Novel topical compositions

Abstract

Skin care compositions comprising an oil-in-water emulsion base containing retinoids and possessing good physical and chemical stability

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A skin care composition comprising an oil-in-water emulsion and a retinoid selected from the group consisting of Vitamin A alcohol, Vitamin A aldehyde, retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate and mixtures thereof, said composition having a pH of between about 4 and about 10; said composition further comprising an oil phase, said oil phase having a relatively low level of unsaturation; said composition further comprising a stabilizing system selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) at least one oil-soluble antioxidant;    b) a chelating agent and at least one oil-soluble antioxidant;    c) a chelating agent; and    d) a chelating agent and an antioxidant present in each of the oil and water phases of said emulsion;    said composition retaining at least about 70% of said retinoids after 13 weeks' storage at 40° C.    
     
     
         2 . An oil-in-water emulsion composition comprising: 
 a) an emulsifier system selected from the group consisting of: 
 i) a mixture of glyceryl stearate and polyethylene glycol 100 stearate;  
 ii) cetearyl alcohol and cetearyl glucoside;  
 iii) a mixture of a polyethylene glycol ether of stearyl alcohol of the formula:  
 CH(CH 2 ) 16 CH 2 (OCH 2 CH 2 ) n OH  
  wherein n is 21 and a polyethylene glycol ether of stearyl alcohol of the formula:  
 CH 3  (CH 2 ) 16 CH 2  (OCH 2 CH 2 ) n OH  
  wherein n is 2; and  
 iv) a mixture of sorbitan stearate and polysorbate 60 (a mixture of stearate esters of sorbitol and sorbitol anhydrides condensed with 20 moles of ethylene oxide);  
   b) a co-emulsifier selected from the group consisting of: cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol and mixtures thereof;    c) an oil phase present in the amount of from about 5 to about 20 percent by weight of the total emulsion composition comprising: 
 i) a light, dry absorbable oil and  
 ii) substantive, emollient oils or waxes wherein said light dry absorbable oil and said substantive oil or wax are present in a ratio of from about 1:3 to about 10:1.  
   
     
     
         3 . A skin care composition comprising (a) a retinoid selected from the group consisting of Vitamin A alcohol, Vitamin A aldehyde, retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate and mixtures thereof, and (b) an irritation mitigating oil phase present in an irritation mitigation-effective amount.  
     
     
         4 . A skin care composition according to  claim 3  wherein said irritation mitigating oil phase comprises one or more components whose composite solubility parameter δ is within 2 units of the solubility parameter of the retinoid in the composition.  
     
     
         5 . A skin care composition according to  claim 4  wherein said irritation mitigating oil phase comprises one or more components whose composite solubility parameter is within 1.5 units of the solubility parameter of the retinoid in the composition.  
     
     
         6 . A skin care composition according to  claim 5  wherein said irritation mitigating oil phase comprises one or more components whose composite solubility parameter is within 1 unit of the solubility parameter of the retinoid in the composition.  
     
     
         7 . A skin care composition comprising (a) a retinoid selected from the group consisting of Vitamin A alcohol, Vitamin A aldehyde, retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate and mixtures thereof, and (b) an irritation mitigation agent present in an irritation mitigation-effective amount.  
     
     
         8 . A skin care composition according to  claim 7  wherein said irritation mitigation agent comprises an oil soluble compound having a carbon chain of at least about 12 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         9 . A skin care composition according to  claim 7  wherein said irritation mitigation agent comprises an ester compound.  
     
     
         10 . A skin care composition according to  claim 9  wherein said irritation mitigation agent comprises an ester of a fatty alcohol.  
     
     
         11 . A skin care composition according to  claim 9  wherein said irritation mitigation agent comprises an ester of a fatty acid.  
     
     
         12 . A skin care composition according to  claim 10  wherein said irritation mitigation agent is selected from the group consisting of: C 12-15  Alkyl benzoate, octyl methoxycinnamate, octyl dimethyl PABA, octocrylene, menthyl anthranilate, homomenthyl salicylate, glyceryl stearate, PEG 100 stearate, and stearyl lactate or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         13 . A skin care composition according to  claim 10  wherein said irritation mitigation agent is selected from the group consisting of, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         14 . A skin care composition according to  claim 1  which further comprises an irritation mitigating oil phase present in an irritation mitigation-effective amount.  
     
     
         15 . A skin care composition according to  claim 2  which further comprises an irritation mitigating oil phase present in an irritation mitigation-effective amount.  
     
     
         16 . A skin care composition according to  claim 1  which further comprises an irritation mitigation agent present in an irritation mitigation-effective amount.  
     
     
         17 . A skin care composition according to  claim 2  which further comprises an irritation mitigation agent present in an irritation mitigation-effective amount.