Hair setting compositions, polymers and methods

Abstract

Disclosed are aqueous hair setting compositions comprising, as the sole hair fixative component, rheology modifying, hair setting, associative polymers (RMHS), which are the polymerization product of a monomer mixture comprising an acidic vinyl monomer; and an associative monomer. The hair setting compositions provide surprisingly good to excellent hair setting efficacy, based on high humidity curl retention. A wide range of rheological characteristics was achieved together with good clarity and aesthetic product properties. Particularly preferred rheology modifying hair setting associative polymers are certain hydrophobically modified alkali-swellable and alkali-soluble associative polymers (ASAP) and HASE polymers disclosed herein. Also disclosed are methods of setting hair using RMHS polymer-containing compositions.

1 . An aqueous hair setting composition comprising: 
 an effective hair setting amount of a rheology modifying, hair setting associative polymer which is the polymerization product of a monomer mixture comprising:    (a) an acidic vinyl monomer or salt thereof; and    (b) an associative monomer    wherein the associative polymer is substantially the sole hair setting agent in the composition.    
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the pH of the composition is at least about 2.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  having a Brookfield viscosity greater than about 100 mPa·s at an ambient temperature in the range of about 20-25° C.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the composition provides a hair setting efficacy of at least about 70% curl retention for a period of at least about 0.75 hours at about 90% relative humidity and ambient temperature in the range of about 26-27° C.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the acidic vinyl monomer is selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid-containing vinyl monomer, a sulfonic acid-containing vinyl monomer, a phosphonic acid-containing monomer, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the acidic vinyl monomer is acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, styrenesulfonic acid, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the salt is selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal salt, an alkaline earth metal salt, an ammonium salt, an alkyl-substituted ammonium salt, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the associative monomer comprises a hydrophobic end group selected from the group consisting of a C 8 -C 40  linear alkyl, a C 8 -C 40  branched alkyl, a C 8 -C 40  carbocyclic alkyl, a C 2 -C 40  alkyl-substituted phenyl, an aryl-substituted C 2 -C 40  alkyl, and a C 8 -C 80  complex ester.  
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1  containing two associative monomers wherein each associative monomer independently comprises a polymerizable, unsaturated end group, a C 8 -C 40  alkyl hydrophobic end group, and a polyoxyalkylene group disposed between and covalently bonded to the unsaturated end group and the hydrophobic end group.  
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the polyoxyalkylene group is a homopolymer, a random copolymer, or a block copolymer comprising about 5 to about 250 C 2 -C 4  oxyalkylene units.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the associative monomer is a compound of the following formula (III):  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein, each R 2  is independently H, methyl, —C(O)OH, or —C(O)OR 3 ; R 3  is C 1 -C 30  alkyl; A is —CH 2 C(O)O—, —C(O)O—, —O—, —CH 2 O—, —NHC(O)NH—, —C(O)NH—, —Ar—(CE 2 ) z —NHC(O)O—, —Ar—(CE 2 ) z —NHC(O)NH—, or —CH 2 CH 2 NHC(O)—; Ar is a divalent aryl; E is H or methyl; z is 0 or 1; k is an integer in the range of 0 to about 30, and m is 0 or 1, with the proviso that when k is 0, m is 0, and when k is in the range of 1 to about 30, m is 1; (R 4 —O) n  is a polyoxyalkylene, which is a homopolymer, a random copolymer, or a block copolymer of C 2 -C 4  oxyalkylene units, wherein R 4  is C 2 H 4 , C 3 H 6 , or C 4 H 8 , and n is an integer in the range of about 5 to about 250; Y is —R 4 O—, —R 4 NH—, —C(O)—, —C(O)NH—, —R 4 NHC(O)NH—, or —C(O)NHC(O)—; and R 5  is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl selected from the group consisting of a C 8 -C 40  linear alkyl, a C 8 -C 40  branched alkyl, a C 8 -C 40  carbocyclic alkyl, a C 2 -C 40  alkyl-substituted phenyl, an aryl-substituted C 2 -C 40  alkyl, and a C 8 -C 80  complex ester; wherein the R 5  alkyl group optionally comprises one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, an alkoxyl group, and a halogen group.  
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the polymer further comprises one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of a nonionic vinyl monomer, a semihydrophobic monomer, a crosslinking monomer, and a chain transfer agent.  
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 12  wherein the nonionic vinyl monomer is a compound having one of the following formulas (I) or (II):  
         CH 2 ═C(X)Z  (I)  CH 2 ═CH—OC(O)R  (II)  
       wherein, in each of formulas (I) and (II), X is H or methyl; Z is —C(O)OR 1 , —C(O)NH 2 , —C(O)NHR 1 , —C(O)N(R 1 ) 2 , —C 6 H 4 R 1 , —C 6 H 4 OR 1 , —C 6 H 4 Cl, —CN, —NHC(O)CH 3 , —NHC(O)H, N-(2-pyrrolidonyl), N-caprolactamyl, —C(O)NHC(CH 3 ) 3 , —C(O)NHCH 2 CH 2 —N-ethyleneurea, —SiR 3 , —C(O)O(CH 2 ) n SiR 3 , —C(O)NH(CH 2 ) x SiR 3 , or —(CH 2 ) x SiR 3 ; x is an integer in the range of 1 to about 6; each R is independently C 1 -C 18  alkyl; each R 1  is independently C 1 -C 30  alkyl, hydroxy-substituted C 1 -C 30  alkyl, or halogen-substituted C 1 -C 30  alkyl.  
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 12  wherein the nonionic vinyl monomer is selected from the group consisting of a C 1 -C 8  ester of acrylic acid, a C 1 -C 8  ester of methacrylic acid, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 12  wherein the semihydrophobic monomer comprises a polymerizable, unsaturated end group and a polyoxyalkylene group covalently bonded thereto.  
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 15  wherein the polyoxyalkylene group is a homopolymer, a random copolymer, or a block copolymer comprising about 5 to about 250 C 2 -C 4  oxyalkylene units.  
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 12  wherein the composition provides a hair setting efficacy of at least about 70% curl retention for a period of at least about 0.75 hours at about 90% relative humidity and ambient temperature in the range of about 26-27° C.  
     
     
         18 . A composition of  claim 1  further comprising one of more adjuvant selected from the group consisting of a pH adjusting and buffering agent, an auxiliary hair fixative and film former, an auxiliary rheology modifier, a hair conditioning agent, a chemical hair waving or straightening agent, a hair colorant, a surfactant, a polymer film modifying agent, a product finishing agent, a propellant, and a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the composition includes an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of a C 2 -C 8  monohydric alcohol, a C 3 -C 8  polyol and a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         20 . A composition of  claim 1  in the form of a liquid, gel, spray, emulsion, foam, mousse, spritz, shampoo, solid or semisolid.  
     
     
         21 . A composition of  claim 1  wherein the composition includes a propellant.  
     
     
         22 . A composition of  claim 1  containing about 0.1 to about 15% by weight of active associative polymer.  
     
     
         23 . A composition of  claim 1  further comprising an auxiliary rheology modifying polymer.  
     
     
         24 . A composition of  claim 23  wherein the auxiliary rheology modifying polymer is a carbomer polymer or a hydrophobically-modified carbomer polymer.  
     
     
         25 . An article of manufacture comprising a composition of  claim 1  in a packaged form.  
     
     
         26 . The article of manufacture of  claim 25  wherein the package form comprises a hair setting aid.  
     
     
         27 .- 49 . (canceled)  
     
     
         50 . An aqueous hair setting composition comprising an effective hair setting amount of an alkali-swellable hair setting associative polymer which is the polymerization product of a monomer mixture comprising, on a total monomer mixture weight basis: 
 (a) about 30 to about 75 weight percent of at least one acidic vinyl monomer or a salt thereof;    (b) at least about 25 weight percent, but not more than 60 weight percent of at least one nonionic vinyl monomer;    (c) about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent of a first associative monomer having a first hydrophobic end group;    (d) about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of a second associative monomer having a second hydrophobic end group, a semihydrophobic monomer, and a combination thereof; and, optionally,    (e) up to about 20 weight percent of a crosslinking monomer;    with the proviso that when monomer (d) is a second associative monomer, the first and second hydrophobic end groups of associative monomers (c) and (d) are each independently selected from the same or different hydrocarbon classes, and when the first and second hydrophobic end groups are selected from the same hydrocarbon class, the molecular formulas of the hydrophobic end groups differ by at least about 8 carbon atoms.    
     
     
         51 . The composition of  claim 50  wherein the pH of the composition is at least about 2.  
     
     
         52 . The composition of  claim 50  having a Brookfield viscosity greater than about 100 mPa·s at an ambient temperature in the range of about 20-25° C.  
     
     
         53 . The composition of  claim 50  wherein the composition provides a hair setting efficacy of at least about 70% curl retention for a period of at least about 0.75 hours at about 90% relative humidity and ambient temperature in the range of about 26-27° C.  
     
     
         54 . A composition of  claim 50  wherein the composition includes an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of a C 2 -C 8  monohydric alcohol, a C 3 -C 8  polyol, and a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         55 . A composition of  claim 50  further comprising one of more adjuvant selected from the group consisting of a pH adjusting and buffering agent, an auxiliary hair fixative and film former, an auxiliary rheology modifier, a hair conditioning agent, a chemical hair waving or straightening agent, a hair colorant, a surfactants, a polymer film modifying agent, a product finishing agent, a propellant, and a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         56 . A composition of  claim 50  in the form of a liquid, gel, spray, emulsion, foam, mousse, spritz, shampoo, solid or semisolid.  
     
     
         57 . A composition of  claim 50  wherein the composition includes a propellant.  
     
     
         58 . A composition of  claim 50  containing about 0.1 to about 15% by weight of active associative polymer.  
     
     
         59 . A composition of  claim 50  further comprising an auxiliary rheology modifying polymer.  
     
     
         60 . A composition of  claim 59  the auxiliary rheology modifying polymer is a carbomer polymer or a hydrophobically-modified carbomer polymer.  
     
     
         61 . An article of manufacture comprising a composition of  claim 50  in a packaged form.  
     
     
         62 . The article of manufacture of  claim 61  wherein the packaged form is a hair setting aid.  
     
     
         63 . An aqueous hair setting composition comprising an effective hair setting amount of an alkali-soluble hair setting associative polymer which is the polymerization product of a monomer mixture comprising, on a total monomer mixture weight basis: 
 (a) about 10 to about 30 weight percent of at least one acidic vinyl monomer or a salt thereof;    (b) more than 60 weight percent of at least one nonionic vinyl monomer;    (c) about 0.5 to about 5 weight percent of at least one associative monomer having a hydrophobic end group;    (d) about 0.5 to about 5 weight percent of at least one semihydrophobic monomer having a polymerizable, unsaturated end group and a polyoxyalkylene group covalently bonded thereto; and    (e) about 0.5 to about 5 weight percent of a chain transfer agent.    
     
     
         64 . The composition of  claim 63  wherein the pH of the composition is greater than about 3.  
     
     
         65 . The composition of  claim 63  having a Brookfield viscosity of not more than about 1,000 mPa·s at an ambient temperature in the range of about 20-25° C.  
     
     
         66 . The composition of  claim 63  wherein the composition provides a hair setting efficacy of at least about 70% curl retention for a period of at least about 0.75 hours at about 90% relative humidity and ambient temperature in the range of about 26-27° C.  
     
     
         67 . A composition of  claim 63  further comprising one of more adjuvants selected from the group consisting of a pH adjusting and buffering agent, an auxiliary hair fixative and film former, an auxiliary rheology modifier, a hair conditioning agent, a chemical hair waving or straightening agent, a hair colorant, a surfactant, a polymer film modifying agent, a product finishing agent, a propellant, and a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         68 . A composition of  claim 63  wherein the composition includes an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of a C 2 -C 8  monohydric alcohol, a C 3 -C 8  polyol, and a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         69 . A composition of  claim 63  in the form of a liquid, spray, emulsion, foam, mousse, spritz, shampoo, solid or semisolid.  
     
     
         70 . A composition of  claim 69  wherein the composition includes a propellant.  
     
     
         71 . A composition of  claim 70  wherein the propellant is selected from the group consisting of a fluorinated hydrocarbon, dimethyl ether, a liquid volatile hydrocarbon, and a compressed gas.  
     
     
         72 . A composition of  claim 63  containing about 0.1 to about 15% by weight of active associative polymer.  
     
     
         73 . A composition of  claim 63  further comprising an auxiliary rheology modifying polymer.  
     
     
         74 . A composition of  claim 73  wherein the auxiliary rheology modifying polymer is a carbomer polymer or a hydrophobically-modified carbomer polymer.  
     
     
         75 . An article of manufacture comprising a composition of  claim 63  in a packaged form.  
     
     
         76 . The article of manufacture of  claim 75  wherein the packaged form comprises a hair setting aid.  
     
     
         77 . A method of imparting a set to hair comprising the steps of: 
 (a) applying a hair setting effective amount of a composition of  claim 1  to the hair; and    (b) shaping the hair into a desired configuration prior to, during, or after step (a).    
     
     
         78 . A hair setting kit comprising an effective hair setting amount of a rheology modifying, hair setting associative polymer in a first container and optionally an effective amount of a pH adjusting agent in a second container; wherein the associative polymer is the polymerization product of a monomer mixture comprising an acidic vinyl monomer or salt thereof, and an associative monomer; such that when the contents of the first container, and second container when present, are admixed in an aqueous medium, a hair setting composition having a desired pH and viscosity is provided.  
     
     
         79 . The kit of  claim 78  wherein at least one of the contents of the first container and second container, when present, includes water.  
     
     
         80 . The kit of  claim 78  further comprising instructional material for preparation, for use, or both preparation and use, of the resulting hair setting composition.  
     
     
         81 . A method of setting hair comprising the steps of: 
 (a) admixing all or a portion of the contents of the first container, and second container when present, of the kit of  claim 78  in an aqueous medium to provide a hair setting composition having a desired viscosity; and    (b) applying the hair setting composition to hair prior to, during, or after shaping the hair into a desired configuration.    
     
     
         82 . A method of  claim 81  wherein, in step (a), the contents of the first container are admixed with a specified quantity of water prior to admixing with the contents of the second container when present.  
     
     
         83 . The hair setting composition of  claim 1  provided as a hair setting aid having the hair setting composition impregnated therein or coated thereon.  
     
     
         84 . The hair setting composition of  claim 83  wherein the hair setting aid is selected from the group consisting of wipes, pads, towlettes, sponges, curling papers, hair combs, hair brushes, and hair curlers.  
     
     
         85 . The hair setting composition of  claim 84  provided in a kit comprising instructional material for use of the hair setting aid.  
     
     
         86 . A method of setting hair with the hair setting aid of  claim 83  comprising the steps of: 
 (a) contacting the hair with the hair setting aid; and    (b) shaping the hair into a desired configuration before, during, or after contact with the hair setting aid, wherein during the contacting, the hair setting composition is applied to the hair.