Nail Lacquer Compositions

United States Patent [191 ; Galante [45] May 17, 1983 [54] NAIL LACQUER COMPOSITIONS [56] References Cited f U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS ‘ [75] I“"°"t°“ Ga” Galme’ Ramsey’ NJ’ 3,349,547 11/1974 Kalopissis ........................... .. 424/61 ' 4,126,675 11/1978 Boulogne et al. ................... .. 424/61 [73] Assigneez Avon Products, Inc., Suffem, N.Y.V - OTHER PUBLICATIONS [21] Appl. No.: 246,775 Cosmetic Technology, “Nail—Enamel Resins”, , (10-1979), pp. 53-55. [22] Filed‘ Mar’ 23' 1981 Primary Examiner——-Lorenzo B. Hayes Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Sigalos & Levine Related U.S. Application Data [57] ABSTRACI‘ [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 100,192, Dec. 4, 1979, aban- A nail lacquer composition comprising a film-forming d0ned- _agent, a compatible solvent, and an auxiliary resin pres- ‘ ent in‘ an amount sufficient to increase the wear resis- [51] Int. CL3 .............................................. .. A61K 7/04 tance of the composition when dry and selected from‘ [52] U.S. Cl. ......................... .. 524/32; 106/195; alkyl cyanoacrylates, styrene-acrylonitrile-acrylic ter- 424/61 polymers, or mixtures thereof. [58] Field of Search ........................ .. 424/61; 106/195; 260/ 1-7 R; 524/32 [11] 4,384,058 4 Claims, No Drawings 4,384,058 3 NAIL LACQUER COMPOSITIONS This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 100,192, filed Dec. 4, 1979, now abandoned. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Two of the most important characteristics of all nail lacquer compositions are their gloss and wear proper- ties after being applied to the nail of the user. The high- est gloss possible and maximum resistance to wear, such as scuffing and chipping, are constantly sought after. Since almost all conventionally used nail lacquer compositions are nitrocellulose-based, i.e., use nitrocel- lulose as the sole or major film-forming agent, efforts to improve the gloss and wear of such compositions has included the addition of compatible modifier resins. While resins, such as p-toulene-sulfonamide-formalde- hyde, have been generally satisfactorily used for this purpose, the gloss and wear properties have not reached the optimum levels desired. In general, both natural and synthetic resins have been tried and found wanting. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The instant invention provides nail lacquer composi- tions having wear properties improved over the con- ventional, presently used compositions. Briefly, the present invention comprises nail lacquer compositions comprising a film-forming agent, a com- patible solvent and an auxiliary resin present in an amount sufficient to increase the wear resistance of the composition when dry and selected from alkyl cyanoac- rylates, styrene-acrylonitrile-acrylic terpolymers, or mixtures thereof. DETAILED DESCRIPTION As used herein the term “nail lacquer” is intended to be synonymous with nail enamels and to mean and include all film-forming nail coatings, such as base coats, top coats, nail strengtheners, nail menders, clear nail lacquers, and pigmented, cream, and frost nail lac- quers, and the like. For purposes of further description of the invention, it will be discussed in terms of a pigmented composition, it being understood that the invention is applicable to all nail lacquer compositions. The compositions of the present invention require the utilization of an auxiliary resin in order to obtain im- proved wear and in the case of the terpolymers, as discussed below, also improved gloss. Such auxiliary resins must be a film-forming alkyl cyanoacrylate, a film-forming styrene-acrylonitrile-acrylic terpolymer, or a mixture thereof. As to the alkyl cyanoacrylates, any film-forming resin can be used, such as methyl or ethyl cyanoacrylate. Such resins are commercially available from Loctite Corporation as LOCTITE 916 and LOCTITE 918. Such cyanoacrylates have been used in other applica- tions as adhesives and give increased wear properties to nail enamels containing the same, but no positive effects as to gloss. , With respect to the styrene-acrylonitrile-acrylic ter- polymers, these are available from Polyvinyl Chemical Industries under the name NEOCRYL B-1000. They are available as free-flowing beads or as 40% solids solution in toluene and are soluble in the solvents com- monly used in nail lacquers. The precise chemical for- mulation of these NEOCRYL B-1000 resins is not pres- ently known since they are being maintained as trade secrets by the manufacturers thereof. The terpolymers 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 65 2 give both increased gloss and improved wear properties and are the preferred auxiliary resins. Both the cyanoacrylates and terpolymers are compat- ible with nitrocellulose and other resins commonly used to modify the nail lacquer compositions. This is impor- tant since it permits the addition of the cyanoacrylates and/or terpolymers to the conventional and well- known nitrocellulose-based nail lacquer compositions to increase their gloss and wear properties. Conventional nitrocellulose-based pigmented nail lacquer compositions comprise nitrocellulose as the main film-forming resin, a modifying resin, plasticizers, a pigment, a thixotropic agent for suspending the pig- ment, solvents, and an alcohol. The solvent, usually a mixture of solvents such as n-butyl acetate, ethyl ace- tate, and toluene, comprises the major percentages by weight of the composition; usually at least about 60% by weight. The nitrocellulose and any modifier resin, such as an aryl-sulfonamide-formaldehyde resin, form the next largest component, followed by the alcohol, plasticizers for the nitrocellulose (such as dibutyl phthalate and/or camphor), thixotropic-agent, and pig- ment. The auxiliary film-forming resins of the present in- vention can be added directly to such compositions or in place of the modifying resin. As to proportions, from about 2 to 12% by weight of the auxiliary resin, based on the total weight of the nail lacquer composition; can be used; about 5% by weight being preferred. While either the cyanoacrylate or terpolymer can be added alone in the amounts noted, a combination thereof can be used. In such combinations, if both optimum gloss and wear properties are desired, the cyanoacrylate should not be used in an amount more than 50% by weight of the combination. The proportions of the other components in the nail lacquer composition are those usually employed. While, as previously noted, the instant invention has been described in connection with a pigmented nail lacquer, it is applicable to all nail lacquer compositions. ‘ The amount of the auxiliary resin noted above as suit- able in pigmented nail lacquers is equally suitable with the other nail lacquers. , ’ While this invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but, on the-contrary, it is intended to cover such altematives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. What is claimed is: 1. A nail lacquer composition consisting essentially of a film-forming agent comprising nitrocellulose as the major component, a compatible solvent, and a styrene- acrylonitrile-acrylic terpolymer in an amount sufficient to increase the gloss and wear resistance of the composi- tion when dry. 2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said compati- ble solvent is an ester solvent. 3. The composition of claims 1 or 2, wherein the terpolymer is present in an amount of from about 2 to 12% by weight, based on the total weight of the compo- sition. 4. A nail lacquer composition consisting essentially of nitrocellulose, at least one ester solvent, and a styrene- acrylonitrile-acrylic terpolymer, said terpolymer being present in an amount of from about 2 to 12% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition. 8! 3 $ fir it