Neutralizing Hair Compositions and Methods

Abstract

The present invention is directed to methods, compositions and kits for neutralizing alkaline hair. The present invention is also directed to methods, compositions and kits for straightening human hair. The methods comprise neutralizing the hair with a hair neutralizing composition comprising at least one fatty acid. The compositions comprise neutralizing compositions comprising at least one fatty acid. The kits comprise an alkali hair relaxer or components for preparing such a relaxer and the hair neutralizing compositions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of neutralizing alkaline hair comprising applying a composition comprising at least one fatty acid to the hair, wherein the at least one fatty acid is present in an amount effective to neutralize the hair. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a natural oil containing a fatty acid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a vehicle chosen from a solvent, a lipid, an ester or an inert carrier or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cleaning the hair, wherein the neutralizing and cleaning occur concurrently with the single step of applying the composition. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a conditioning agent. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the conditioning agent is a quaternized derivative of 18-methyl eicosanoic acid. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the conditioning agent is C10-40 isoalkylamidopropylethyldimonium ethosulfate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid is chosen from butyric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, 18-methyl eicosanoic acid and behenic acid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a high HLB surfactant. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises:
 (a) a natural oil containing a fatty acid; and   (b) at least one additional fatty acid.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one additional fatty acid is present in a vehicle chosen from a solvent, a lipid, an ester or an inert carrier or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises:
 (a) sunflower oil;   (b) oleic acid;   (c) isoalkylamidopropylethyldimonium ethosulfate and dipropylene glycol;   (d) caprylic acid; and   (e) a high HLB surfactant.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises an antioxidant chosen from tocopherol acetate, BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) and BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fatty acid in the composition is present in an amount effective to bring the pH of the hair under about 8 after a single application of the composition. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one fatty acid in the composition is present in amount effective to bring the pH of the hair under about 7.5 after a single application of the composition. 
     
     
         16 . A method of straightening human hair comprising:
 (a) applying an alkali relaxer to the hair; and   (b) applying a composition comprising at least one fatty acid to the hair,   
       wherein the at least one fatty acid is present in an amount effective to neutralize the hair. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein step (a) is performed first, followed by rinsing off the alkali relaxer, followed by performing step (b). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the composition comprises a natural oil containing a fatty acid. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the composition comprises a vehicle chosen from a solvent, a lipid, an ester or an inert carrier or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the composition further comprises a conditioning agent. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the conditioning agent is a quaternized derivative of 18-methyl eicosanoic acid. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the conditioning agent is C10-40 isoalkylamidopropylethyldimonium ethosulfate. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the fatty acid is chosen from butyric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, 18-methyl eicosanoic acid and behenic acid. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the composition further comprises a high HLB surfactant. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the composition comprises:
 (a) a natural oil containing a fatty acid; and   (b) at least one additional fatty acid.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one additional fatty acid is present in a vehicle chosen from a solvent, a lipid, an ester or an inert carrier or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the composition comprises:
 (a) sunflower oil;   (b) oleic acid;   (c) isoalkylamidopropylethyldimonium ethosulfate and dipropylene glycol;   (d) caprylic acid; and   (e) a high HLB surfactant.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein step (a) is performed first, and the relaxer is left on the hair during step (b), and the method further comprises the step of:
 (c) rinsing off the neutralized relaxer and any remaining residual relaxer from the hair.   
     
     
         29 . A method of straightening human hair comprising:
 (a) applying an alkali relaxer to the hair; and   (b) applying a composition comprising at least one fatty acid to the hair;   
       wherein step (b) alone is effective to neutralize the hair without further application steps beyond step (b). 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein step (b) is effective to bring the pH of the hair under about 8. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein step (b) is effective to bring the pH of the hair under about 7.5. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein step (b) alone is effective both to neutralize and clean the hair without further application steps beyond step (b). 
     
     
         33 . A hair composition comprising:
 (a) one or more fatty acids in an amount effective to neutralize alkaline hair; and   (b) a vehicle chosen from a solvent, a lipid, an ester or an inert carrier or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         34 . A hair composition comprising:
 (a) a natural oil containing a fatty acid; and   (b) at least one additional fatty acid in an amount effective to neutralize hair that has had an alkali relaxer applied to the hair.   
     
     
         35 . A hair composition according to  claim 34 , further comprising a quaternized derivative of 18-methyl eicosanoic acid. 
     
     
         36 . A hair composition according to  claim 35 , wherein the hair composition comprises:
 (a) about 65 to about 70% sunflower oil;   (b) about 25 to about 35% oleic acid;   (c) about 0.5 to about 1.5% conditioning agent; and   (d) about 0.4 to about 3% high HLB surfactant.   
     
     
         37 . A hair composition according to  claim 34 , wherein the hair composition comprises:
 (a) about 48.0% sunflower oil;   (b) about 46 to about 47% oleic acid   (c) about 3.0% caprylic acid;   (d) about 1.0% conditioning agent; and   (e) about 1 to about 2% high HLB surfactant.   
     
     
         38 . A hair composition according to  claim 34 , further comprising an antioxidant chosen from tocopherol acetate, BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) and BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole). 
     
     
         39 . A kit for straightening human hair comprising:
 (a) an alkali hair relaxer or components necessary for preparing an alkali hair relaxer; and   (b) a hair neutralizing composition comprising at least one of a fatty acid or a natural oil containing a fatty acid.   
     
     
         40 . The kit of  claim 39 , wherein (a) comprises an alkali earth metal hydroxide and guanidine carbonate. 
     
     
         41 . A method of neutralizing hair after relaxer has been applied to the hair, the method comprising the selection of a neutralizing composition comprising a vehicle and a fatty acid for application to hair, wherein the selection of the neutralizing composition is based on one or more of the following factors:
 (a) the acid value of the fatty acid;   (b) the ability of the fatty acid to mimic the effects of fatty acids naturally present in hair;   (c) the concentration of the fatty acid in the vehicle used to apply the fatty acid to the hair;   (d) the quantity of the vehicle and therefore of the composition applied to the hair being neutralized;   (e) the quantity of relaxer remaining on the hair before it is to be neutralized, including the effect of rinsing of the relaxer from the hair;   (f) the strength or the pH of the remaining relaxer;   (g) the period of time during which the composition remains in the hair; and   (h) the hair type, texture and quality.