GB2348861A - Packaged cosmetics - Google Patents

Abstract

A cosmetic is packaged in peel, skin, a leaf or leaves from a fruit or vegetable. The cosmetic may contain part of the fruit or vegetable from which the peel, skin or leaf is taken. The peel may be from a lemon, orange, mandarin, grapefruit or lime, eg the flesh of which has been scooped out. The leaf or leaves may be from a lettuce or cabbage. The cosmetic may be a facemask containing lemon flesh or lettuce leaves. The cosmetic is man-made in that it excludes a single naturally occurring material used alone without any form of substantive processing. The packaged cosmetic has a short shelf-life and may need to be refrigerated, but the packaging material is easily disposable being biodegradeable. Where leaves form the wrapping, they may be folded or wrapped around the cosmetic and can be secured by string or by a suitable fibre such as one derived from leeks. The cosmetic may have a suitably firm texture to hold the wrapping in place.

Description

1 2348861 PACKAGED COSMETICS The present invention relates to the

packaging of cosmetics.

Herein the expression "cosmetic(s)" means any preparation(s) for application to the human body for beautifying, preserving, or altering the appearance or for cleansing, colouring, conditioning, or protecting the skin, hair, nails, lips, eyes or teeth. As such the expression encompasses preparations sometimes referred to as toiletries, an example of which is shaving cream.

Herein the expression "man-made", in relation to a cosmetic as defined above, excludes a single naturally occurring material used alone without any form of substantive processing. The expression does not imply, but also does not exclude, synthetic nonnaturally occurring materials. It includes, for example, the simple admixture of two naturally occurring materials.

Glass containers have for decades, if not centuries, been easily massproduced and have conventionally been considered ideal for the storage of cosmetic products. Ceramics have been used, and are still used, in the same way. Developments in the plastics industry have also provided polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene as packaging materials for cosmetics. Plastics are often produced in the form of trays, bags, bottles, boxes, and transparent film, through thermoforming and injection- or blow-moulding processes. Collapsible plastic tubes are also widely used to hold cosmetics.

Usually, the above mentioned conventional containers are further packaged in cardboard cartons. Cardboard cartons are light in weight, inexpensive and can be easily manufactured, printed, and stored. In particular cardboard cartons meet the conventionally perceived need for ease of labelling.

It is also conventional that the packaging should be designed for ease of use of sophisticated mechanised processes for applying the packaging.

2 Little thought has previously been given to the question of the disposal of the packaging after use. However, there is an increasing awareness of environmental issues particularly relating to the disposal of packaging.

The present invention has been made against this background.

According to the present invention there is provided a man-made cosmetic packaged in peel, skin, or leaf from a fruit or vegetable.

Fruits and vegetables are biodegradable and as such are easily disposed of. Their impact on the environment is generally a positive one. Indeed, they are far more beneficial than plastics and card which usually make the type of packaging cosmetic products are put into. These materials are difficult to dispose of Their destination causes envirorunental pollution whether they are incinerated or buried in landfill sites.

The use of fruits and vegetables as packaging is also capable of reducing waste during the production of the products. The formulation can for example utilise the flesh of the fruit or vegetable whilst the peel or skin is used to contain the product when it is prepared. This facilitates the display of the product in the shop and enables the customer to use the product using the peel or skin as the container.

An example of a facemask prepared using a fresh lemon is as follows:

Ingredient % by weight Water 15-20 Fresh lemon fiesh 10-15 Glycerine 10-15 Kaolin 50-55 The resulting product can be packaged in the lemon peel from which the lemon flesh has been extracted. oranges, mandarins, grapefruits and limes are all examples of fruits, which can be used in a similar way. Their cosmetic qualities can be formulated I 3 into the product and the remainder of the fruit used as a container instead of a glass or plastic pot or bottle.

Fruit and vegetables can also be used as wrapping. For example, the leaves form lettuce or cabbage can be folded or wrapped around a cosmetic product. The product, for example a facemask, could have a suitably firrn texture to hold the wrapping in place. The softer texture material of the vegetable can be used in the product whilst the more robust leaves are used as wrapping. If necessary, the leaf can be secured by string or similar. A suitable fibre for this can be made from vegetables such as leeks which can be used to secure the wrapping together. This leaves no wasted vegetable material on producing the product.

An example of a facemask is as follows:

Ingredient % by weight Water 25-30 Lettuce leaves 5-10 Glycerine 10-15 Kaolin 50-55 The leaves used as an ingredient are the soft, small part or heart of the lettuce. The outer more fibrous leaves are laid around the portion of product to enclose it and make it clean and easy to touch and handle. A larger leaf shape as a cabbage leaf can be folded in half over the portion of product. The portion is then protected by the folded leaf and provides protection and prevents the product getting onto the hands when it is being touched or handled.

Alternatively, the fruit or vegetable can be utilised solely as a form of packaging without the use of the flesh in the product. Leaves or fruit peels can be placed around the product filled into them as required. The environmental impact is still greatly reduced compared with the effects of glass, plastic or card.

4 The use of this form of packaging may necessitate the use of refrigeration to produce, transport and display the products. The shelf fife of the vegetable and fruit packaging and the product itself may be very short. The product could thus be prepared and packaged from and into the fruit or vegetable for delivery to the shop the following day. The item would then be sold for the customer to use within the following twentyfour hours. With a high content of fruit and vegetable and in this form of packaging the product may have a short shelf life.

The visual impact of a display of cosmetic products in vegetables or fiuits as packaging is very attractive. The bright colours, textures and novelty of the packaging is very appealing and adds greatly to the ingenuity of this invention.

Claims (6)

Claims

1. A man-made cosmetic packaged in peel, skin, or leaf from a fruit or vegetable.

2. A packaged cosmetic as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cosmetic contains part of the fruit or vegetable from which the peel, skin or leaf used to package the cosmetic is taken.

3. A packaged cosmetic as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein the cosmetic is packaged in the peel of one of a lemon, an orange, a mandarin, a grapefi-uit and a lime.

4. A packaged cosmetic as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cosmetic is packaged in one or more leaves of one of a lettuce and a cabbage.

5. A packaged cosmetic as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein the cosmetic is a facemask prepared as follows:

Ingredient % by weight Water 15-20 Fresh lemon flesh 10-15 Glycerine 10-15 Kaolin 50-55

6. A packaged cosmetic as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein the cosmetic is a facemask prepared as follows: t Ingredient % by weight Water 25-30 Lettuce leaves 5-10 Glycerine 10-15 Kaolin 50-55