Compositions for Lightening Skin Color

Abstract

Skin lightening additives and skin lightening compositions having at least one of a heterosubstituted, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic acid are described. The compositions are suitable for topical application and may comprise 12-hydroxystearic acid, ricinoleic acid or both.

1 . A skin lightening additive comprising a heterosubstituted, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic acid, or a mixture thereof. 
   
   
       2 . The skin lightening additive according to  claim 1  wherein aliphatic acid is 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
       or a mixture thereof 
       wherein each R is independently hydrogen, hydroxyl, C 1-6  alkoxy, C 1-6  alkyl, arylalkyl or an amine, with the proviso that at least one R group comprises a heteroatom; each R 1  is independently hydrogen, C 1-6  alkoxy, C 1-6  alkyl, arylalkyl or an amine; n is an integer from about 7 to about 19; and s and e are each independently an integer from about 0 to about 8, where s+e≧6; q is an integer from about 6 to about 11; each r is independently an integer from 0 to 1, with the proviso that each r is not 1 when x is 1; x is an integer from 0 to 1 with the proviso that x is 0 when at least one r is 1; and each t is independently an integer from 1 to 7. 
     
   
   
       3 . The skin lightening additive according to  claim 1  wherein the heterosubstituted, saturated aliphatic acid is at least one of aleuritic acid; phloionolic acid, 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid; 9,13-dihydroxy-12-ethoxy-10-octadecenoic acid; 9-hydroxy-10,12-octadecadienoic acid; 4,14-dihydroxy-octadecanoic acid; 12-hydroxystearic acid or a mixture thereof and the heterosubstituted, unsaturated aliphatic acid is at least one of lesquerolic acid; ricinelaidic acid; ambrettolic acid; ricinoleic acid; beta-dimorphecolic acid; densipolic acid; 8-methoxy-13-hydroxy-9,11-octadecadienoic acid; 7-oxo-octadecanoic acid; 9-oxo-octadecanoic acid; 12-oxo-octadecanoic acid; 10-oxo-14-methyl-pentadecanoic acid or a mixture thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The skin lightening additive according to  claim 1  wherein the skin lightening additive comprises the heterosubstituted, saturated aliphatic acid and heterosubstituted, unsaturated aliphatic acid at a weight ratio from about 10:90 to about 90:10. 
   
   
       5 . The skin lightening additive according to  claim 1  wherein the skin lightening additive consists essentially of heterosubstituted, saturated aliphatic acid, heterosubstituted, unsaturated aliphatic acid, or both. 
   
   
       6 . A cosmetic composition comprising
 a. a skin lightening additive comprising a heterosubstituted, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic acid, or a mixture thereof; and   b. a cosmetic carrier.   
   
   
       7 . The cosmetic composition according to  claim 6  wherein aliphatic acid is represented as formula I, formula II and/or formula III 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
       or a mixture thereof 
       wherein each R is independently hydrogen, hydroxyl, C 1-6  alkoxy, C 1-6  alkyl, arylalkyl or an amine, with the proviso that at least one R group comprises a heteroatom; each R 1  is independently hydrogen, C 1-6  alkoxy, C 1-6  alkyl, arylalkyl or an amine; n is an integer from about 7 to about 19; and s and e are each independently an integer from about 0 to about 8, where s+e≧6; q is an integer from about 6 to about 11; each r is independently an integer from 0 to 1, with the proviso that each r is not 1 when x is 1; x is an integer from 0 to 1 with the proviso that x is 0 when at least one r is 1; and each t is independently an integer from 1 to 7. 
     
   
   
       8 . The cosmetic composition according to  claim 7  wherein the heterosubstituted, saturated aliphatic acid is at least one of aleuritic acid; phloionolic acid; 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid; 9,13-dihydroxy-12-ethoxy-10-octadecenoic acid; 9-hydroxy-10,12-octadecadienoic acid; 4,14-dihydroxy-octadecanoic acid; 12-hydroxystearic acid or a mixture thereof and the heterosubstituted, unsaturated aliphatic acid is at least one of lesquerolic acid; ricinelaidic acid, ambrettolic acid; ricinoleic acid; beta-dimorphecolic acid; densipolic acid; 8-methoxy-13-hydroxy-9,11-octadecadienoic acid; 7-oxo-octadecanoic acid; 9-oxo-octadecanoic acid; 12-oxo-octadecanoic acid; 10-oxo-14-methyl-pentadecanoic acid or a mixture thereof. 
   
   
       9 . The cosmetic composition according to  claim 6  wherein the skin lightening additive comprises the heterosubstituted, saturated aliphatic acid and heterosubstituted, unsaturated aliphatic acid at a weight ratio from about 90:10 to about 10:90. 
   
   
       10 . The cosmetic composition according to  claim 6  wherein the skin lightening additive consists essentially of heterosubstituted, saturated aliphatic acid, heterosubstituted, unsaturated aliphatic acid, or a mixture thereof. 
   
   
       11 . The cosmetic composition according to  claim 6  wherein the cosmetic composition further comprises an alpha-hydroxy, beta-hydroxy acid, sunscreen or a mixture thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The cosmetic composition according to  claim 6  wherein the cosmetic composition further comprises a vitamin. 
   
   
       13 . The cosmetic composition according to  claim 12  wherein the vitamin is niacinamide. 
   
   
       14 . The cosmetic composition according to  claim 7  wherein the cosmetic composition further comprises niacinamide. 
   
   
       15 . The cosmetic composition according to  claim 6  wherein the composition further comprises conjugated linoleic acid, petroselinic acid or both. 
   
   
       16 . The cosmetic composition according to  claim 6  wherein the composition further comprises antioxidant. 
   
   
       17 . The cosmetic composition according to  claim 7  whereby a salt or derivative of the aliphatic acid represented by formula I, II and/or III is used. 
   
   
       18 . A method for lightening skin color comprising the steps of:
 a. contacting skin with the composition of  claim 6 ; and   b. suppressing melanin production.   
   
   
       19 . The method for lightening skin color according to  claim 17  wherein the skin composition further comprise niacinamide, conjugated linoleic acid, petroselinic acid, sunscreen, alpha-hydroxy acid, beta-hydroxy acid or a mixture thereof.