| abstract |
A personal care composition in the form of an aqueous liquid comprises: (i) a lipid composition comprising two components D and E, where D is a molecule having one long hydrocarbon chain and a hydrophillic head group and E is a material which comprises at least one of a compound selected from 3 beta -sterol; squalane; squalene; saponins or sapogenins of the plant steroid or triterpenoid type; di and tri terpenes such as phytol, retinol and amyrin; and mixtures thereof, wherein D and E are respectively present at levels within the range 0.1 to 10 wt.% and 0.2 to 12 wt.% based on the total composition; (ii) a surface active agent selected from anionic, nonionic, cationic, zwitterionic, amphoteric surface active agents, soap and mixtures thereof; and (iii) a deposition aid; and the composition is substantially free of a molecule having at least two hydrocarbon chains and a polar head group which satisfies the relationship (I) where V is the volume of the hydrocarbon chains; Ic is the critical length of the hydrocarbon chains; and ao is the optimum area of the polar head group. The composition may be in the form of for example a shower gel or facial cleanser which is temporarily applied to the skin before being removed such as wiping or rinsing it from the skin. |