Cosmetic Applicator and Method of Making

• US 20090032053A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avon Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avon Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Fleissman, Leona G., Khan, Raheel, Griffiths, Catholyn T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,113,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 132/317
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/1009 Applicators comprising a pad, tissue, sponge, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/1027 Tissues, i.e. thin applicator sheets
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/1036 containing a cosmetic substance, e.g. impregnated with liquid or containing a soluble solid substance
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/1045 with one or more internal reservoirs, e.g. rupturable microcapsules
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 33/38 Papers containing cosmetic powder or other powdery toiletry substances
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/00 Casings or accessories specially adapted for storing or handling solid or pasty toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. shaving soaps or lipsticks features common to containers for handling powdery or liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances A45D33/00-A45D37/00; cosmetic or like preparations A61K8/00, A61Q; sample tables or the like G09F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/0087 for samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/0208 Tissues; Wipes; Patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 1/02 Preparations containing skin colorants, e.g. pigments preparations in powder form A61Q1/12
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/00 Preparations for care of the skin

Abstract

A cosmetic applicator and method of manufacturing same, wherein the cosmetic applicator is formed of a substrate and an application element comprising one or more application areas that are cohesively maintained on the substrate in a gapless, side-by-side formation in the presence of wet and/or dry binders. The substrate is subjected to a wetting agent that provides a better bind for the cosmetic slurries as they are printed onto their respective application area. The cosmetic compositions of each cosmetic application area may be different. Various cosmetic effects may be provided to end-users in a portable application.

Claims

1. A cosmetic applicator, comprising:

a flexible substrate having a planar body and formed in a predetermined shape, and

an application element formed on the substrate, wherein the application element comprises a plurality of cosmetic application areas, each cosmetic application area having deposited thereon a cosmetic composition, wherein the cosmetic application areas are cohesively maintained on the substrate in a gapless formation in the presence of at least one of wet and dry binders contained in the cosmetic composition, and wherein at least two of the cosmetic application areas have different cosmetic compositions.

2. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1, wherein the cosmetic composition deposited on each cosmetic application area comprises at least one pigment and/or pearlescent in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 80 wt %, and wherein the total amount of the at least one wet and dry binder is at least about 0.5 wt %.

3. The cosmetic applicator of claim 2, wherein the cosmetic composition comprises a wet binder present in an amount of from about 2 to about 20 wt %.

4. The cosmetic applicator of claim 3, wherein the wet binder is selected from the group consisting of esters of fatty acids, glyceryl esters, silicones, nonvolatile hydrocarbon oils, natural oils, polyols, and polymers selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes and polyacrylates, and combinations thereof.

5. The cosmetic applicator of claim 2, wherein the cosmetic composition comprises a dry binder present in an amount of from 1 to about 12 wt %.

6. The composition of claim 5, wherein the dry binder is selected from the group consisting of metal salts of fatty acids, waxes, polyethylenes, methacrylates, kaolin, lauroyl lysine, boron nitride, fatty alcohols, bismuth oxychloride, and combinations thereof.

7. The cosmetic applicator of claim 5, wherein the cosmetic composition further comprises a filler.

8. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate has a thickness of about 0.0010 to about 0.012 inches.

9. The cosmetic applicator of claim 2, wherein the substrate is paper.

10. The cosmetic applicator of claim 2, wherein the substrate is thin paper.

11. The cosmetic applicator of claim 10, wherein the substrate has a thickness of about 0.0010 to about 0.0040 inches.

12. The cosmetic applicator of claim 11, wherein the cosmetic composition deposited on each cosmetic application area comprises at least one pigment and/or pearlescent in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 80 wt %, and wherein the total amount of the at least one wet and dry binder is at least about 0.5 wt %.

13. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1 comprising at least three cosmetic application areas.

14. The cosmetic applicator of claim 13 comprising a first application area having a first cosmetic composition, a second cosmetic application area having a second cosmetic composition, a third cosmetic application area having a third cosmetic composition, a fourth cosmetic application area between the first and second application areas wherein the cosmetic composition for the fourth application area is a predetermined blend of the first and second cosmetic compositions, and a fifth cosmetic application area between the second and third application areas wherein the cosmetic

15. The cosmetic applicator of claim 14, wherein the amount of cosmetic composition provided on each cosmetic applicator area is a unit dose for that applicator area.

16. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1, wherein the application areas are formed using a screen printing process.

17. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1 further comprising a protective layer superposed on top of the flexible substrate.

18. The cosmetic applicator of claim 16, wherein the protective layer is removably affixed to the substrate with adhesive.

19. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1, wherein the substrate is subjected to a hydrophobic wetting agent in advance of the deposition of each cosmetic composition in the cosmetic application area.

20. The cosmetic applicator of claim 19, wherein the wetting agent comprises one or more low molecular weight polyols having from about 2 to about 8 carbons.

21. A cosmetic applicator comprising a flexible substrate having a planar body and formed in a predetermined shape;

an application element formed on the substrate, wherein the application element comprises a plurality of cosmetic application areas, each cosmetic application area having deposited thereon a cosmetic composition, wherein the cosmetic application areas are cohesively maintained on the substrate in a gapless formation in the presence of at least one of wet and dry binders contained in the cosmetic composition, and wherein at least two of the cosmetic application areas have different cosmetic compositions, and a carrier board supporting the flexible substrate, the flexible substrate being removably affixed to the carrier board by a low tack adhesive.

22. A cosmetic application kit having component parts for supplying a unit dose of a cosmetic, the kit comprising the combination of:

(a) at least one cosmetic applicator comprising (i) a flexible substrate having a planar body and formed in a predetermined shape, wherein the substrate is subjected to a wetting agent; and

(ii) an application element formed on the substrate, wherein the application element comprises a plurality of cosmetic application areas and that are cohesively maintained on the substrate in a gapless formation in the presence of at least one of wet and dry binders, and wherein at least two of the cosmetic application areas have different cosmetic compositions,

(b) a container for the at least one cosmetic applicator; and

(c) instructions for use of the cosmetic applicator.

23. The cosmetic application kit of claim 22, wherein the substrate has a thickness of about 0.0015 to about 0.012 inches.

24. The cosmetic application kit of claim 22, wherein the substrate is thin paper.

25. The cosmetic application kit of claim 22, further comprising a protective layer superposed on top of the substrate to overlay the substrate.

26. The cosmetic applicator kit of claim 22, wherein the protective layer includes indicia to orient the placement of the cosmetic applicator for the user.

27. A cosmetic applicator prepared by a process, comprising the steps of:

providing a flexible material;

screen printing a wetting agent onto a surface of the flexible material to form a pre wetted material surface; and

providing a first cosmetic slurry in a first pattern on the pre wetted material surface.

28. A cosmetic applicator prepared by a process, comprising the steps of:

providing a flexible material;

screen printing a wetting agent onto a surface of the flexible material to form a pre wetted material surface; and

providing a first cosmetic slurry in a first pattern on the pre wetted material surface.

29. The cosmetic applicator prepared by the process of claim 28, further comprising the step of providing a second cosmetic slurry in a second pattern on the pre wetted material surface, wherein the second pattern is adjacent the first pattern.

30. The cosmetic applicator prepared by the process of claim 28, further comprising the step of subjecting the screen printed wetting agent to a temperature of about 60°

F. to about 150°

F. to evaporate at least part of the screen printed wetting agent.

31. The cosmetic applicator prepared by the process of claim 28, wherein the wetting agent is volatile and hydrophilic, and comprises one or more low molecular weight polyols having from about 2 to about 8 carbons.

32. The cosmetic applicator prepared by the process of claim 29, wherein the first cosmetic slurry is different from the second cosmetic slurry.

33. The cosmetic applicator prepared by the process of claim 28, wherein the flexible material has a thickness of about 0.0010 to about 0.0040 inches.

34. The cosmetic applicator prepared by the process of claim 28, wherein the flexible material is paper.