A METHOD OF APPLYING A COSMETIC COMPOSITION TO THE SKIN OR THE LIPS, AND DEVICES FOR IMPLEMENTING SUCH A METHOD

The present invention relates to applying a cosmetic composition onto human keratinous materials, in particular the skin or the lips.

The invention relates more particularly to applying a composition that is initially in the form of a piece of solid composition (also referred to as a "mass of composition"), and in particular a piece in the form of a stick.

Lipsticks have been packaged for a long time in the form of sticks for direct application on the lips. Under such circumstances, during application, the lipstick formulation should satisfy requirements of a mechanical nature both to ensure that the stick slides and holds together without breaking, and also to ensure that composition is transferred so as to guarantee that application is comfortable and that sufficient composition is deposited with good quality on the lips. These requirements are generally considered as being contradictory and they lead to constraints on formulation that it would be desirable to overcome.

Application US 2004/0096258 discloses a lipstick packaging and applicator device that includes a vibration generator and a heat generator. The vibration generator serves to perform a massage action with a hot surface. It is also known from European patent application EP 0 223 603 to subject sticks of lipstick, during fabrication, to a torching operation that consists in briefly heating the surface of the stick so as to increase its surface gloss.

Application EP 1 595 472 A2 discloses a device for reshaping the application surface of a composition contained in a body, which device includes an electrical resistance element.

Heat is generally considered as being harmful to the mechanical integrity of a composition packaged as a

stick, and as a result US 4 393 975 proposes a refrigerator device for protecting the stick from heat.

In parallel, besides color, which is the essential characteristic of a lipstick, users often look for glossiness. Although it is relatively easy to provide glossiness with liquid formulations, that is much more difficult with a composition in the form of a solid mass.

There thus exists a need to provide greater glossiness using lipstick in stick form, and particularly, solid stick masses.

Numerous users also desire good performance in terms of makeup finish.

Nevertheless, glossiness and finish are generally obtained by mechanisms that are different and often contradictory.

There thus exists a need to benefit from compositions that are capable of conferring both glossiness and finish.

Finally, the sensory aspect or "feel" is of great importance for compositions that are packaged as sticks, given that the user comes into contact solely with the composition during application, in particular when applying lipstick, and any improvement of performance in terms of glossiness and finish may not be obtained if the feel is not satisfactory to a user.

There exists a need to improve the performance of a composition in the form of a solid mass, whether in terms of feel and/or in terms of makeup results, while conserving mechanical properties for the composition that are compatible with being packaged in the form of a stick or in some other solid form, for application by being rubbed against the surface to be treated.

The invention seeks to satisfy these needs in full or in part. The compositions concerned by the invention are not limited to makeup compositions, and the invention also extends to care products.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a method of cosmetically treating human keratinous materials, in particular for making up the skin or the lips, the method comprising the steps consisting in: a) heating an outside surface of a piece of solid composition in contact with or in the vicinity of a heater device, in particular heating an end of a stick of said composition, so as to heat said piece in localized manner in order to soften essentially only said outside surface; and b) applying the composition as softened in this way to the region for treatment, in particular the skin or the lips.

Softening may optionally go as far as the composition melting locally.

When the composition is in the form of a stick, the outside surface may be defined as the end thereof; in a variant, the outside surface is defined by the side surface of the stick. The softened outside surface may be brought into contact with the region to be treated, then forming an application surface.

By localized heating of its outside surface, the invention can enable a composition, e.g., in the form of a stick, to be applied, while obtaining results that are better than those that are obtained without heating the end.

Raising the temperature of the composition at the outside surface can render certain ingredients of the composition more compatible, e.g., leading to better finish and/or glossiness.

The composition may be any now known or future composition, the invention making it possible for example to obtain better sliding during application, a thicker deposit, and/or a color that is more intense and/or glossier .

The invention also provides novel possibilities in terms of formulation and/or packaging.

The heater device is an artificial source of heat, i.e., a source of heat other than human or animal heat, the heat of the sun, or the heat that may result from rubbing the application surface on keratinous materials during application.

The heat applied to the outside surface in order to heat it may give rise to a local temperature rise of at least 5°C, for example.

The composition may be a composition for applying to the lips, in particular a lipstick or a lip gloss or a lip balm. The composition may be heated by being exposed to infrared radiation or to radiofrequency radiation, it may be heated by blowing hot air, it may be heated by being exposed to ultrasound vibration, or it may be heated by transferring heat by coming into contact with or into the proximity of a hot surface. The hot surface may bear axially and/or radially against the application surface, e.g., the end of the stick when the mass of composition is in the form of a stick.

Where appropriate, the hot surface may be flexible.

The piece of composition is solid at an ambient temperature (e.g., about 20 ⁰ C), i.e., it retains the shape that it has been given during fabrication and it does not flow under the effect of gravity.

The composition may contain at least one cosmetic active agent, at least one organic or aqueous solvent, and at least one coloring agent, in particular a pigment giving rise to a color by an absorption phenomenon and/or an interference phenomenon.

The composition may be packaged in a packaging device suitable for being closed in sealed manner.

The composition may optionally include a thermochromic coloring agent, enabling the user to visualize the heating of the outside surface.

The piece of composition may initially be molded to have the desired shape, e.g., the shape of a stick, without any reinforcement, like conventional sticks of lipstick, or it may be molded on reinforcement and/or on a handle portion, e.g., being supported at the end of a stem.

The hot surface may be in the shape of a chamfer, an inverted cone, or a concave depression, a spherical depression, or any other desirable shape. The hot surface may be suitable for allowing the mass of composition to pass therethrough, in particular for allowing the stick to pass therethrough, e.g., being of annular shape.

The hot surface may also face or come into contact with the application surface of the mass of composition, in particular the end face of the stick of composition.

The hot surface may be flexible and deformed by the piece of composition when they are put into contact with each other. The composition may be heated while the mass of composition, in particular the stick, is fully contained within a packaging device. During application, the user need not touch the composition with the fingers.

The composition may also be heated while the mass of composition, in particular the stick, is exposed at least in part to ambient air.

The composition may be heated locally to a temperature higher than or equal to 40 ⁰ C, or higher than 45°C, or indeed higher than 50 ⁰ C, as desired. The temperature of the application surface, in particular the end of the stick, should be configured to substantially limit the risk of causing discomfort during application. Therefore, it may be optionally desirable to impose a waiting time between the moment when the end is heated and the moment when it is applied to keratinous materials .

The temperature T _f to which the application surface of the composition is initially locally heated may lie in the ranges 40 ⁰ C to 95°C, 45°C to 85°C, and 45°C to 75°C.

The temperature difference between the heated application surface, in particular the end of the stick, and the non-heated portion, e.g., the body of the stick, may be greater than or equal to 15°C, or greater than or equal to 20 ⁰ C, at least at the beginning of application, or indeed greater than 30 ⁰ C. The end of the piece of composition may be put into contact with a hot source so that the temperature of said end at its surface or over a depth of at least 0.5 millimeters (mm), for example, rises to a temperature T The temperature T _f to which the end of the mass is heated may be higher than or equal to 40 ⁰ C, in particular higher than or equal to 45°C.

By way of example, the temperature T _f may be measured at the surface using an infrared pyrometer, e.g., as sold under the trademark Fluke.

The composition according to exemplary embodiments of the invention may be a makeup product composition that changes reversibly between solid and liquid states.

The solid/liquid change of state may be due to the melting of a crystalline portion, e.g., one or more waxes or other substances present in the composition.

As examples of waxes that are suitable for the invention, mention may be made in particular of hydrocarbon waxes such as: beeswax; lanolin wax; Chinese insect wax; rice bran wax; Carnauba wax; Candelilla wax; Ouricury wax; Alfa wax; berry wax; shellac wax; Japan wax; sumac wax, montan wax; orange and lemon waxes; microcrystalline waxes; paraffins; ozokerite; polyethylene waxes; waxes obtained by Fisher-Tropsch synthesis; wax copolymers; and esters thereof. Notably, for purposes of the present disclosure depilatory waxes are excluded as waxes which may be used with embodiments

herein, for at least the reason that depilatory waxes are not intended as makeup products.

The total enthalpy of melting of the composition is the enthalpy consumed by the composition between -20 ⁰ C and 120 ⁰ C. The total enthalpy of melting of the composition is equal to the area under the thermogram curve obtained using a differential scanning calorimeter (SDC) such as the calorimeter sold under the name MDSC 2920 by the supplier TA Instruments, with a temperature rise of 5°C per minute or 10 ⁰ C per minute, in application of the ISO 11357-3:1999 standard.

Measurement protocol

A sample of 5 milligrams (mg) of composition is placed in a crucible and is subjected to a first temperature rise from -20 ⁰ C to 120 ⁰ C with heating at a rate of 10 ⁰ C per minute, and is then cooled from 120 ⁰ C to -20 ⁰ C with cooling at a rate of 10 ⁰ C per minute. The sample is maintained at -20 ⁰ C for 5 minutes, and is finally subjected to a second temperature rise from -20 ⁰ C to 100 ⁰ C with temperature rising at a rate of 5°C per minute .

During the second temperature rise, variation in the difference of power absorbed by an empty crucible and by the crucible containing the sample of the composition is measured as a function of temperature. The melting point of the composition is the temperature value corresponding to the top of the peak in the curve plotting variation in absorbed power difference as a function of temperature. The melting enthalpy of the composition consumed at temperature T _f is the quantity of energy needed to cause the composition to go from the solid or very viscous state at -20 ⁰ C to the state of the composition at the temperature T _f . It is expressed in Joules per gram (J/g) . In exemplary embodiments of the invention, the composition is selected so that the ratio of the enthalpy consumed by the composition between -20 ⁰ C and T _f divided

by the total enthalpy consumed between -20 ⁰ C and 120 ⁰ C is greater than 0.5, and less than 0.9.

By way of example, this relationship is satisfied for a temperature T _f of the composition lying in the range 45°C to 80 ⁰ C.

The choice of temperature T _f to which the application surface is brought by the heater device can thus be organized so that said ratio lies in the range 0.5 to 0.9. During application, it is possible that only the composition comes into contact with keratinous materials, e.g., the skin or the lips. For example, no applicator other than the composition itself is in direct contact with keratinous materials. During application of the composition on keratinous materials, e.g., the skin or the lips, the mass of composition, in particular the stick, may be secured to a base portion that comprises a mechanism enabling the mass of composition, in particular the stick, to be moved relative to a surface that enables the base portion to be held by the user, in particular a mechanism comprising two parts that are capable of turning relative to each other .

Other exemplary embodiments of the invention also provide a device for conditioning and applying a piece of solid composition, in particular a composition in the form of a stick, the device comprising:

^• a support for said piece of solid composition, the piece presenting an outside surface, in particular an end, and the support possibly being a portion of the base of a mechanism for packaging and driving the piece of composition, for example; and

^• a heater device secured to or capable of being secured to the packaging and applicator device in contact with or capable of being brought into contact with or into the vicinity of said outside surface in order to heat said piece in localized manner for the purpose of

softening essentially only said application surface, e.g., over a depth lying in the range 0.5 mm to 5 mm, better over the range 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

Other exemplary embodiments of the invention also provide a packaging and applicator device for a composition in the form of a solid piece, the device comprising :

^• a support or base portion carrying the piece of composition, in particular a stick of composition, so as to enable the composition to be applied by engaging the piece of composition, in particular the stick, with keratinous materials; and

• a device for heating an application surface of the piece of composition, in particular the end of the stick, secured to the support or to the base portion at least while the application surface is being heated, enabling the application surface to be heated to a temperature higher than the temperature of a portion of the piece of composition that remains solid during application, the heater device being situated outside the piece of composition .

In other words, in particular by transferring heat by conduction, convection, or infrared radiation, heat is not transmitted to the application surface from the core of the piece of composition, but from the outside to an exterior surface of the piece of composition.

The heater device may be housed in a closure cap for the support or for the base portion, so as to enable the application surface, in particular the end surface of the stick, to be heated while the cap is in place on the support or the base portion.

In some embodiments, the heater device may be housed in a box on which the support or the base portion may be engaged in such a manner that heating may take place when the support or the base portion is engaged in the box. The box may include an opening into which the piece of

solid composition may be engaged, preferably without the entire support being located inside the box.

In some other embodiments, the heater device may be secured to the support or to the base portion. The heater device may be arranged so as to come into contact with the outside surface, in particular the distal end of the stick, when the piece of composition is in this form.

The heater device may be arranged to enable the piece of composition, in particular the stick, to pass therethrough.

The device may include control means enabling the user to control the operation of the heater device. The control means may comprise a switch present on the support or on the base portion or on a closure cap for the support or the base portion.

The device may include an electrical resistance element for heating a surface that is capable of coming into contact with the application surface, in particular the end of the stick, or into the proximity thereof.

The device may include an infrared emitter arranged to subject the application surface, in particular the end of the stick, to infrared radiation in order to heat it.

The heater device may also comprise means for emitting radiofrequency radiation, e.g., microwaves, serving to raise the temperature of the application surface, in particular the end of the stick.

The heater device may comprise a fan for blowing hot air onto the application surface, in particular the end of the stick.

The heater device may comprise an ultrasound source for heating the end of the stick.

The heater device may comprise at least two compounds that, once mixed together, may be capable of producing an exothermal reaction. The heat produced in this way may be transferred to the outside surface used for application, in particular the end of the stick.

The invention can be better understood on reading the detailed following description of non-limiting embodiments thereof, and on examining the accompanying drawings, in which: • Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation view showing an example of packaging and applicator device made in accordance with the present disclosure;

^• Figure 2 is a fragmentary and diagrammatic longitudinal section view showing, on its own, an exemplary cap associated with the device of Figure 1 ;

^• Figure 3 is a diagrammatic and fragmentary view showing an exemplary method for heating the end of the solid composition stick through contact with a hot surface; • Figure 4 is a diagrammatic and fragmentary view showing an exemplary embodiment of a heater member;

^• Figures 5 to 7 are detail views showing other exemplary heater members;

^• Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing a variant embodiment of the packaging and applicator device;

^• Figure 9 is a diagrammatic and fragmentary section of the Figure 8 device, after being put into place in the corresponding housing of the box;

^• Figure 10 shows a stick and associated support means;

• Figure 11 is an elevation view showing other embodiments of exemplary packaging and applicator devices;

^• Figure 12 is a fragmentary and diagrammatic longitudinal section of the Figure 11 device;

^• Figure 13 is a fragmentary and diagrammatic longitudinal section view of a variant embodiment of the device; and

• Figure 14 shows other exemplary packaging for the composition.

There follows a description of examples of devices serving amongst other things to implement a cosmetic treatment method comprising the steps consisting in: a) heating an application surface of a mass of solid composition, with the help of an artificial heat source situated outside the mass of composition, in particular heating an application surface of a stick of composition, so as to raise it to a temperature higher than the temperature of a fraction of the mass of composition that is remote from the application surface and that remains solid during application; and b) applying the application surface as heated in this way to a region for treatment, in particular the skin or the lips. The packaging and applicator device 1 shown in

Figure 1 comprises a base portion 2 that supports a mass of composition that is presented in the form of a stick S of composition, together with a cap 3 that can be fastened to the base portion 2 in order to close the device 1 when not in use.

The base portion 2 may be of any known type enabling the stick S to be advanced as it is used up.

By way of example, the base portion 2 comprises two portions 5 and 6 capable of turning relative to each other, and a mechanism serving to transform relative rotation between the two portions 5 and 6 into axial movement along the longitudinal axis X of the stick S.

By way of example, the stick S is carried within the mechanism by a cup 58 as shown in Figure 10, having studs 59 that are engaged in two parts belonging respectively to the portions 5 and 6, one of which includes rectilinear longitudinal slots and the other helical longitudinal slots, such that rotation between these two parts is accompanied by axial movement of the cup together with the stick S.

Examples of mechanisms that are suitable are described in the following publications: US 6 340 258;

US 6 086 276; US 6 371 673; US 5 171 096; and

US 7 293 926; the content of which is incorporated by reference .

The cap 3 includes a heater device 10 enabling the end 11 of the stick S to be heated prior to being applied to keratinous materials, e.g., the skin or the lips.

The heater device 10 may house a source of electricity (not shown), e.g., including one or more optionally rechargeable batteries, and a heater member, e.g., comprising an electrical resistance element powered by the source of electricity.

Examples of heater elements that are suitable are disclosed in US 2007/0286665 Al, for example.

The heater member is disposed in such a manner as to raise the temperature of a heating surface 13 that, in the exemplary embodiments of Figures 1 and 2, is suitable for coming into contact with the stick S, as shown in Figure 3, in order to raise the temperature of the distal end 11 thereof. The heater device 10 may include a switch 14 enabling the user to switch heater device 10 on and off, together with an indicator 15, e.g., an indicator light that shines while heating surface 13 is being heated.

Heater device 10 may optionally include any means for regulating the temperature of heating surface 13 to ensure that it does not exceed a predefined value.

Where heating surface 13 is inaccessible to the user, it may be possible to accept a temperature that is higher, while remaining compatible with the composition. However, where heating surface 13 may be contacted by the user, then it may be desirable to use a temperature that does not exceed 65°C.

Where appropriate, heater device 10 may also include a timer that ensures that end 11 of the stick S is heated for a predetermined duration only, so as to avoid premature wear of the electricity source and/or avoid

raising the temperature of the entire stick of composition too high.

Heater device 10 may advantageously include any appropriate sensor for ensuring that heating is triggered only when the heating surface is indeed in contact with end 11 of the stick S.

By way of example, heater device 10 may include a sensor for sensing contact pressure between heating surface 13 and the stick S, so as to allow heating surface 13 to be heated only when contact with the stick

S is confirmed.

By way of example, heating surface 13 may be defined by a contact part 20, e.g., a part that is slidable axially along the axis X relative to body 22 of heater device 10 against the return action of a resilient return member 23, such as, for example, a spring housed inside contact part 20, as shown in Figure 4.

In Figure 4, there can be seen a heater device comprising an electrical resistance element 25 pressed against the end of contact part 20 so as to be as close as possible to heating surface 13.

By way of example, contact part 20 may include a metal that is a good conductor of heat and it is made with small wall thickness so as to present little thermal inertia, in some embodiments, contact part 20 may substantially comprise aluminum.

Heating surface 13 may be given any shape that matches the shape of end 11 of the stick, for example it may be given a chamfered shape substantially complementary to the shape of the end 11 of the stick S, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or it may be given some other shape, for example a shape that is concave towards the stick S, in particular in the form of a spherical cap as shown in Figure 5, a conical or frustoconical shape as shown in Figure 6, or a shape that is substantially planar and perpendicular to the axis X, as shown in

Figure 7.

When the shape of heating surface 13 is not a surface of revolution about the axis X, device 1 may include means for indexing the angular position of base portion 2 relative to cap 3 so as to enable cap 3 to be fastened on base portion 2 only in one predefined angular orientation between them, so that heating surface 13 can bear in a predefined manner against the stick S, which is compatible with the shape thereof.

The stick S may for example be a lipstick, e.g., having a section lying in the range 0.1 square centimeters (cm ² ) to 5 cm ² or indeed in the range 0.15 cm ² to 1 cm ² , and device 1 may be used by initially switching on heater device 10 and then waiting for the time required for end 11 of the stick that defines the application surface to be raised to the desired temperature .

By way of example, indicator 15 may indicate that the desired temperature has been reached, e.g., by passing from a continuously-on state indicating that the device has been switched on, to a flashing state and/or to a different color when the desired temperature is reached. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other methods for indicating various states may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Once the end of the stick has been heated, base portion 2 may be separated from cap 3 and the user may apply the composition of the stick to the lips or other keratinous materials. The softening of the composition at end 11 of the stick S may ensure that application is comfortable, and may ensure good transfer to the lips with a deposit that is thick and, in some embodiments, glossy on application.

The body of the stick S is at ambient temperature or at a temperature that is slightly higher than ambient, but not high enough to compromise the strength it needs to withstand the mechanical forces generated by

application. The temperature difference between the application surface and the body of the stick, in particular at its end opposite from the application surface, may for example be at least 20 ⁰ C, or indeed at least 30 ⁰ C when the stick presents its initial length, on first use.

Device 1 may be used in similar manner for making up the skin, in which case the stick may be of greater section, where appropriate. Heater device 10 need not be incorporated in a cap 3 of the packaging device, but may be present in a box 40 that is distinct from the device for packaging the stick S, as can be seen in Figures 8 and 9.

Box 40 may house an electricity source and/or may include means for connection to an electricity source, e.g., main line voltage via a low voltage transformer.

The box 40 may also include switch means 14, such as an on/off switch, for example, together with one or more indicators 42 and 55 for indicating that the box has been switched on and/or that it has reached the desired temperature .

In the example of Figures 8 and 9, box 40 includes an opening 46 into which the base portion 2 may be inserted at least in part, as shown in Figure 9, so as to bring end 11 of the stick close to heater means 50 present in box 40.

By way of example, opening 46 is of section that matches one of the parts of the base portion so that engaging the base portion in the box brings end 11 of the stick into a position that is predefined in at least two spatial directions relative to heater means 50.

Box 40 may include any appropriate sensor 51 serving to detect that base portion 2 has been put into place on the box 40 and optionally that the stick is properly positioned relative of heater means 50.

The end of the stick S may be heated by conduction, coming into contact with a hot surface as described

above. Under such circumstances, the heater means includes a heating surface that may be raised to the appropriate temperature by any heater means, e.g., an electrical resistance element. The heating of the end of the stick may also be performed without making contact, for example through exposure to infrared (IR) radiation, and/or by convection, and/or by vibration, and/or by radiofrequency (RF) radiation, or any other desired method for providing heat.

As mentioned above, box 40 may include any appropriate sensor, in particular an optical sensor, capable of evaluating the distance between end 11 of the stick S and heater means 50 so as to enable heater means 50 to be switched on only once a predefined distance is reached and/or in order to regulate heating power as a function of the spacing between heater means 50 and the end of the stick S.

In some embodiments, heater means 50 may be a system that heats by emitting infrared radiation towards end 11 of the stick, e.g., from a halogen or an incandescent lamp, or by blowing hot air towards end 11.

In some embodiments, end 11 of the stick S may be heated by being exposed to RF radiation, e.g., microwave radiation, that is focused on the end 11 of the stick S. In still other embodiments, end 11 of the stick S may be heated by ultrasound vibration.

In the embodiment of Figures 11 and 12, heater device 60 includes heater means 62 that are secured to the base portion 2 and that may comprise, as shown, a heater member 62 of annular shape through which the stick S may be passed. For example, heater means 62 may be of section that is greater than or equal to the section of the stick S. By way of example, heater device 60 may include a control member 64 on which the user can act in order to set the heater member 62 into operation. By way of

example, heater member 62 may comprise an electrical resistance element that enables end 11 of the stick S to be heated by conduction, by convection, and/or by radiation (e.g., infrared, microwave, etc.) . Where desired, heater member 62 may also assist in applying the composition associated with the stick S, and for this purpose it may present a top face 70 of appropriate shape, e.g., of chamfer shape.

To use the device in this example, the user may bring the end 11 of the stick level with heater member 62 and start heating by pressing on control member 64.

The heater device may include an indicator light 72 informing the user that heater member 62 is in operation.

Thereafter, the user may interrupt heating on observing that end 11 of the stick has changed appearance as a result of its temperature being raised, e.g., it has become glossy.

At that moment, the user may then optionally move the end 11 up a little so as to make it easier to apply the composition without making contact with heater member 62. In some embodiments, the user may apply the composition with the lips or the skin making contact not only with the stick S, but also with heater member 62.

Where appropriate, the surface of heater member 62 that might come into contact with the skin may be flocked or may present a textured surface appearance that facilitates application.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 13, the stick S passes through heater member 62 that defines an opening 76 of section that is narrower than the section of the body of the stick.

The softening of the stick S in contact with heater member 62 may thus be accompanied in this example by the stick being deformed through heater member 62. This may increase the precision with which the composition is applied and prevent the stick S being advanced relative

to heater member 62 until it has been softened sufficiently.

The outside surface of heater member 62 may be tapered, as shown in Figure 13, so as to reduce the area of contact between the region being treated and heater member 62.

Figure 14 shows another embodiment in which the mass of composition associated with the stick S is supported by a stem 200, and is suitable for single use, for example .

The application surface 202 is heated, e.g., by being brought into contact with or near to a hot surface, e.g., by inserting it into a box provided with heater means such as the box described above with reference to Figures 8 and 9.

Proposed example (percentages expressed by weight relative to the total weight) Lipstick

The ingredients of phase A are added to a melting pot. They are stirred with a Rayneri stirrer while being lightly heated to 50 ⁰ C. The pigments of phase C are ground in a portion of phase A.

The Bentone (phase B) is dispersed in the other portion of phase A.

The grounds, the hectorite dispersed in phase A, and the waxes of phase D are added into a double-walled melting pot. The content is heated to 98 ⁰ C-IOO ⁰ C while stirring with a Rayneri stirrer until the waxes melt.

Finally, the nacre (phase E) is added to the mixture, which is then cast in a mold as to make lipsticks having a diameter of 12.7 mm. The mold is then placed at a temperature of -20 ⁰ C for half an hour, after which the sticks are unmolded and, for example, mounted in lipstick mechanisms of the kind shown in Figure 8.

Prior to application, the stick is placed in the end heater device, so as to raise the surface temperature of its end to about 50 ⁰ C in about 20 seconds. The application of heat to the surface of the stick may be repeated as often as necessary in order to make up the entire surface of the lips. Application is performed directly by touching the lips with the heated end of the stick immediately after heating.

After application to the lips, a deposit of composition is obtained that may intense, glossy, and with an agreeable sensation of sliding and of warmth during application, as desired.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the examples described above.

When the stick S is moved relative to a heater member, the movement of the stick may be performed using a mechanism that includes at least two portions that are movable in rotation or a mechanism that moves the stick

incrementally. Examples of such incremental mechanisms are to be found in hot-melt glue guns, for example, an example of which is described in US 2003/0150875 or US 2006/0191957. In some embodiments, the heater resistance element is integrated in the base portion or in the closure cap thereof, and it is powered by an electricity source that is situated in a box with which the base portion or the cap needs to be engaged in order to be connected electrically. This can make it possible to avoid incorporating one or more optionally-rechargeable batteries in the base portion or the cap.

In some embodiments, the base portion or the cap may include at least one rechargeable battery that is recharged by placing the base portion or the cap on a charger station.

The end of the stick may also be heated by the user performing a mechanical action, e.g., by rotating a knob that is mounted to rotate on the cap and that engages with a rubbing member, such that rotating the knob raises the temperature of the rubbing member, with this temperature rise being transmitted via a contact part to the end of the stick.

The composition may be present on a palette at the time it is heated.

The term "comprising a" should be understood as being synonymous with "comprising at least one" unless specified to the contrary.