L’Oreal files patent on self-bubbling peel-off cleansing face mask to decrease water usage

The US patent​ said the product is a cleansing mask that self-bubbles without lathering and forms a film so it can be peeled off of the skin in one piece. 

The mask will be good for depositing skin care actives and the self-foaming can be achieved without perfluorinated compounds, which have several health and environmental concerns. 

Low water skin care

According to the patent, masks are generally considered highly effective in caring for keratin materials like skin and hair, but they do require water to remove. The aim of the patent was to create a cleansing mask that doesn't require water.

“It is an object of the present disclosure to create a cleansing mask product that provides not only deep cleansing properties but also contributes to limit water consumption,”​ the patent said. “In view of the remarks above, it would be beneficial to provide a mask composition for cleansing the skin that uses less water than a traditional cleansing mask.”​

Unlike most cleansers and masks, by creating a film the new patented mask can theoretically be peeled off in one piece.

Broad-spectrum of potential actives 

The formulation for the mask requires polyvinyl alcohol, one or more sugar alcohols, at least one surfactant, one or more hydrophobically-modified polymers and at least one silicone oil, which causes the self-bubbling effect, the patent said.

The self-bubbling effect is likely caused by the rapid evaporation of volatile silicone oils when they are removed from a bulk formula and put on the skin. Bubbles may form rapidly, possibly within seconds, the patent said.

Aside from a cleanser, the patent said the mask could contain a broad spectrum of water-soluble actives including hyaluronic acid, citric acid, salicylic acid, vitamin C, retinol, vitamins and protein, among many others, according to the patent. 

“This invention has utility as a deep skin cleanser and/or to deposit water-soluble actives onto the skin as it is left on the skin for at least 5 and up to 15 minutes, whereas traditional rinse-off cleansers only contact the skin for less than 1 minute and then are rinsed away with water,”​ the patent said.

Ingredients in the mask could potentially be moisturizing, brightening, anti-acne or anti-aging, among other skin care goals. Actives, fragrances and preservatives are possible optional ingredients in a self-bubbling mask, but the patent notes that the list is not exhaustive.

United States Patent and Trademark Office Document ID US 20220062118 A1​​

Published on: March 3, 2022. Filed on: August 25, 2020​

Title: “SELF-BUBBLING PEEL-AWAY CLEANSING MASK”​

Inventor: L'Oréal - Stephanie Anne Ventura Morris and Ryuji Hara​