The invention relates to a hair care composition exhibiting improved deposition of mineral oil.

Mineral oil comprises a mixture of C15-C40 hydrocarbons. Mineral oil can be used in hair care compositions such as shampoos to provide moisturisation benefits.

WO 09/030594 A1 discloses personal care hair liquid cleansing compositions that comprise mineral oil and a material called DEFI - direct esterification of fatty isethionate. This material is a fatty acyl isethionate product comprising fatty acyl isethionate and free fatty acid and/or fatty acid salt.

Summary of the Invention

There is a problem with such hair care compositions that the level of mineral oil deposition is too low.

It is an object of the invention to improve upon the deposition performance of mineral oil in hair care compositions.

We have found that inclusion of silicone in such a formulation increases the deposition of mineral oil.

The invention thus provides in a first aspect a hair care composition comprising:- a) from 1 to 10 wt.% of a fatty acyl isethionate product, which product comprises 40 to 80 wt.% fatty acyl isethionate and 15 to 50 wt.% free fatty acid and/or fatty acid salt;

b) from 0.01 to 10 wt.% of a mineral oil comprising one or more C15-C40

hydrocarbons; and,

c) from 0.1 to 10 wt.% of a silicone.

A second aspect of the invention relates to the use of a silicone to improve the deposition of a mineral oil from a hair care composition. Preferably the silicone is selected from the group consisting of: polyalkyl siloxanes, polyaryl siloxanes, polyalkylaryl siloxanes, polyether siloxane copolymers, amino silicones and mixtures thereof. Preferably the silicone is present in the form of a silicone emulsion, more preferably an aqueous surfactant stabilized emulsion of silicone particles having a number average particle diameter ranging from 10 to 1 ,000 nm, most preferably from about 100 to about 500 nm. Preferably the silicone is present at a level of from 0.1 to about 8 wt.%, more preferably from about 0.3 to about 5 wt.% of the hair care compositions.

Preferably greater than 20 wt.% and less than 45 wt. % of the fatty acyl isethionate are of chain length greater than or equal to Ci6l and greater than 50 wt.% of the free fatty acid/soap is of chain length Ci6 to C20.

Preferably the fatty acyl isethionate product is present at a level of from 2 to 8 wt.%, more preferably from 2.5 to 7.5 wt.%. Preferably the mineral oil is present at a level of from 0.1 to 5 wt.%, more preferably from 0.25 to 2.5 wt.%.

Preferably the hair care composition comprises from 3 to 12 wt.%, more preferably from 4 to 10 wt.% of an alkyl sulfate and/or ethoxylated alkyl sulfate anionic surfactant, preferably sodium lauryl ether sulfate having an average degree of ethoxylation of from 0.5 to 3.

Preferably the hair care composition additionally comprises from 1 to 8 wt.%, more preferably from 2 to 6 wt.% of an alkyl glycinate and/or alkyl carboxyglycinate, having an alkyl group of from C8-22 carbon atoms, wherein the glycinate is in the form of a salt with a solubilising cation such as sodium, potassium, ammonium or substituted ammonium. A preferred glycinate is sodium alkyl carboxylglycinate having an alkyl group of from C8-22 carbon atoms. Preferably the hair care composition additionally comprises from 0.1 to 10 wt.% of a betaine surfactant, preferably an alkyl amidopropyl betaine.

Preferably the hair care composition additionally comprises from 0.1 to 5 wt.% of a cationic polymer, preferably a cationic polysaccharide polymer.

Preferably the hair care composition additionally comprises from 0.1 to 5 wt.%, more preferably from 0.2 to 4 wt.%, most preferably from 0.25 to 3.5 wt.% of an anti-dandruff active selected from the group consisting of: piroctone olamine, climbazole, selenium sulphide, zinc pyrithione, zinc sulfate and hydrates thereof and mixtures thereof.

It is expressly envisaged within the scope of the invention that combinations of two, three or more of the aforementioned expressly preferable subject matters may be combined with the subject matter of the independent claims.

A preferred hair care composition comprises:- a) from 1 to 10 wt.% preferably from 2.5 to 7.5 wt.%, of a fatty acyl isethionate product, which product comprises 40 to 80 wt.% fatty acyl isethionate and 15 to 50 wt.% free fatty acid and/or fatty acid salt;

b) from 0.25 to 2.5 wt.% of a mineral oil comprising one or more C15-C40

hydrocarbons;

c) from 0.1 to 5 wt.% of a silicone;

d) from 5 to 20 wt.% of a surfactant system comprising ethoxylated alkyl sulfate anionic surfactant having an average degree of ethoxylation of from 0.5 to 3 and alkyl amidopropyl betaine;

e) from 0.1 to 5 wt.% of a cationic polysaccharide polymer; and,

f) optionally from 0.1 to 5 wt.% of an anti-dandruff active selected from the group consisting of: piroctone olamine, climbazole, selenium sulphide, zinc pyrithione, zinc sulfate and hydrates thereof and mixtures thereof.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Fatty acyl isethionate product

The fatty acyl isethionate product is present at a level of from 1 to 10 wt.%, preferably from 2 to 8 wt.%, more preferably from 2.5 to 7.5 wt.%. The preferred fatty acyl isethionate product comprises fatty acyl isethionate surfactant at a level of from 40 to 80 wt.% of the product, as well as free fatty acid and/or fatty acid salt at a level of from 15 to 50%.

Preferably, greater than 20 wt.% and less than 45 wt. %, more preferably greater than 25 wt.% and less than 45 wt. % of the fatty acyl isethionate are of chain length greater than or equal to Ci6i and greater than 50 wt.%, preferably greater than 60 wt.% of the free fatty acid/soap is of chain length Ci6 to C20.

The fatty acyl isethionate surfactant component is typically prepared by the reaction of an isethionates salt such as alkali metal isethionates and an aliphatic fatty acid having 8 to 20 carbon atoms and Iodine Value (measuring degree of unsaturation) of less than 20 g, for example:

RCOOH + HOR1SO3M ► RCOOR-1SO3M where Ri is an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing 2 to 4 carbons;

M is alkali metal cation or metal ion (e.g., sodium, magnesium, potassium, lithium), ammonium or substituted ammonium cation or other counterion; and,

R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 7 to 24, preferably 8 to 22 carbons.

Depending on the processing conditions used, the resulting fatty acyl isethionate product can be a mixture of 40 to 80% by weight of fatty acyl isethionates (which formed from the reaction) and 50 to about 15 wt. %, typically 40 to 20 wt. % of free fatty acids. In addition, the product may contain isethionates salts which are present typically at levels less than 5 wt. %, and traces (less than 2 wt. %) of other impurities. Preferably, a mixture of aliphatic fatty acids is used for the preparation of commercial fatty acyl isethionates surfactants. The resulting fatty acyl isethionate surfactants (e.g., resulting from reaction of alkali metal isethionate and aliphatic fatty acid) preferably should have more than 20 wt. %, preferably more than 25 wt.%, but no more than 45 wt.%, preferably 35% (on basis of fatty acyl isethionates reaction product) of fatty acyl group with 16 or greater carbon atoms to provide both excellent lather and mildness of the resulting fatty acyl isethionate product. These longer chain fatty acyl isethionate surfactants and fatty acids, i.e. fatty acyl group and fatty acid with 16 or more carbons, can typically form insoluble surfactant/fatty acid crystals in water at ambient temperatures.

Examples of commercial fatty acyl isethionate products that are particularly useful in the subject invention are DEFI flakes and Dove ^® cleansing bar noodles produced by Unilever. DEFI (Direct Esterification of Fatty Isethionate) flakes typically contain about 68 to 80 wt. % of sodium fatty acyl isethionate and 15 to 30 wt. % free fatty acid. More than 25 wt. % and no more than 35% of fatty acyl group of the resulting fatty acyl isethionate have 16 to 18 carbon atoms. Dove ^® cleansing bar noodles are mixtures of DEFI flakes described above and long chain (mainly Ci6 and Cis) fatty acid and fatty soap which contain about 40 to 55 wt. % of fatty acyl isethionate and 30 to 40 wt. % of fatty acid and fatty soap.

Mineral Oil

The hair care composition comprises from 0.01 to 10 wt.%, preferably from 0.1 to 5 wt.%, more preferably from 0.25 to 2.5 wt.% of a mineral oil comprising one or more C15-C40 hydrocarbons.

Silicone

The hair care compositions comprises from 0.1 to 10 wt.%, preferably from 0.1 to about 8 wt.%, more preferably from about 0.3 to about 5 wt.% of a silicone. Preferred suitable silicones may include polyalkyl siloxanes, polyaryl siloxanes, polyalkylaryl siloxanes, polyether siloxane copolymers, amino silicones and mixtures thereof.

The silicone may be present as the free silicone oil, or in the form of a silicone emulsion.

Preferably the silicone is present in the form of a silicone emulsion, more preferably an aqueous surfactant stabilized emulsion of silicone particles having a number average particle diameter ranging from 10 to 1 ,000 nm, most preferably from about 100 to about 500 nm.

Amino silicones are often formulated in hair compositions. Amino silicones are silicones containing at least one primary amine, secondary amine, tertiary amine or a quaternary ammonium group. High molecular weight silicone gums can also be utilized. Another useful type are the crosslinked silicone elastomers such as

Dimethicone/Vinyl/Dimethicone Crosspolymers (e.g. Dow Corning 9040 and 9041 ). Examples of suitable pre-formed silicone emulsions include emulsions DC2-1766, DC2- 1784, DC-1785, DC-1786, DC-1788 and microemulsions DC2-1865 and DC2-1870, all available from Dow Corning. These are all emulsions or microemulsions of dimethiconol. Also suitable are amodimethicone emulsions such as DC939 (from Dow Corning) and SME253 (from GE Silicones).

Cationic Polymer

A cationic polymer is a preferred ingredient in the hair care compositions according to the invention, for enhancing conditioning performance of the compositions.

The cationic polymer may be a homopolymer or be formed from two or more types of monomers. The molecular weight of the polymer will generally be between 5 000 and 10 000 000, typically at least 10 000 and preferably in the range 100 000 to about 2 000 000. The polymers will have cationic nitrogen containing groups such as quaternary ammonium or protonated amino groups, or a mixture thereof.

The cationic nitrogen-containing group will generally be present as a substituent on a fraction of the total monomer units of the cationic polymer. Thus when the polymer is not a homopolymer it can contain spacer non-cationic monomer units. Such polymers are described in the CTFA Cosmetic Ingredient Directory, 3rd edition. The ratio of the cationic to non-cationic monomer units is selected to give a polymer having a cationic charge density in the required range. Suitable cationic conditioning polymers include, for example, copolymers of vinyl monomers having cationic amine or quaternary ammonium functionalities with water soluble spacer monomers such as (meth)acrylamide, alkyl and dialkyl (meth)acrylamides, alkyl (meth)acrylate, vinyl caprolactone and vinyl pyrrolidine. The alkyl and dialkyl substituted monomers preferably have C1 -C7 alkyl groups, more preferably C1 -3 alkyl groups. Other suitable spacers include vinyl esters, vinyl alcohol, maleic anhydride, propylene glycol and ethylene glycol.

The cationic amines can be primary, secondary or tertiary amines, depending upon the particular species and the pH of the composition. In general secondary and tertiary amines, especially tertiary, are preferred. Amine substituted vinyl monomers and amines can be polymerized in the amine form and then converted to ammonium by quaternization. The cationic conditioning polymers can comprise mixtures of monomer units derived from amine - and/or quaternary ammonium-substituted monomer and/or compatible spacer monomers.

Suitable cationic conditioning polymers include, for example:

- copolymers of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidine and 1 -vinyl-3-methyl-imidazolium salt (e.g. chloride salt), referred to in the industry by the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association, (CTFA) as Polyquaternium-16. This material is commercially available from BASF Wyandotte Corp. (Parsippany, NJ, USA) under the LUVIQUAT tradename (e.g. LUVIQUAT FC 370); copolymers of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidine and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, referred to in the industry (CTFA) as Polyquaternium-1 1. This material is available commercially from Gaf Corporation (Wayne, NJ, USA) under the GAFQUAT tradename (e.g.,

GAFQUAT 755N); cationic diallyl quaternary ammonium-containing polymers including, for example, dimethyldiallyammonium chloride homopolymer and copolymers of acrylamide and dimethyldiallylammonium chloride, referred to in the industry (CTFA) as Polyquaternium 6 and Polyquaternium 7, respectively; mineral acid salts of amino-alkyl esters of homo-and co-polymers of unsaturated carboxylic acids having from 3 to 5 carbon atoms, (as described in U.S. Patent

4,009,256); - cationic polyacrylamides (as described in W095/2231 1 ).

Other cationic conditioning polymers that can be used include cationic polysaccharide polymers, such as cationic cellulose derivatives, cationic starch derivatives, and cationic guar gum derivatives. Suitably, such cationic polysaccharide polymers have a charge density in the range from 0.1 to 4 meq/g. Cationic polysaccharide polymers suitable for use in compositions of the invention include those of the formula:

A-0-[R-N ⁺ (R ¹ )(R ² )(R ³ )X-], wherein: A is an anhydroglucose residual group, such as a starch or cellulose

anhydroglucose residual. R is an alkylene, oxyalkylene, polyoxyalkylene, or

hydroxyalkylene group, or combination thereof. R ¹ , R ² and R ³ independently represent alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, or alkoxyaryl groups, each group containing up to about 18 carbon atoms. The total number of carbon atoms for each cationic moiety

(i.e., the sum of carbon atoms in R ¹ , R ² and R ³ ) is preferably about 20 or less, and X is an anionic counterion.

Cationic cellulose is available from Amerchol Corp. (Edison, NJ, USA) in their Polymer JR (trade mark) and LR (trade mark) series of polymers, as salts of hydroxyethyl cellulose reacted with trimethyl ammonium substituted epoxide, referred to in the industry (CTFA) as Polyquaternium 10. Another type of cationic cellulose includes the polymeric quaternary ammonium salts of hydroxyethyl cellulose reacted with lauryl dimethyl ammonium-substituted epoxide, referred to in the industry (CTFA) as Polyquaternium 24. These materials are available from Amerchol Corp. (Edison, NJ, USA) under the tradename Polymer LM-200.

Other suitable cationic polysaccharide polymers include quaternary nitrogen-containing cellulose ethers (e.g. as described in U.S. Patent 3,962,418), and copolymers of etherified cellulose and starch (e.g. as described in

U.S. Patent 3,958,581 ).

A particularly suitable type of cationic polysaccharide polymer that can be used is a cationic guar gum derivative, such as guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (commercially available from Rhone-Poulenc in their JAGUAR trademark series).

Examples are JAGUAR C13S, which has a low degree of substitution of the cationic groups and high viscosity. JAGUAR C15, having a moderate degree of substitution and a low viscosity, JAGUAR C17 (high degree of substitution, high viscosity), JAGUAR C16, which is a hydroxypropylated cationic guar derivative containing a low level of substituent groups as well as cationic quaternary ammonium groups, and JAGUAR 162 which is a high transparency, medium viscosity guar having a low degree of substitution.

Preferably the cationic conditioning polymer is selected from cationic cellulose and cationic guar derivatives. Particularly preferred cationic polymers are JAGUAR C13S, JAGUAR C15, JAGUAR C17 and JAGUAR C16 and JAGUAR C162.

The cationic conditioning polymer will generally be present in compositions of the invention at levels of from 0.01 to 5, preferably from 0.05 to 1 , more preferably from 0.08 to 0.5 percent by weight of the composition.

When cationic conditioning polymer is present in a hair care composition according to the invention, it is preferred if the copolymer is present as emulsion particles with a mean diameter (D3,2 as measured by light scattering using a Malvern particle sizer) of 2 micrometres or less.

Hair care compositions of the invention are preferably aqueous, i.e. they have water or an aqueous solution or a lyotropic liquid crystalline phase as their major component.

Suitably, the composition will comprise from 50 to 98%, preferably from 60 to 90% water by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

Surfactants

The hair care composition may contain one or more surfactants. Cleansing surfactants such as anionic and nonionic surfactant are particularly useful when the hair care composition is in the form of a hair cleanser such as a shampoo.

A preferred anionic surfactant is an alkyi sulphate and/or ethoxylated alkyi sulfate anionic surfactant at a level of from 3 to 12 wt.%, preferably from 4 to 10 wt.%, more preferably from 4 to 10 wt.%.

Preferred alkyi sulfates are Ce-ie alky sulfates, more preferably C12-18 alkyi sulfates, preferably in the form of a salt with a solubilising cation such as sodium, potassium, ammonium or substituted ammonium. Examples are sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Preferred alkyl ether sulfates are those having the formula: RO(CH2CH20) _n S03M;

wherein R is an alkyl or alkenyl having from 8 to 18 (preferably 12 to 18) carbon atoms; n is a number having an average value of greater than at least 0.5, preferably between 1 and 3; and M is a solubilising cation such as sodium, potassium, ammonium or substituted ammonium. An example is sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES).

A preferred ethoxylated alkyl sulfate anionic surfactant is sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) having an average degree of ethoxylation of from 0.5 to 3, preferably 1 to 3. Hair care compositions according to the invention may comprise one or more further anionic surfactants which are cosmetically acceptable and suitable for topical application to the hair.

Examples of further suitable anionic surfactants are the alkaryl sulphonates, alkyl succinates, alkyl sulphosuccinates, alkyl ether sulphosuccinates, N-alkyl sarcosinates, alkyl phosphates, alkyl ether phosphates, and alkyl ether carboxylic acids and salts thereof, especially their sodium, magnesium, ammonium and mono-, di- and triethanolamine salts. The alkyl and acyl groups generally contain from 8 to 18, preferably from 10 to 16 carbon atoms and may be unsaturated. The alkyl ether sulphosuccinates, alkyl ether phosphates and alkyl ether carboxylic acids and salts thereof may contain from 1 to 20 ethylene oxide or propylene oxide units per molecule.

Typical anionic cleansing surfactants for use in hair care compositions of the invention include sodium oleyl succinate, ammonium lauryl sulphosuccinate, sodium lauryl ether sulphosuccinate, sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate, triethanolamine dodecylbenzene sulphonate, lauryl ether carboxylic acid and sodium N-lauryl sarcosinate.

Suitable preferred additional anionic cleansing surfactants are sodium lauryl ether sulphosuccinate(n)EO, (where n is from 1 to 3), lauryl ether carboxylic acid (n) EO (where n is from 10 to 20).

Mixtures of any of the foregoing anionic surfactants may also be suitable.

The composition can include co-surfactants, to help impart aesthetic, physical or cleansing properties to the composition. An example of a co-surfactant is a nonionic surfactant, which can be included in an amount ranging from 0.5 to 8%, preferably from 2 to 5% by weight based on the total weight of the composition. For example, representative nonionic surfactants that can be included in hair care compositions include condensation products of aliphatic (Cs - Cis) primary or secondary linear or branched chain alcohols or phenols with alkylene oxides, usually ethylene oxide and generally having from 6 to 30 ethylene oxide groups. Other representative nonionic surfactants include mono- or di-alkyl alkanolamides.

Examples include coco mono- or di-ethanolamide and coco mono-isopropanolamide.

Further nonionic surfactants which can be included in hair care compositions of the invention are the alkyl polyglycosides (APGs). Typically, the APG is one which comprises an alkyl group connected (optionally via a bridging group) to a block of one or more glycosyl groups. Preferred APGs are defined by the following formula: wherein R is a branched or straight chain alkyl group which may be saturated or unsaturated and G is a saccharide group.

R may represent a mean alkyl chain length of from about Cs to about C20. Preferably R represents a mean alkyl chain length of from about Cs to about C12. Most preferably the value of R lies between about 9.5 and about 10.5. G may be selected from C5 or C6 monosaccharide residues, and is preferably a glucoside. G may be selected from the group comprising glucose, xylose, lactose, fructose, mannose and derivatives thereof. Preferably G is glucose.

The degree of polymerisation, n, may have a value of from about 1 to about 10 or more; preferably, the value of n lies from about 1.1 to about 2; most preferably the value of n lies from about 1.3 to about 1.5. Suitable alkyi polyglycosides for use in the invention are commercially available and include for example those materials identified as: Oramix NS10 ex Seppic; Plantaren 1200 and Plantaren 2000 ex Henkel. Other sugar-derived nonionic surfactants which can be included in compositions of the invention include the C10-C18 N-alkyl (Ci-Ce) polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, such as the C12- Cis N-methyl glucamides, as described for example in WO 92/06154 and US 5,194, 639, and the N-alkoxy polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, such as C10-C18 N-(3-methoxypropyl) glucamide.

A preferred example of a co-surfactant is an amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactant, which can be included in an amount ranging from 0.1 to about 10 wt.%, preferably from 0.5 to 8, more preferably from 1 to 5 wt.%, based on the total weight of the composition. Examples of amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants include alkyi amine oxides, alkyi betaines, alkyi amidopropyl betaines, alkyi sulphobetaines (sultaines), alkyi glycinates, alkyi carboxyglycinates, alkyi amphoacetates, alkyi amphopropionates, alkylamphoglycinates, alkyi amidopropyl hydroxysultaines, acyl taurates and acyl glutamates, wherein the alkyi and acyl groups have from 8 to 19 carbon atoms. Typical amphoteric and zwitterionic surfactants for use in hair care compositions of the invention include lauryl amine oxide, cocodimethyl sulphopropyl betaine, lauryl betaine, cocamidopropyl betaine and sodium cocoamphoacetate.

A particularly preferred amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactant is cocamidopropyl betaine.

A particularly preferred further surfactant is alkyi glycinate and/or alkyi carboxyglycinate, having an alkyi group of from C8-22 carbon atoms, wherein the glycinate is in the form of a salt with a solubilising cation such as sodium, potassium, ammonium or substituted ammonium. If present, it is included at a level of from 1 to 8 wt.%, preferably from 2 to 6 wt.%. Preferred glycinates are sodium coco glycinate and sodium cocoyl glycinate.

Mixtures of any of the foregoing amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants may also be suitable. Preferred mixtures are those of cocamidopropyl betaine with further amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants as described above. A preferred further amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactant is sodium cocoamphoacetate. The total amount of surfactant (including any co-surfactant, and/or any emulsifier) in a hair care composition of the invention is generally from 1 to 50%, preferably from 2 to 40%, more preferably from 10 to 25% by total weight surfactant based on the total weight of the composition.

Anti-Dandruff Agent

The hair care compositions may additionally comprise from 0.1 to 5 wt.%, preferably from 0.2 to 4 wt.%, more preferably from 0.25 to 3.5 wt.% of an anti-dandruff active selected from the group consisting of: piroctone olamine, climbazole, selenium sulphide, zinc pyrithione, zinc sulfate and hydrates thereof and mixtures thereof.

Suspending Agent

Preferably the hair care composition of the invention further comprises a suspending agent. Suitable suspending agents are selected from polyacrylic acids, cross-linked polymers of acrylic acid, copolymers of acrylic acid with a hydrophobic monomer, copolymers of carboxylic acid-containing monomers and acrylic esters, cross-linked copolymers of acrylic acid and acrylate esters, heteropolysaccharide gums and crystalline long chain acyl derivatives. The long chain acyl derivative is desirably selected from ethylene glycol stearate, alkanolamides of fatty acids having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof. Ethylene glycol distearate and polyethylene glycol 3 distearate are preferred long chain acyl derivatives, since these impart pearlescence to the composition. Polyacrylic acid is available commercially as Carbopol 420, Carbopol 488 or Carbopol 493. Polymers of acrylic acid cross-linked with a polyfunctional agent may also be used; they are available commercially as Carbopol 910, Carbopol 934, Carbopol 941 and Carbopol 980. An example of a suitable copolymer of a carboxylic acid containing monomer and acrylic acid esters is Carbopol 1342. All Carbopol (trademark) materials are available from Goodrich. Suitable cross-linked polymers of acrylic acid and acrylate esters are Pemulen TR1 or Pemulen TR2. A suitable heteropolysaccharide gum is xanthan gum, for example that available as Kelzan mu.

Mixtures of any of the above suspending agents may be used. Preferred is a mixture of cross-linked polymer of acrylic acid and crystalline long chain acyl derivative. Suspending agent, if included, will generally be present in a hair care composition of the invention at levels of from 0.1 to 10%, preferably from 0.5 to 6%, more preferably from 0.9 to 4% by total weight of suspending agent based on the total weight of the composition.

A composition of the invention may contain other ingredients for enhancing performance and/or consumer acceptability. Such ingredients include fragrance, dyes and pigments, pH adjusting agents, pearlescers or opacifiers, viscosity modifiers, preservatives, and natural hair nutrients such as botanicals, fruit extracts, sugar derivatives and amino acids.

The Examples will now be illustrated with reference to the following non-limiting

Examples. Inventions according to the invention are demonstrated by a number, comparative inventions are demonstrated by a letter. Examples

Example 1

X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) is a useful technique to measure the amount of a material deposited onto a surface. To model the deposition of mineral oil, which is a long chain hydrocarbon or mixtures on long chain hydrocarbons, a Brominated analogue of a long- chain hydrocarbon was used. The deposition of this Brominated analogue of a long-chain hydrocarbon could then be measured by XRF. The Brominated analogue used was 1 - Bromohexadecane, sourced from Sigma-Aldrich, and this material is a straight chain Ci6 hydrocarbon with Bromine substituted at a terminal position. It is also known as cetyl bromide. The amount of the Brominated analogue of mineral oil deposited on the hair and therefore measurable by XRF was compared between the following formulations. The comparative example is TV, the example according to the invention is T. Hair switches were treated with the same amount of each formulation, followed by rinsing off (to mimic consumer in use treatment conditions). Switch Washing Protocol

2.5g, 6 inch European Dark Brown hair switches (known as texture analyser switches) are used in this protocol. Gloves were worn during preparation of switches, which are washed with the test shampoo as follows: 5 switches are wetted together under tap water (30°C) at a flow rate of 41/minute for 5 seconds. 1 .25g base wash is applied from a syringe and agitated with gloved fingers for 30 seconds followed by rinsing for 30 seconds under tap water. Another 1 .25g shampoo is applied for 30 seconds followed by rinsing for 30 seconds under tap water. The switches are then combed through until the fibres are aligned.

Formulations

Deposition Test

Values for the mean deposition of the oil by XRF as well as the standard deviation are given in the following table:-

These results show in a single variable test that the addition of silicone improved the deposition of the mineral oil analogue by a statistically significant amount.