an acidic agent in said carrier for adjusting the pH of said composition to an acidic level.

25. A hair treatment composition, comprising:

(a) a henna extract comprising approximately 2% by weight of the composition, said extract including

(i) dried powdered henna leaves comprising about 10% to about 40% by weight of the extract,

(ii) hexylene glycol comprising about 15% to about 30% by weight of the extract,

(iii) N-acetyl ethanolamine comprising about 15% to about 25% by weight of the extract,

(iv) methylparaben comprising about 0.1% to about 0.3% by weight of the extract,

(v) imidazolidinyl urea comprising about 0.1% to about 0.5% by weight of the extract,

(vi) deionized water comprising the balance by weight of the extract;

(b) amphoteric-9 comprising about 30% by weight of the composition;

(c) adipic acid/dimethyl aminohydroxy propyl diethylenetriamine comprising about 4% by weight of the composition;

(d) polysorbate 20 comprising about 1% by weight of the composition;

(e) lauramide diethanolamine comprising about 1% by weight of the composition;

(f) cocamido betaine comprising about 15% by weight of the composition;

(g) synthetic lawsone comprising about 0.5% by weight of the composition;

(h) disodium ethylene diamine tetra acetate comprising about 0.2% by weight of the composition;

(i) hydrolyzed animal protein comprising about 0.25% by weight of the composition;

(j) citric acid comprising a percentage as desired to pH 5.5;

(k) FD&C red No. 4 comprising about 0.06% by weight of the composition;

(l) D&C red No. 33 comprising about 0.001% by weight of the composition; and

(m) perfume comprising about 0.5% by weight of the composition.

Hair Treatment Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a hair treatment composition and, more particularly, to a method of treating hair by application of such composition to hair on the human head. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a hair treatment composition which simultaneously tones, shampoos and conditions the hair to be treated in a short period of time.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Henna is a reddish-orange or reddish-brown vegetable dye made from the leaves of the shrub Lawsonia alba and related species such as Lawsonia inermis. The leaves contain about 1% of a coloring principle known as natural lawsone, as well as a natural fixer known as tannins, e.g., tannic acid.

In order to impart a reddish tone to the hair, it is known to dry such henna leaves and place them about the hair in compress or poultice form. The henna leaves then are covered with hot towels and kept warm with a casque heater until the desired degree of color is obtained.

It is also known to dry and to powder such henna leaves into particulate form. The dried powdered leaves then are steeped in boiling water and, while still warm, the ensuing henna solution is poured several times over freshly washed hair in order to tone the latter to the desired shade or tint.

Hair toning compositions in current use require a user to mix dried powdered henna leaves in very hot tap water until a paste or slurry is formed. This paste is applied to the hair and allowed to remain on the latter for approximately 45 minutes to about 2 hours for a suitable toning effect. Other recent hair toning compositions are marketed in creme form and similarly require lengthy application times for a suitable toning effect.

However, all of such known henna-type compositions have not proven to be altogether satisfactory. In use, only minimal degrees of toning or highlighting of the hair have been obtained. Moreover, the waiting times (generally on the order of 45 minutes to about 2 hours) required to process and tone the hair are too lengthy. Furthermore, subsequent washing or shampooing of the hair tends to wash out whatever toning effect has previously been imparted to the hair. Still furthermore, the known compositions do not adequately provide for any simultaneous conditioning of the hair.

It is further known to add ammonium lauryl sulfate, i.e., a detergent, to dried powdered henna leaves in order to form a combination toner and shampoo composition. However, the resulting toning effect imparted to the hair is unsatisfactory. It is believed that this unsatisfactory toning effect is due to the fact that the natural lawsone dissolves in a water carrier and forms a plurality of anions. The ammonium lauryl sulfate similarly dissolves in the water carrier to form a plurality of anions. It is believed that the negative ions of the ammonium lauryl sulfate actually tend to repel the negative ions of the lawsone, thereby resulting in a very minimal and highly unsatisfactory toning of the hair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art.

It is an additional object of the present invention to effectively and reliably tone and highlight hair to a desired reddish shade.

Still another object of the present invention is to tone and highlight hair to a reddish shade in very short processing times which are generally on the order of from 1 to about 3 minutes.

Another object of the present invention is to reliably fix the coloring principle lawsone to the hair such that subsequent shampooing will not tend to wash out the toning effect previously imparted to the hair.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a combination shampoo and henna toner and conditioner composition for simultaneous application to the hair to be treated.

In keeping with these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the invention resides, briefly stated, in a method of treating hair which includes the step of intermixing henna material, a non-toxic organic solvent, and an aqueous-based carrier having an acidic pH. Among other constituents, henna material contains a coloring principle (i.e., natural lawsone) and a natural fixer (i.e., tannins). The organic solvent extracts quantities of the natural lawsone and the natural fixer. Upon application of this mixture to hair to be treated, the natural fixer fixes the natural lawsone to the hair to thereby tone the same.

In order to make the hair treatment a more efficient procedure, synthetic lawsone is added to the mixture. Thus, additional quantities of coloring principle are available to assist the natural lawsone in imparting a reddish shade to the hair in a relatively shorter period of time.

Moreover, a fixer agent is added to the mixture and is operative for assisting the natural fixer in fixing the natural and/or synthetic lawsone to the hair in a short period of time.

In order to shampoo and condition the hair simultaneously with toning the same, cleaning and conditioning agents are added to the mixture.

The above-identified constituents of the hair treatment composition according to the present invention are present in amount and concentration sufficient to effectively and reliably tone the hair to the desired reddish shade in processing times generally on the order of one to three minutes. This represents a significant improvement over the rather lengthy processing times of the prior art. Moreover, we have found that the toning effect provided by our hair treatment composition does not tend to wash out with subsequent shampooings.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description.