Technical Field

The present invention relates to the balancing of microbial growth.

Background of the invention

Balancing of microbial growth is an important aspect of health. Particularly important for the human health is the skin. The skin serves as the primary physical barrier to protect the body from the external environment, and is a particularly important barrier for any infection. As a primary defence organ, the skin tissue always remains in constant contact with the environment and, therefore, it has to face and resolve threats and challenges from invading pathogens. The exposed skin surface is not only challenged by pathogenic foreign bacteria, but it also remains in contact and interacts with the resident commensal bacteria. In spite of all these challenges from the foreign and the commensal microbes, healthy skin remains infection free and the numbers of the resident microflora remains constant. Hence, it is important that the skin remains in healthy conditions. Microbes on the skin play an important role for the health of the skin. Some microbes are commensal, others are mutualistic and again others are pathogenic. Commensal microbes live in peaceful coexistence with the host while benefiting from the sheltered ecological niche. Mutualistic microbes offer benefits to their host. Pathogenic microbes are harmful to their host. For maintaining the health of the body it is important that the growth of individual microbes is balanced.

The understanding of the interaction of any cosmetic product with the microbes on the body, particularly on the skin, has gained of importance in the last few years. Extrinsic factors, such as hygiene practices and host environment conditions, can shift the natural equilibrium of microbial community on body from its typical state to a dysbiotic state, which can particularly lead to skin barrier breakdown and potentially to disease. Particularly, the ingredients of the cosmetic product should not lead to a disbalance of the microbes either by modifying the distribution of the commensal microbes among each other or stimulation of the growth of pathogenic microbes predominately over the growth of the commensal microbes. M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis are very important commensal microbes.

Summary of the invention

Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to offer an ingredient which has advantageous properties in the application to hair and skin, which, however, has a good microbial growth balancing. Surprisingly, it has been found that a specific hyperbranched copolymer can be used in balancing the microbial growth according to claim 1 to solve this problem.

It has been found that this specific hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) has a very good balancing effect specifically to the commensal microbes of the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis over S. aureus, as well as a very good balancing among the specific commensal microbes of the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis.

Further aspects of the invention are subject of further independent claims. Particularly preferred embodiments are subject of dependent claims.

Detailed description of the invention

Balancing of microbial growth is an important aspect of health. The skin is particularly important for the human health. The skin serves as the primary physical barrier to protect the body from the external environment, and is a particularly important barrier for any infection. As a primary defence organ, the skin tissue always remains in constant contact with the environment and, there- fore, it has to face and resolve threats and challenges from invading pathogens. The exposed skin surface is not only challenged by pathogenic foreign bacteria, but it also remains in contact and interacts with the resident commensal bacteria. In spite of all these challenges from the foreign and the commensal microbes, healthy skin remains infection free and the numbers of the resident microflora remains constant. Hence, it is important that the skin remains in healthy conditions. Microbes on the skin play an important role for the health of the skin. Some microbes are commensal, others are mutualistic and again others are pathogenic. Commensal microbes are not harmful to their host. Mutualistic microbes offer benefits to their host. Pathogenic microbes are harmful to their host. For maintaining the health of the body it is important that the growth of individual microbes is balanced.

It has been found that under certain conditions commensal microbes trigger the defence mechanism of the body against the attack of pathogenic microbes. For instance, C. acnes (formerly Propionibacterium acnes) enables host cells to respond effectively to a pathogenic insult, in which case C. acnes would serve a protective role. Propionibacteria have also been shown to produce bacteriocins or bacteriocin-like compounds. Penetration of bacteria through the skin barrier mobilises a broad range of host defence mechanisms, such as professional phagocytes and cytokines.

The understanding of the interaction of any cosmetic product with the microbes on the body, particularly on the skin, has gained on importance in the last few years. Extrinsic factors, such as hygiene practices and host environment conditions, can shift the natural equilibrium of microbial community on body from its typical state to a dysbiotic state, which can particularly lead to skin barrier breakdown and potentially to disease.

Particularly, the ingredients of a cosmetic product should not lead to a disbalance of the microbes either by modifying the distribution of the commensal microbes among each other or stimulation of the growth of pathogenic microbes predominately over the growth of the commensal microbes.

Malassezia globosa and Malassezia furfur are fungi whereas Cutinobac- terium acnes (formerly Propionibacterium acnes) and Staphylococcus epidermidis are Gram positive bacteria which are all considered as commensal microbes.

Staphylococcus aureus on the other hand is a Gram positive bacterium which is a pathogenic microbe and which is redoubtable particularly due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of S. aureus such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) leading to a worldwide problem in clinical medicine. Despite much research and development, no vaccine for S. aureus has been approved. It has been found that the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) is used in balancing the microbial growth. The term "balancing" is used in this document to represent two different aspects. In a first aspect, balancing is the balancing the growth among the specific commensal microbes of the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. aeries and S. epidermidis. In other words, there is only a small change of the individual shares of said microbes in the total number of microbes when checking said share directly after inoculation and after incubation. Small change in this context is less than ±50% for an incubation time of 4 hours at 37°C. It is not unusual that other ingredients lead to significantly higher changes, much more than ±100% or even more than ±500%. Hence, the balancing is maintaining the diversity of the co- culture of the commensal microbes of the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis. In a second aspect, balancing is the balancing between the commensal microbes of the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis over S. aureus. In other words, the microbial growth of S. aureus is inhibited to a higher extent than of at least one microbe selected from the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis.

Hence, in a first aspect the present invention relates to a cosmetic, non- therapeutic use of a hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) obtained by polymerization of the monomers (i) and (ii) and (iii)

(i) dodecenyl succinic acid anhydride (ii) diisopropanol amine

(iii) bis-dimethylaminopropyl amine having terminal groups of the formula and having a molecular weight Mn of between 1200 and 4000 g/mol; in balancing the microbial growth; wherein the balancing is either a first balancing ( B1 ) characterized in that in the mutual presence of at least two, preferably of all, microbes selected from the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis, after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C, the individual shares of said microbes in the total number of microbes do not change more than ±50%, particularly not more than + 50% and not less than -30%, in relation to the respective shares of said microbes in the total number of microbes as determined directly after inoculation; and/or a second balancing (B2) characterized in that the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) inhibits the microbial growth of S. aureus to a higher extent than of at least one microbe selected from the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis.

For sake of clarity, some terms as used in the present document are defined as follows:

The term "molecular weight Mn" stands for the number average molecular weight.

In the present document, a “C _x-y -alkyl” group is an alkyl group comprising x to y carbon atoms, i.e., for example, a C _1-3 -alkyl group is an alkyl group comprising 1 to 3 carbon atoms. The alkyl group can be linear or branched. For example -CH(CH ₃ )-CH ₂ -CH ₃ is considered as a C ₄ -alkyl group.

Analogously, a "C _x-y alkylene" group is an alkylene group comprising x to y carbon atoms. The alkylene group can be linear or branched.

The term "preparation" or "formulation" is used in this document as equi- valent to the term "composition".

The "share of individual microbe in the total number of microbes" means the percentage of the number of an individual microbe in view of the "total number of microbes", i.e. of the sum of the colony counts of the microbes M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis. The shares of the individual microbes can be easily represented by a pie diagram, such as used in figure 1 and 2, and is a good method of visualizing a distribution of individual microbes in a microbial co-culture. The change of these shares given as percentual change is a good mean for chan- ge in the microbes diversity and impact of an ingredients to a microbial co-culture.

Any "count(s)" or "colony count(s)" of microbe(s) is given in this document as colony-forming unit (cfu) per milliliter.

"Skin” as used in this document, is meant to include the external surface of mammals, especially humans and includes skin, scalp and hair.

A single dotted line in a formula in the present document represents the bond by which said substituent is bound to the rest of a molecule.

The first balancing (B1) is particularly defined in that all changes of the individual shares are

+50% > ((r _cMG4h / r _cMG0 )-1) ^* 100 > -30% and +50% > ((r _cMF4h / r _cMF0 )-1) ^* 100 > -30% and +50% > ((r _ccA4h / r _CCA0 )-1) ^* 100 > -30% and +50% > ((r _csE4h I r _csE0 )-1) ^* 100 > -30% and wherein the individual shares of said microbes in the total number of microbes directly after inoculations are defined as r _cMG0 = CMG ₀ /(CMG ₀ +CMF ₀ +CCA ₀ +CSE ₀ ) and r _cMF0 = CMF ₀ /(CMG ₀ +CMF ₀ +CCA ₀ +CSE ₀ ) and r _ccA0 = CCA ₀ /(CMG ₀ +CMF ₀ +CCA ₀ +CSE ₀ ) and r _csE0 = CSE ₀ /(CMG ₀ +CMF ₀ +CCA ₀ +CSE ₀ ) and and the individual shares of said microbes in the total number of microbes after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C are defined as r _cMG4h = CMG _4h /(CMG _4h +CMF _4h +CCA _4h +CSE _4h ) and r _cMF4h = CMF _4h /(CMG _4h +CMF _4h +CCA _4h +CSE _4h ) and r _ccA4h = CCA _4h /(CMG _4h +CMF _4h +CCA _4h +CSE _4h ) and r _csE4h ⁼ CSE _4h /(CMG _4h +CMF _4h +CCA _4h +CSE _4h ) and and wherein said definition

CMG ₀ represents the colony counts of M. globosa directly after inoculation;

CMF ₀ represents the colony counts of M. furfur directly after inoculation;

CCA ₀ represents the colony counts of C. aeries directly after inoculation;

CSE ₀ represents the colony counts of S. epidermidis directly after inoculation; and

CMG _4h represents the colony counts of M. globosa after 4 hours of incubation; CMF _4h represents the colony counts of M. furfur after 4 hours of incubation; CCA _4h represents the colony counts of C. acnes after 4 hours of incubation; CSE _4h represents the colony counts of S. epidermidis after 4 hours of incubation; wherein the incubation is at 37°C.

It is preferred that the change of the above individual share is positive for M. globosa and C. acnes.

It is preferred that the change of is S. epidermidis is rather low, i.e. not more than +10%.

Particularly, the above changes of the individual shares are preferably +50% > ((r _cMG4h /r _CMG0 )- 1 )*100 > +20%, more preferably +40%>((r _cMG4h /r _CMG0 )-1 )*100 > +25%, and -10% > ((r _cMF4h /r _CMF0 )- 1 )*100 > -30%, more preferably -15% > ((r _cMF4h /r _CMF0 )- 1 )*100 > -25%, and +50% > ((r _ccA4h /r _ccA0 )- 1 )*100 > +20%, more preferably +40% > ((r _ccA4h /r _ccA0 )-1)*100 > +25%, and +10% > ((r _csE4h /r _csE0 )- 1 )*100 > -20%, more preferably +0% > ((r _csE4h /r _csE0 )- 1 )*100 > -10%.

Furthermore, it is preferred that for the first balancing ( B1 ) after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C,

1 .0 > CMG _4h lCMG _4hRef > 0.25, preferably 0.90 > CMG _4h lCMG _4hRef > 0.60, and

1 .0 > CMF _4h lCMF _4hRef > 0.25, preferably 0.80 > CMF _4h lCMF _4hRef > 0.50, and

1 .0 > CCA _4h lCCA _4hRef > 0.25, preferably 0.50 > CCA _4h lCCA _4hRef > 0.25, and

1 .0 > CSE _4h ICSE _4hRef ^> 0.25, preferably 0.50 > CSE _4h ICSE _4hRef ^> 0.25; wherein

CMG _4h represents the colony counts of M. globosa after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C in the presence of the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC);

CMF _4h represents the colony counts of M. furfur after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C in the presence of the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC);

CCA _4h represents the colony counts of C. acnes after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C in the presence of the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC); CSE _4h represents the colony counts of S. epidermidis after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C in the presence of the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC); and

CMG _4hRef . represents the colony counts of M. globosa after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C in the absence of the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC); CMF _4hRef . represents the colony counts of M. furfur after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C in the absence of the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC);

CCA _4hRef . represents the colony counts of C. acnes after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C in the absence of the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC);

CSE _4hRef . represents the colony counts of S. epidermidis after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C in the absence of the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC).

The second balancing (B2) is defined in that the hyperbranched copoly- mer (HBC) inhibits the microbial growth of S. aureus to a higher extent than of at least one microbe selected from the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis.

This can be particularly seen in that the change of ratio of the shares of S. aureus is

+300% > ((r _CSA4h / r _CSA0 )-1 )*100 > 0% preferably

+250% > ((r _CSA4h / r _CSA0 )-1) ^* 100 > 100% wherein the share of S. aureus is defined -directly after inoculation is defined as r _CSA0 = CSA ₀ /( CSA ₀ + CMG ₀ + CMF ₀ + CCA ₀ +CSE ₀ ) ; particularly as rcsAo = CSAo/( CSA o+CSE ₀ ) ;

-after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C is defined as r _csA4h =CSA _4h /(CSA _4h +CMG _4h +CMF _4h +CSA _4h +CSE _4h ), particularly as rcsA4h = CSA _4h l( CSA _4h +CSE _4h ) ; and wherein said definition

CSA ₀ represents the colony counts of S. aureus directly after inoculation; CMG ₀ represents the colony counts of M. globosa directly after inoculation; CMF ₀ represents the colony counts of M. furfur directly after inoculation; CCA ₀ represents the colony counts of C. acnes directly after inoculation; CSE ₀ represents the colony counts of S. epidermidis directly after inoculation and

CSA _4h represents the colony counts of S. aureus after 4 hours of incubation;

CMG _4h represents the colony counts of M. globosa after 4 hours of incubation; CMF _4h represents the colony counts of M. furfur after 4 hours of incubation;

CCA _4h represents the colony counts of C. acnes after 4 hours of incubation;

CSE _4h represents the colony counts of S. epidermidis after 4 hours of incubation; wherein the incubation is at 37°C. It is preferred that said change in ratio of S. aureus is at least a factor 5 smaller in the presence of the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) as compared to the respective case of the absence of hyperbranched copolymer (HBC).

It is important that the balancing of microbial growth allows the skin or hair to remain in a healthy state. Hence, the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) or a composition comprising the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC), respectively, is applied on a healthy skin or hair and maintains or improves the aesthetic aspect of hair and skin; and, therefore, the above mentioned use is a cosmetic, non- therapeutic use. Hence, in other words, the invention relates also to a topical composition comprising a hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) obtained by polymerization of the monomers (i) and (ii) and (iii)

(i) dodecenyl succinic acid anhydride

(ii) diisopropanol amine (iii) bis-dimethylaminopropyl amine having terminal groups of the formula and having a molecular weight Mn of between 1200 and 4000 g/mol; for use in the prevention or treatment of a dysbiosis of skin or hair of a human subject, wherein said dysbiosis is associated with the decreased number of at least one microbe selected from the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis and an over-colonization by S. aureus.

Hyperbranched copolymer

The hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) is obtained by polymerization of the monomers (i) and (ii) and (iii)

(i) dodecenyl succinic acid anhydride (ii) diisopropanol amine

(iii) bis-dimethylaminopropyl amine having terminal groups of the formula and having a molecular weight Mn of between 1200 and 4000 g/mol;

The hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) is preferably prepared by the following consecutive steps of: a1) polymerizing the monomers (i) and monomers (ii) and monomers (iii) to yield a polyesteramide having terminal dimethyl amino groups of the formula a2) quaternization of the dimethyl amino groups of the polyesteramide of step a1) by 2-chloroacetate, particularly by sodium 2-chloroacetate. Details for the polymerization step a1) to yield the respective polyesteramide having terminal dimethyl amino groups of the formula are disclosed for example by EP 2794729 B1. Preferably in the polymerization step a1) the monomer (iii) is added to a mixture of monomers (ii) and (iii) under stirring, followed by heating.

Details of the quaternization step a2) are disclosed as well by EP 2794729 B1. Therefore, the entire content of EP 2794729 B1 is hereby incorporated by reference.

It is preferred that the molar ratio of the monomers (i) to monomers (ii) is between 5: 1 and 0.5 : 1, particularly between 4 : 1 and 1 : 1, preferably between 3 : 1 and 3 : 2. It is further preferred that the molar ratio of the monomers (i) to monomers

(iii) is between 5 : 1 and 0.5 : 1, particularly between 3 : 1 and 1 : 1, preferably between 2.5 : 1 and 1.1 : 1.

The hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) has preferably a number average molecular weight M _n of between 1400 and 3000 g/mol, preferably between 2100 and 2400 g/mol.

Preferably, the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) is polyquaternium-110, also identified by CAS Number 1323977-82-7.

The hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) is preferably a hyperbranched polymer as commercially available as Tl LAMAR® Boost 150 from DSM Nutritional Products AG, Switzerland.

The above hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) has unique properties as ingredient of cosmetic composition in the application of hair and skin. For example, it increases the volume of hair, increase hair elasticity, improves hair styling, like better curl retention or reduction of fizz, such as disclosed in WO 2020/035447 A1 or WO 2020/035448 A1.

It has been observed that the described microbial balancing is particularly important in the application on hair, preferably on the scalp or the scalp hair, of a human.

In this area of body the co-culture of microbes selected from the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis, is particularly important. Hence, the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) is particularly important for the microbiome balancing of the human scalp and scalp hair, moist importantly for the human scalp.

The hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) can be used as such or as part of a cosmetic composition. The hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) or a cosmetic com- position comprising the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) can be applied on the skin or hair, preferably on the scalp or the scalp hair, of a human.

The cosmetic composition may be a leave-on or a rinse off cosmetic composition, and includes any product applied to a human body primarily for improving appearance, cleansing, odor control or general aesthetics.

The cosmetic composition can be in the form of a liquid, lotion, cream, foam, scrub, gel, soap bar or toner, or applied with an implement or via a face mask, pad or patch. Non-limiting examples of such compositions include leave-on skin lotions and creams, shampoos, conditioners, shower gels, toilet bars, antiperspirants, deodorants, depilatories, lipsticks, foundations, mascara, sunless tanners and sunscreen lotions.

Said composition is particularly a deodorant, a shampoo, a conditioner, a cream or a sunscreen.

Hence, in a further aspect, the invention relates to a topical composition comprising a hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) obtained by polymerization of the monomers (i) and (ii) and (iii)

(i) dodecenyl succinic acid anhydride (ii) diisopropanol amine

(iii) bis-dimethylaminopropyl amine having terminal groups of the formula and having a molecular weight Mn of between 1200 and 4000 g/mol; for maintaining a balance of a healthy microbiome which comprises at least one microbe selected from the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. aeries and S. epidermidis. In other words, in a further aspect, the invention relates to a topical composition comprising a hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) obtained by polymerization of the monomers (i) and (ii) and (iii)

(i) dodecenyl succinic acid anhydride

(ii) diisopropanol amine (iii) bis-dimethylaminopropyl amine having terminal groups of the formula and having a molecular weight Mn of between 1200 and 4000 g/mol; for use in the maintenance of a balance of a healthy microbiome which comprises at least one microbe selected from the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis.

The cosmetic composition may comprise further ingredients. Such ingredients are particularly surfactants, emulsifiers, thickeners, and oils. Such suitable surfactants, emulsifiers, thickeners, and oils are well known to a person skilled in the art.

The cosmetic compositions preferably further comprise a physiologically acceptable medium, that is to say a medium compatible with keratinous substances, such as the skin, mucosa, and keratinous fibres. In particular the physiologically acceptable medium is a cosmetically or pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

The term cosmetically acceptable carrier refers to all carriers and/or excipients and/or diluents conventionally used in cosmetic compositions. Preferably, the cosmetic compositions are in the form of a suspension or dispersion in solvents or fatty substances, or alternatively in the form of an emulsion or micro emulsion (in particular of O/W- or W/O-type), PIT-emulsion, nano emulsion, multiple emulsion (e. g. O/W/O- or W/O/W- type), pickering emulsion, hydrogel, lipogel, one- or multiphase solution or vesicular dispersion.

The cosmetic compositions can be in the form of a liquid, lotion, a thickened lotion, a gel, a cream, a milk, an ointment or a paste.

The cosmetic compositions are in particular hair care preparations such as most in particularly rinse off formulas or leave on hair care preparations.

Examples of hair care preparations which are suitable and which may be mentioned are shampoos, hair conditioners (also referred to as hair rinses), hair- dressing compositions, hair tonics, hair regenerating compositions, hair lotions, water wave lotions, hair sprays, hair creams, hair gels, hair oils, hair pomades or hair brilliantines. Accordingly, these are always preparations which are applied to the hair and the scalp for a shorter or longer time depending on the actual purpose for which they are used.

If the hair care preparations are supplied as shampoos, these can be clear liquids, opaque liquids (with pearly luster effect), in cream form, gel-like or else in powder form or in tablet form, and as aerosols. The surfactant raw materials on which these shampoos are based can be anionic, cationic, non-ionic and ampho- teric in nature and also be present in combinations of these substances.

Examples of anionic surfactants suitable for the incorporation into the shampoo preparations are C _10-20 alkyl- and alkylenecarboxylates, alkyl ether carboxylates, fatty alcohol sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, alkylolamide sulfates and sulfonates, fatty acid alkylolamide polyglycol ether sulfates, alkane- sulfonates and hydroxyalkanesulfonates, olefinsulfonates, acyl esters of isothionates, alpha-sulfo fatty acid esters, alkylbenzenesulfonates, alkylphenol glycol ether sulfonates, sulfosuccinates, sulfosuccinic monoesters and diesters, fatty alcohol ether phosphates, protein-fatty acid condensation products, alkyl monoglyceride sulfates and sulfonates, alkyl glyceride ether sulfonates, fatty acid methyltaurides, fatty acid sarcosinates, and sulforicinoleates.

These compounds and their mixtures are used in the form of their salts which are soluble in water or dispersible in water, for example the sodium, potassium, magnesium, ammonium, mono-, di- and triethanolammonium and analogous alkylanunonium salts.

Examples of suitable cationic surfactants are quaternary ammonium salts such as di(C _10-24 -alkyl)dimethylammonium chloride or bromide, preferably di (C _12-18 -alkyl)- dimethylammonium chloride or bromide; C _10-24 -alkyldimethylethyl- ammonium chloride or bromide; C _10-24 -alkyltrimethylammonium chloride or bromide, preferably cetyltrimethylammonium chloride or bromide and C _20-24 -alkyl- trimethylammonium chloride or bromide; C _10-24 -alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride or bromide, preferably C _12-18 -alkyldimethylbenzylammoniumchloride; N- (C _12-18 - alkyl)pyridinium chloride or bromide, preferably N-(C _12-18 -alkyl)pyridinium chloride or bromide; N-(C _12-18 -alkyl)isoquinolinium chloride, bromide or monoalkyl sulfate; N- (C _12-18 -alkyloylcolaminoformylmethyl)pyridinium chloride; N-(C _12-18 - alkyl)-N- methyl morpholinium chloride, bromide or monoalkyl sulfate; N-(C _12-18 - alkyl)-N- ethylmorpholinium chloride, bromide or monoalkyl sulfate; C _16-18 - alkyl- pentaoxethylammonium chloride; isobutylphenoxyethoxyethyldimethyl-benzyl- ammonium chloride; salts of N,N-diethylaminoethylstearylamide and oleylamide with hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid; N- acylamidoethyl-N,N-diethyl-N-methylammonium chloride, bromide or monoalkyl- sulfate and N-acylaminoethyI-N,N-diethyl-N-benzylammonium chloride, bromide or monoalkyl sulfate, where acyl is preferably stearyl or oleyl.

Examples of suitable non-ionic surfactants which can be used as detergent substances are fatty alcohol ethoxylates (alkylpolyethylene glycols); alkylphenol polyethylene glycols; alkyl mercaptan polyethylene glycols; fatty amine ethoxylates (alkylaminopolyethylene glycols); fatty acid ethoxylates (acylpoly- ethylene glycols); polypropylene glycol ethoxylates (Pluronic); fatty acid alkylol- amides (fatty acid amide polyethylene glycols); sucrose esters; sorbitol esters and polyglycol ether.

Examples of amphoteric surfactants which can be added to the shampoos are N- (C _12-18 -alkyl)-beta-aminopropionates and N-(C _12-18 -alkyl)-beta- iminodipro- pionates as alkali metal and mono-, di- and trialkylammonium salts; N- acylamid- oalkyl-N,N-dimethylacetobetaine, preferably N-(C _8-18 -acyl)amidopropyl-N, N-di- methylacetobetaine; C _12-18 -alkyldimethylsulfopropylbetaine; amphoteric surfactants based on imidazoline (e.g. commercial name: Miranol®, Steinapon®), preferably the sodium salt of 1-(β-carboxymethyloxyethyl)-1-(carboxymethyl)-2- laurylimid- azolinium; amine oxide, for example C _12-18 -alkyldimethylamine oxide, fatty acid amidoalkyldimethylamine oxide.

The hair care preparations can additionally contain further additives customary in hair care such as for example perfumes, colorants, also those which simultaneously dye or tint the hair, solvents, opacifying agents and pearly luster agents, for example esters of fatty acids with polyols, magnesium and zinc salts of fatty acids, dispersions based on copolymers, thickening agents such as sodium, potassium and ammonium chloride, sodium sulfate, fatty acid alkylolamides, cellulose derivatives, natural rubbers, also plant extracts, protein derivatives such as gelatin, collagen hydrolysates, polypeptides with a natural or synthetic basis, egg yolk, lecithin, lanolin and lanolin derivatives, fats, oils, fatty alcohols, silicones, deodorizing agents, substances with antimicrobial activity, substances with anti- seborrhoeic activity, substances with keratolytic and keratoplastic effect, such as, for example, sulfur, salicylic acid and enzymes as well as further anti-dandruff agents such as olamine, climbazol, zink pyrithion, ketoconazole, salicylic acid, sulfur, tar preparations, derivatives of undecenic acid, extracts of nettel, rosmary, cottonwood, birch, walnut, willow bark and/or arnica.

The shampoos are produced in a manner known per se by mixing the individual components and where necessary further processing appropriate for the particular type of preparation.

Examples of hair care preparations in which the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) can be used and which may be mentioned are hair conditioners, hair tonics and hair regenerating compositions, which are rinsed off from the hair after a certain time or, depending on the formulation, can also remain on the hair. These products contain, inter alia, substances from the group of the above mentioned cationic substances which display a reviving and antistatic property on the hair.

All these preparations are also produced as already mentioned for the shampoo in a manner known per se with the addition of the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC).

Particular suitable hair care preparations are shampoo preparations comprising (i) hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) of about 0.05 to 20 wt. % , more preferably 0.10 to 15 wt. % and most preferably in the range of 0.1 to 10 wt.% , in an amount selected in the based on the total weight of the composition, (ii) water and (iii) at least one anionic surfactant. Preferably, the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauryl ether sulfate, ammonium lauryl ether sulfate, sodium lauroyl sarconisate, sodium oleylsuccinate, ammonium lauryl sulfosuccinate, sodium dodecylbenzol sulfonate and/or triethanolamine dodecylbenzol sulfonate or mixtures thereof, such as in particular sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauryl ether sulfate and/or ammonium lauryl ether sulfate. The total amount of the anionic surfactant in the compositions ranges from 0.5 to 45 wt.-%, preferably from 1.5 to 35 wt.-%, more preferably from 7 to 25 wt.-%, in particular from 7 to 15 wt.-% based on the total weight of the composition.

Particular suitable hair conditioners may be rinse off or leave on condit- ioners, preferably rinse-off conditioners. Particular advantageous hair conditioners comprise (i) hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) in an amount selected in the range of about 0.05 to 10 wt. % , more preferably 0.10 to 7 wt. % and most preferably in the range of 0.1 to 5 wt.%, based on the total weight of the composition, (ii) water and (iii) at least one conditioning agent such as e.g. silicone oils, quaternary polymers, naturally derived conditioning agents, etc.

The quaternary polymer is preferably selected from e.g. Polyquaternium-6 (e.g. commercialized under the trade name Tl LAMAR® Quat 640 or 641 ), Polyquaternium- 22 (e.g. commercialized under the trade name Tl LAMAR® Quat 2240 or 2241), Polyquaternium-7 (e.g. commercialized under the trade name Tl LAMAR® Quat 710, 711 or 712), etc, The naturally derived conditioning agents are preferably selected from e.g. sugar based polymers such as Guar Hydroxy- propyltrimonium Chloride (e.g. commercialized under the trade name Jaguar C- 17, Jaguar C-1000, Jaguar C-138), but not limited hereto.

In principal any silicone oil is suitable for use in the hair conditioner. However, the silicone oil is preferably selected from dimethicones, dimethiconols, polydimethylsiloxanes, arylated silicones, cyclic silicones, silicone surfactants and aminated silicones and may be volatile or non-volatile. Particular suitable silicone oils are dimethicone, dimethiconol, polydimethylsiloxane which are available from various suppliers such as Dow Coming. The total amount of the at least one silicone oil and/or quaternary polymer and/or naturally derived conditioning agent in the hair conditioner is preferably selected is in the range of 0.01 to 10 wt.-%, preferably 0.02 to 7.5 wt.-%, more preferably 0.05 to 5 wt.-% and most preferably 0.1 to 3 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the composition.

In another preferred embodiment, the cosmetic compositions are O/W emulsions, W/O emulsions and/or gels such as shower gels or hair gels.

The O/W emulsions advantageously comprise (i) hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) in an amount selected in the range of about 0.05 to 10 wt. % , more preferably 0.10 to 7 wt. % and most preferably in the range of 0.1 to 5 wt.%, based on the total weight of the composition, (ii) water and (iii) at least one 0/W- or Si/W-emulsifier selected from the list of glycerylstearatcitrate, glycerylstearate (self emulsifying), stearic acid, salts of stearic acid, polyglyceryl-3-methylglycose- distearate, ceteareth- 20, steareth-2, steareth-12, PEG-40 stearate, phosphate esters and the salts thereof such as cetyl phosphate (Amphisol® A), diethanol- amine cetyl phosphate (Amphisol® DEA), potassium cetyl phosphate (Amphisol® K), sodiumcetearylsulfat, sodium glyceryl o|eate phosphate, hydrogenated vegetable glycerides phosphate, sorbitan o|eate, sorbitan sesquioleate, sorbitan isostearate, sorbitan trioleate, lauryl glucoside, decyl glucoside, sodium stearoyl glutamate, sucrose polystearate and Hydrated Polyisobuten as well as mixtures thereof. Also, one or more synthetic polymers may be used as an emulsifier such as for example, PVP eicosene copolymer, acrylates/Cio-3o-alkyl acrylate cross- polymer, acrylates/steareth-20 methacrylate copolymer, PEG-22/dodecyl glycol copolymer, PEG-45/dodecyl glycol copolymer, and mixtures thereof. In a particular preferred embodiment the O/W-emulsifier is selected from the group of cetyl phosphates such as in particular potassium cetyl phosphate (commercially available as Amphisol® K), glyceryl stearate, PEG- 100 stearate (commercially available as Arlacel® 165) and/or polyalkylenglycolether such as in particular laureth-35 (lauryl alcohol with 35 EO units; commercially available as Brij®

35).The at least one O/W emulsifier is preferably used in an amount of about 0.001 to 10 wt.-%, more preferably in an amount of 0.1 to 7 wt.-% with respect to the total weigh of the composition. Additionally, the cosmetic composition in the form of a O/W emulsion contains advantageously at least one co- emulsifier selected from the list of alkyl alcohols such as Cetyl Alcohol (Loral C16, Lanette 16) Cetearyl Alcohol (Lanette® O), Stearyl Alcohol (Lanette® 18), Behenyl Alcohol (Lanette® 22), Glyceryl Monostearate, Glyceryl Myristate (Estol® 3650), Hydrogenated Coco- Glycerides (Lipocire Na10) without being limited to this and mixtures thereof.

The W/O emulsions advantageously comprise (i) hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) in an amount selected in the range of about 0.05 to 10 wt. % , more preferably 0.10 to 7 wt. % and most preferably in the range of 0.1 to 5 wt.%, based on the total weight of the composition, (ii) water and (iii) at least one W/O- or W/Si-emulsifier selected from the list of polyg lyceryl-2-d i polyhyd roxystea rate , PEG-30 dipolyhydroxystearate, cetyl dimethicone copolyol, polyglyceryl-3 di iso- stearate polyglycerol esters of oleic/isostearic acid, polyglyceryl-6 hexaricinolate, polyglyceryl- 4-oleate, polygylceryl-4 oleate/PEG-8 propylene glycol cocoate, magnesium stearate, sodium stearate, potassium laurate, potassium ricinoleate, sodium cocoate, sodium tallowate, potassium castorate, sodium oleate, and mixtures thereof. Further suitable W/Si-emulsifiers are Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone and/or PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone and/or Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone and/or PEG-12 Dimethicone Cross polymer and/or PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone. The at least one W/O emulsifier is preferably used in an amount of about 0.001 to 10 wt.-%, more preferably in an amount of 0.2 to 7 wt.-% with respect to the total weigh of the composition.

The gel preparations advantageously comprise (i) hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) in an amount selected in the range of about 0.05 to 10 wt. % , more preferably 0.10 to 7 wt. % and most preferably in the range of 0.1 to 5 wt.%, based on the total weight of the composition, (ii) water and (iii) at least one water soluble thickener. Such water-soluble thickeners are well known to a person skilled in the art. Particularly suitable water soluble thickeners are selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acids (e.g. commercially available under the tradename Carbomer or Carbopol®), homopolymers of 2-Acry!amido-2-methyl- propansulfonic acid (e.g. commercially available as Rheothik®11-80), acrylate copolymers (e.g. commercially available under the tradename Pemulen® or Aculyn® 33), branched Poly(methacryloyloxyethyltrimethylammoniumchlorid) (INCI-name Polyquaternium- 37), non-modified guar gums (e.g. commercially available under the tradename Jaguar), starch or derivatives thereof and/or hydroxyalkylcelluloses. Preferably the water-soluble thickener is used in an amount of about 0.001 to 10 wt.-%, more preferably in an amount of 0.1 wt.-% to 7 wt.-%, based on the total weigh of the composition. Particularly important is that the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) as described above in great details has a particular beneficial effect on the microbes of the hair and skin, particularly on the scalp or the scalp hair, of a human, when combined with prebiotics.

Particularly preferred prebiotics are plant-derived carbohydrate compounds such as monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides or polysaccharides, preferably fructans and galactans, as well as saccharide isomerates and polyols, particularly glycerol, sugar alcohols e.g. maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol and isomalt and mixtures thereof.

Saccharide isomerate is for example commercially available under trade name Pentavitin® from DSM Nutritional Products AG, Switzerland.

Examples of monosaccharide include glucose, fructose, galactose and mixtures thereof.

Examples of disaccharides include sucrose, maltose, lactose and mixtures thereof. Examples of oligosaccharides include fructo-oligosaccharides, gluco- oligosaccharide and mixtures thereof.

Fructans are a category of carbohydrate consisting of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulins, while galactans consist of galactooligosaccharides (GOS). Further preferred prebiotics are resistant starch, pectin, beta-glucans, and xylooligosaccharides.

Flence, it is preferred that a composition comprising at least the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) and at least one prebiotic, both described above in great detail are used to balance the growth of microbes of at least, preferably of all, microbes selected from the group consisting of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis, and/or to balance the microbiome of human skin and/or hair, particularly of the scalp or the scalp hair. Examples

The present invention is further illustrated by the following experiments. These examples are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Preparation of hyperbranched copolymer (HBC1)

The hyperbranched copolymer HBC1 of the monomers dodecenyl succinic acid anhydride and diisopropanol amine and bis-dimethylaminopropyl amine has been prepared according to example 3 in EP 2794729 B1 using 237.59 g of N,N-bis(N’N’-dimethylaminopropyl)amine and 112.6 g diisopropanol amine and 426.89 g of dodecenylsuccinic anhydride. After heating and vacuum, the residual carboxylic acid content of < 0.3 meq/g (tritrimetrical analysis) AV=9.8mg KOH/g and amine content of 2.99 meq/g (tritrimetrical analysis) and a molecular weight Mn=2240 Da was obtained. This product has been reacted with sodium chloroacetate in water and stirred at 80°C until ¹ H-NMR analysis shows a complete conversion of the chloroacetate to obtain the hyperbranched copolymer HBC1 which has terminal groups of the formula and a molecular weight Mn of 2.3 kDa.

The hyperbranched copolymer HBC1 was used as a 50 % solution in water in the following experiments.

Experimental series 1

5 mL of TSB (Tryptic Say Broth) to which no (Ref.1) or 500 μL (1) of a solution of 3% HBC1 (50% polymer by weight in water) in PBS (Phosphate- buffered saline have been added. Then this solutions have been inoculated by 500 μL of a calibrated mixture of M. globosa, M. furfur, C. acnes and S. epidermidis. Directly after inoculation or after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C, respectively, 100μL have been taken and plated on an Agar gel petri dish. The microbes have then been counted based on the colony specific morphology and/or size. Table 1 shows the counts of colony of M. globosa (CM Go), M. furfur ( CMF ₀ ), C. acnes (CCA ₀ ) and S. epidermidis ( CSE ₀ ) directly after inoculation and the counts of colony of M. globosa (CMG _4h ), M. furfur (CMF _4h ), C. acnes (CCA _4h ) and S. epidermidis (CSE _4h ) after 4 hours of incubation.

Table 1. influence of HBC1 on the microbial growth of a co-culture.

In figure 1 , the distribution of microbes (i.e. r _CMG0 , _CMFO , r _CCA0 , r _CSE0 respectively r _cMG4h , r _cMF4h , r _ccA4h , r _csE4h ) directly after inoculation (t ₀ ) for example Ref.1 (figure 1a) or 1 (figure 1b), respectively after 4 hours of incubation (t _4h ) at 37°C for Ref.1 (figure 1c) or 1 (figure 1d) are shown by means of a pie diagram for example Ref.1 resp.1. Furthermore, the ratio of the counts after 4h of incubation of the example 1 to the counts after 4h of incubation of the example Ref.1 for the individual microbes (given in table 1) are calculated and indicated in table 2.

Table 2. Influence of HBC1 on counts after incubation of 4 hours Finally, the change of the individual shares of the microbes in the total number of microbes after 4h of incubation of the example 1 in relation to those of Ref.1 (given in table 1) are calculated and indicated in table 3.

Table 3. Change of ratios Experimental series 2

5 mL of TSB (Tryptic Say Broth) to which no (Ref.2) or 500 μL (2) of a solution of 3% HBC1 (50% polymer by weight in water) in PBS (Phosphate- buffered saline) have been added. Then this solutions have been inoculated by 500 μL of a calibrated mixture of S. epidermidis and S. aureus. Directly after inoculation or after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C, respectively, 100 μL have been taken and plated on an Agar gel petri dish. The microbes have then been counted based on the colony specific morphology and/or size. Table 4 shows the ratio of colony counts of S. aureus to S. epidermidis directly after inoculation and after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C.

^* Change ratio S. aureus = (((r _csA4h / r _csA0 )-1) ^* 100)

In table 4, the calculation of the change of ratio S. aureus is based on r _csA4h = CSA _4h / (CSA _4h +CSE _4h ) and r _csA0 = CSA ₀ /(CSA ₀ +CSE ₀ ) with the counts of colony of S. aureus ( CSAo ), S. epidermidis ( CSE ₀ ) directly after inoculation and the counts of colony of S. aureus ( CSA _4h ) and S. epidermidis ( CSE _4h ) after 4 hours of incubation

In figure 2, the distribution of S. aureus and S. epidermidis (i.e. r _csA0 , r _csE0 respectively r _csA4h , r _csE4h ) directly after inoculation (t ₀ ) for example Ref.2 (figure 2a) or 2 (figure 2b), respectively after 4 hours of incubation (t _4h ) at 37°C for Ref.2 (figure 2c) or 2 (figure 2d) are shown by means of a pie diagram for example Ref.2 resp.2. The change of ratio S. aureus is a factor of more than 5.7 (1167/<204) smaller in the presence of the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) as compared to the respective case of the absence of hyperbranched copolymer (HBC).

The results of table 4 as well as figure 2 show that S. aureus is over-pro- portionally strong growing in the absence of HBC1. In the presence of HBC1, however, this growth of S. aureus is strongly reduced. Hence, the data of table 4 and figure 2 show that the hyperbranched copolymer (HBC) balances the microbial growth by inhibiting the microbial growth of S. aureus to a higher extent than the one of S. epidermidis.