MELANIN COMPOSITIONS

摘要

A melanin which is a material produced by enzymatic oxidation of at least one phenol of formula Ar-C=C-CO2X where Ar is 3-R2,4-OH,5R6-phenyl where R2 and R6 are independently selected from H, OH and OMe and X is H or a C1-6 alkyl group is found to have properties making it very useful in compositions for topical application, particularly cosmetic compositions. It is highly soluble in water. It does not form precipitates with dihydroxyacetone, a common ingredient of self-tanning compositions. It exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant action against various potential irritants, including dihydroxyacetone and surfactants. Thus it may be included in cosmetic compositions to counter irritation as well as for other purposes, eg. as a pigment.