The present invention relates to packaging and application devices for applying a cosmetic product to the eyelashes or eyebrows, in particular a makeup or care product, for example mascara.

The invention relates more particularly to devices comprising an applicator comprising a stem and, at one end of the latter, a brash for applying the product to the eyelashes or eyebrows.

A large number of applicators of this type, in which the brash has a core formed by two am s of a metal wire that are twisted together and grip bristles, are known.

The Patent Application EP 1 342 428 relates to brashes comprising notches. The Patent Application EP 2 229 840 relates to an applicator comprising a twisted portion with a flattened cross section.

The International Application WO 2013/030766 relates to a brash that is curved at its free end.

The Application F 2 935 878 and the International Application WO 2010/031957 relate to an applicator obtained by moulding.

At this time, there is still a need to benefit from applicators that are capable of making up the eyelashes and eyebrows in a satisfactory manner, by providing a sufficient load of product, and being able to curl the eyelashes, to separate them and to smooth the product over the surface thereof.

In particular, there is a need to further improve applicators for applying a cosmetic product to the eyelashes and/or eyebrows.

More particularly, there is a need to benefit from an applicator that makes it possible to make up the eyelashes and eyebrows without having to use a different applicator for finishing the makeup application.

A subject of the invention, according to one of its aspects, is thus an applicator for applying cosmetic or care product to the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, comprising a stem extending along a longitudinal axis Y and a brush fixed to a distal end of the stem, the brush comprising: - a twisted core extending along a longitudinal axis X, having a distal end and a proximal end fixed to the stem,

- bristles carried by the core, each having a free end, the free ends of the bristles defining an envelope surface E,

the envelope surface E having a cross section which decreases between a point on the longitudinal axis of the core and the proximal end of the core,

the envelope surface E having at least one first protuberance close to the distal end of the core and a second protuberance close to the proximal end of the core, the first and second protuberances being disposed on either side of a central surface S containing the longitudinal axis X of the core and each extending over a limited angular sector about the longitudinal axis X,

the envelope surface E having a width, measured in the central surface S, which varies along the longitudinal axis X.

The expression "central surface ^' ' ^'' S denotes a surface, which may be planar or curved, containing the longitudinal axis X of the core. When the longitudinal axis X is rectilinear, the central surface S is preferably planar. When the longitudinal axis X is curved, the central surface S may be curved. The central surface is not a surface of symmetry for the brush.

The expression "limited angular sector ^' " should be understood as meaning that the angular sector has an angular extent about the axis X of strictly less than 360°, better still less than 340°. even better still less than 320°, and even better still less than 180°.

The envelope surface may have a non-circular cross section. The angular extent may vary along the longitudinal axis X of the core.

The first and second protuberances may each extend in opposite directions. The first protuberance may, in one variant embodiment, be smaller than the second protuberance. The term "smaller" should be understood as meaning less wide or less high, or both, with respect to the longitudinal axis X of the core.

The expression "misted core" should be understood as meaning a core formed by twisting two amis of a metal wire together in a conventional manner.

The brush according to the invention makes it possible to make up both the eyelashes and the eyebrows with a single applicator. The first protuberance may for example be used to make up the eyebrows and the second protuberance to make up the eyelashes.

The envelope surface E may have a first apex P i disposed at a distance dj from the longitudinal axis X, measured perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis X, and a second apex P2 disposed at a distance < > from the longitudinal axis X, measured perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis X.

The term "apex should be understood as meaning a point on the envelope surface E that is located at an at least locally maximum distance with respect to the longitudinal axis X of the core, being measured perpendicularly to the latter.

The distances dj and ch may be the same as or different from one another. The distance di may be greater or less than the distance d ₂ .

The first apex may be closer to the distal end of the brash than the second apex P2, which may be closer to the proximal end of the brush.

The two apices P i and P ₂ may be spaced apart from one another by a distance d of greater than 5 mm, measured along the longitudinal axis X of the core, better still greater than 6 mm, even better still greater than 10 mm. The distance d corresponds to the spacing measured along the longitudinal axis X between the projections orthogonal to the axis of the two apices P j and P .

The first protuberance may have a maximum width / _/ which is less than a maximum width h of the second protuberance, the widths / _/ and h_ being measured perpendicularly to a radius along which the corresponding distance dj or d is measured and perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis X.

The first protuberance, corresponding to the first apex P i and to the distance dj, may be particularly appropriate for making up the eyebrows. Specifically, the fineness of the protuberance may make it possible to comb the eyebrows in a satisfactory manner and to follow the contours thereof very precisely.

The second protuberance, corresponding to the second apex P ₂ and to the distance d , may be particularly appropriate for making up the eyelashes. Specifically, a larger and wider protuberance may make it possible to comb the eyelashes properly and to separate them properly.

In one variant of the brush in accordance with the invention, said brush can be the other way round. The first protuberance can be used for example for the eyelashes and the second protuberance for the eyebrows. In a further variant or in addition, the distance d] corresponding to the first protuberance may be greater than the distance d corresponding to the second protuberance. In a further variant or in addition, the wider protuberance may be closer to the distal end of the brush, and the thinner protuberance closer to the proximal end of the brush, in other words closer to the stem.

The envelope surface E may be asymmetric with respect to a plane containing the longitudinal axis X of the core, it is possible for the second protuberance not to be rotationally symmetrica] about the longitudinal axis X of the core. It is possible for the first protuberance not to be rotationally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis X of the core.

At least one longitudinal section of the envelope surface may have a width that increases and then decreases.

The longitudinal axis X may be rectilinear. It may be parallel to or coincident with the longitudinal axis Y of the stem, or be inclined with respect thereto, hi a variant, it may be curved. The free end of the core may be located in line with the longitudinal axis Y of the stem, or be offset with respect thereto.

The envelope surface E may have in cross section a hexagonal overall shape, provided with two longitudinally extending notches that are symmetric with respect to one another with respect to a median plane Q containing the longitudinal axis X of the core. This plane Q may be a plane of symmetry for the envelope surface. The widths / _/ and h are measured perpendicularly to this plane Q. The two notches delimit the first protuberance on one side and the second protuberance on the other side. The two notches may extend along the entire length of the portion of the core carrying the bristles.

The two notches may be disposed in a non-symmetric manner with respect to the longitudinal axis X of the core. The two notches may be offset with respect to the central surface and may both be non-symmetric with respect to the latter.

The length of the portion of the core carrying bristles may be less than or equal to 40 mm, better still less than or equal to 30 mm, measured along the longitudinal axis of the brush. It may be between 15 and 25 mm for example.

The greatest length of the bristles, measured from the core, is preferably between 2 mm and 8 mm, better still between 3 and 7 mm, or even between 4 and 6 mm.

A further subject of the invention is a packaging and application device for applying a cosmetic product to the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, in particular a makeup or care product, comprising a container containing the product and an applicator according to the invention.

The container may be provided with a wiping member for removing the excess product present on the stem and on the brush. This wiping member has for example a lip made of an elastomeric material, defining a wiping orifice of circular section, the diameter of which corresponds substantially to that of the stem.

A further subject of the invention is a method for manufacturing a brush, comprising the steps of:

- producing a brush blank having a rectilinear twisted core, having an envelope surface in the form of a cylinder of revolution,

- cutting the bristles so as to modify the envelope surface in order to obtain an applicator according to the invention.

A further subject of the invention, according to another of its aspects, is a method for making up the eyelashes and eyebrows, comprising the two steps of successively applying a cosmetic product to the eyelashes and the eyebrows, or vice versa, with the aid of an applicator according to the invention. The product can be applied to the eyelashes and then to the eyebrows, or in a variant to the eyebrows and then to the eyelashes. In the invention, use is made of a single applicator for making up both the eyelashes and the eyebrows. The first protuberance can be used to make up the eyebrows and the second protuberance for making up the eyelashes, or vice versa.

The invention may be better understood from reading the following detailed description of non-limiting implementation examples thereof and from examining the appended drawing, in which:

Figure 1 schematically shows an example of a packaging and application device produced in accordance with the invention, in longitudinal section.

Figures 2a and 2b show the brush from Figure 1 , on a larger scale, in side view, along the arrows B and A in these figures, respectively,

Figure 3 is a view along the arrow III in Figures 2a and 2b,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figures 2a and 2b of a brush blank for producing the brush in Figures 1 to 3.

Figures 5 to 7 are views similar to Figures 2a and 2b of variant embodiments, and Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to Figure 3 of variant embodiments. The packaging and application device 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 has a container 2 containing a product P to be applied to the eyelashes or eyebrows and an applicator 3 which may be fixed removably to the container 2 in the example in question. The product P comprises for example one or more pigments, in particular an iron oxide. It is for example a mascara.

The applicator 3 has a stem 5 of longitudinal axis Y, which is provided at a distal end 5a of the stem with a brush 10 according to the invention, and at the other end with a gripping member 1 1 that likewise forms a cap for closing the container 2 in a sealed manner. As can be seen in particular in Figure 1 , the latter has a body 13 which is provided at the top with a threaded neck 14 onto which the gripping member 1 1 can be screwed in order to close the container 2 in a sealed manner. In a variant, the applicator can be fixed to the container in some other way.

The neck 14 may accommodate, as illustrated, a wiping member 20 which is for example inserted into the neck 14. This wiping member 20 has a lip 26 that defines a wiping orifice having a diameter adapted to that of the stem 5.

The brush 10 may be fixed, in a conventional manner, in a housing provided at the distal end 5a of the stem 5, which is advantageously made of a thermoplastic material. The brush 10 comprises a twisted metal core 40 which is fixed at one end in the corresponding housing of the stem 5 by a portion of the core that does not have bristles, it being possible for said portion to have a length of around 8 mm.

The core 40 carries bristles 41. the free ends of which define an envelope surface E of the brash 10.

The core 40 is formed by two arms of a metal wire folded in a U-shape, the bristles 41 being held between the turns of the core. The diameter of the metal wire is for example from 0.1 to 1 mm. The diameter of the bristles is for example from 0.06 to 0.35 mm.

The envelope surface E has a first protuberance 1 close to the distal end 40a of the core and a second protuberance 52 close to the proximal end 40b of the core, the first and second protuberances 51 , 52 being disposed on either side of a central surface S containing the longitudinal axis X of the core and being turned in opposite directions. In the example illustrated, the central surface S is the plane in Figure 2b and a plane perpendicular to Figure 2a.

Furthermore, the two protuberances 51 , 52 each extend over a limited angular sector about the axis X. The second protuberance 52 extends over an angular extent a of around 30° and the first protuberance 51 over an angular extent β of around 50°, as can be seen in Figure 3. In cross section, the edges 59 of the protuberances are oriented, in the example described, like radii, that is to say they each have a straight line segment passing through the longitudinal axis X of the core. Furthermore, in cross section, the protuberances have facets 60 defined by straight line segments. These facets 60 are separated by ridges 62 which each extend in a plane containing the longitudinal axis X of the core.

The facets 60 may be planar along the entire length of the brush 10.

The envelope surface E moreover has an overall shape of which the cross section decreases between a point on the longitudinal axis of the core and the proximal end of the core, for example from the point on the core with the same abscissa as the apex P ₂ . Furtheraiore. the envelope surface has end segments 65 at the ends 40a and 40b of the core, said end segments 65 being mutually parallel and perpendicular, in the example described, to the longitudinal axis X of the core.

Moreover, as can be seen in Figure 2b, a longitudinal section of the envelope surface has a width / that increases and then decreases. The envelope surface E has a width, measured in the central surface S, which is planar in this Figure 2b, which varies along the longitudinal axis X.

The envelope surface E has in cross section, as illustrated in Figure 3, a hexagonal overall shape provided with two longitudinally extending notches 55 that are symmetric with respect to one another with respect to a plane Q containing the longitudinal axis X of the core. This plane Q may be a plane of symmetry for the envelope surface. The two notches 55 delimit the first protuberance 51 on one side and the second protuberance 52 on the other side.

The two notches 55 have radial edges 59, as explained above, and a bottom 61 which can be defined by the depth of insertion of a cutting tool into the mass of bristles 41 of the blank in Figure 4, the width of which defines the shape of the notch 55. The width of the cutting tool corresponds to the width of the bottom 61 of the notch, the radial bristles being cut at this level and thus defining the angular opening of the corresponding notch 55.

The width of the bottom 61 is constant, in the example described, along the longitudinal axis X of the core, but in a variant it could be variable.

The two notches are disposed in this example in a non-symmetric manner with respect to the longitudinal axis X of the core. In other words, the two notches 55 are offset with respect to the central surface S and are both non-symmetric with respect to the latter.

Moreover, the envelope surface is asymmetric with respect to a plane R perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of the core and located half way along the envelope surface E. The envelope surface E does not have central symmetry, either.

The first protuberance 1 is smaller than the second protuberance 52 in the variant illustrated, as will be described below.

The envelope surface E has a first apex Pj disposed at a distance dj from the longitudinal axis X, measured perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis X. and a second apex P ₂ disposed at a distance d? from the longitudinal axis X, measured perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis X. In the example illustrated, the distances d, and are different from one another, the distance d _\ corresponding to the first apex P] being less than the distance d: corresponding to the second apex P ₂ . The first apex Pj is closer to the distal end 40a of the brush than the second apex Ρ ₂ , which is closer to the proximal end 40b of the brush, as illustrated in Figures 2a and 2b.

The two apices P| and P ₂ are for example spaced apart from one another longitudinally by a distance d of around 13 mm, measured along the longitudinal axis X of the core. The distance d corresponds to the spacing measured along the longitudinal axis X between the projections on the axis of the two apices Pi and P , said projections being made orthogonally to said longitudinal axis X.

The heights hi and h? of the protuberances, measured between the ridges 62 defining the corresponding facet 60. are different, and also vary in a different manner along the longitudinal axis X of the core, as illustrated in Figure 2a.

Tangents to the apices P) and P ₂ are parallel, in the example described, to the longitudinal axis X of the core, in a longitudinal section plane. The envelope surface may be at a tangent, at the apices Pi and P ₂ , to a surface having a spherical or toroidal overall shape. The radius of curvature of the longitudinal section plane may be around 2 mm at the apex P| and around 6 mm at the apex P ₂ . The envelope surface E also has. in said longitudinal section plane, two points of inflection Ij and T, close to the apices P] and P ₂ , as illustrated in Figure 2a.

The first protuberance has a maximum width / which is less than the maximum width h of the second protuberance, the widths / _/ and /_-> being measured perpendicularly to the radii along which the corresponding distances d _\ or d? are measured and perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis X. The widths /; and h are measured perpendicularly to the plane Q.

The first protuberance 51 , corresponding to the first apex Pi and to the distance d;, may be particularly appropriate for making up the eyebrows. Specifically, the fineness of the protuberance may make it possible to comb the eyebrows in a satisfactory manner and to follow the contours thereof very precisely.

The second protuberance 52, corresponding to the second apex P ₂ and to the distance d , may be particularly appropriate for making up the eyelashes. Specifically, a larger and wider protuberance may make it possible to comb the eyelashes properly and to separate them properly.

This may be the other way round, as illustrated by way of example in Figure 5. The distance di corresponding to the first protuberance 51 is in this case greater than the distance corresponding to the second protuberance 52 and the wider protuberance 51 is closer to the distal end of the brush, the thinner protuberance 52 being closer to the proximal end of the bmsh. The first protuberance 51 can be used for example for the eyelashes and the second protuberance 52 for the eyebrows.

The ratio alb. where a corresponds to a greatest height of the brush, measured in the plane Q in Figure 2a, and b corresponds to a greatest width of the brush, measured in the plane S in Figure 2b, may be between 0.6 and 1 .2, better still between 0.7 and 0.9.

In order to produce the brash 8, the starting point is a blank as illustrated in

Figure 4, the core 40 of which is rectilinear and of longitudinal axis X coincident with that Y of the stem 5, said blank having an envelope surface E in the fonn of a cylinder of revolution, which can be machined if need be in order to confer the desired shape thereon. In the example illustrated, six cuts are made in order to obtain the shape of the bmsh in Figures I to 3.

The longitudinal axis X is rectilinear in the example which has just been described. In a variant, it can be inclined with respect to the axis Y of the stem, as illustrated in Figure 6. In a further variant, it can be curved, as illustrated in Figure 7. The free end 40a of the core may be located in line with the longitudinal axis Y of the stem, or be offset with respect thereto.

The envelope surface may have one or more additional notches in cross section. One notch 56 can be made for example in the second protuberance 52, as illustrated in Figure 6.

In another variant embodiment that is illustrated in Figure 9, the cross section of the envelope surface E has an overall shape that is not hexagonal but formed from circular sectors.

By making various modifications to the examples which have just been described, this does not depart from the scope of the present invention.

in particular, the cross section of the envelope surface E can be given yet other shapes, for example with one or more notches and/or one or more ridges.

Preferably, the core 40 is twisted such that its longitudinal axis X extends in a single plane. In a variant, the core can be curved such that it extends with a configuration not completely contained in a single plane.

The bristles and the brash may undergo various treatments. In particular, the brush may be subjected to any known treatment, in particular a thermal abrasion treatment.

The bristles may be natural or synthetic and for example be produced from a material chosen from: PE, PA, in particular PA6, PA6/6, PA6/10 or PA6/12, Hytrel®. Pebax®, silicone. PU, this list not being limiting.

The brush may have bristles with elastic properties, in particular bristles made of elastomer. Use may be made of bristles which have magnetic properties. The brush may be flocked. The bristles may be treated so as to have forks, balls or hooks at their ends. The bristles may be treated so as to be low-friction.

The bristles may have a solid circular section, a hollow circular section, or a hollow polygonal section, for example a hollow triangular section. The bristles may also have a hollow star-shaped section, a multilobe section, which may be solid, a flattened section, an oval section, a section in the shape of a bracket, of an H, of a dumbbell, a section with a solid triangular, square, pentagonal, semicircular, or trapezoidal polygonal shape, or else a section in the shape of a tile. The bristles may have at least one capillary groove. The brush may be set in vibration by a generator fitted in the applicator, if need be.

Use may be made of any type of wiping member, in particular a wiping member in which the wiping orifice is defined by a wavy lip.

The expression "having a" should be understood as being synonymous with

"having at least one".