the composition according to the invention thus comprises a polymer and at least two essential oils . according to the present invention , polymer a is a polymer selected from the group of homopolymers and copolymers of carboxylic acid and derivatives , or a polyalkylene oxide . polymer a , when being a homopolymer and / or copolymer of carboxylic acid and derivatives , has a plurality of carboxyl groups . the polymer a has a molecular mass preferably from 300 to 10 9 d ( dalton , also referred to as atomic mass units , amu ). the polymer a is selected from the class consisting of homopolymers or copolymers of carboxylic polymers , including natural synthetic and semi - synthetic polymers in this class . the polymer may be a homo polymers or co polymers , wherein by copolymer of monomer x is meant any polymer that contains the monomer x and at least one further monomer . some non - limiting examples of polymer a according to the present invention include : ( a ) homopolymers of a carboxylic acid , including but not limited to polycarboxylic acid such as polyacrylic acid , polymaleic acid or copolymers of acrylic and maleic acid . ( b ) polysaccharides comprising carboxyl groups . such polysaccharides may include ( but are not limited to ) starch , cellulose , sodium alginate , natural gums , and their modified materials such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose , hydroxyethyl cellulose . alternatively the polymer a may be or a polyalkylene oxide , preferably poly ethylene oxide . homopolymers or copolymers of poly alkylene oxide preferably have a molecular mass greater than 2 × 10 4 d . the molecular mass is preferably from 2 × 10 4 to 10 6 d , more preferably from 3 × 10 4 to 5 × 10 5 d and most preferably from 5 × 10 4 to 2 × 10 5 d . homopolymers or copolymers of carboxylic acid have a molecular mass of preferably from 2 × 10 3 to 10 7 d more preferably from 5 × 10 4 to 10 6 d and most preferably from 9 × 10 4 to 5 × 10 5 d . if the polymers are in particulate form , the particle size is preferably less than 200 μm , preferably less than 100 μm , more preferably less than 50 μm still more preferably less than 10 μm , or even less than 5 μm . the homopolymers or copolymers of polysaccharide have a molecular mass of preferably from 10 3 to 10 9 d , more preferably from 10 4 to 10 9 d and most preferably from 10 5 to 10 9 d . polymer a is preferably at least partially neutralised in the sodium ( na + ) form , preferably at least 10 % w of polymer a is neutralised , more preferably at least 20 %, still more preferably at least 50 %. polymer a may be synthetic , semi - synthetic or natural . however , synthetic or semi - synthetic polymers are preferred . polymer a is preferably water soluble or water dispersible , most preferably polymer a is water soluble . it is preferred that the polymer a is selected from a class consisting of homopolymers or copolymers of carboxylic acid . the homopolymers or copolymers of carboxylic acid are preferably a polyacrylic acid or a copolymer thereof . examples include sokalan ® pa ( basf ) and carbopol ® ( lubrizol ). the concentration of polymer a in the composition according to the invention is preferably between 0 . 001 and 25 % by weight , more preferably at least 0 . 002 %, or even at least 0 . 005 %, but preferably not more than 15 %, more preferably less than 5 %, still more preferably less than 1 %, even more preferably less than 0 . 5 %, even less than 0 . 1 %, or even less than 0 . 05 % by weight of the composition . polymer a polyacrylic acid ( paa ) polyethylene glycol ( peg ) poly vinyl alcohol ( pva ) sodium carboxymethyl cellulose ( scmc ) hydroxyethyl cellulose starch - graft - polymethacrylic acid pluronic - g - polyacrylic acid sodium carboxymethyl cellulose in a preferred embodiment , the invention comprises the polymer a selected from the group of homopolymers and copolymers of carboxylic acid and derivatives , and a second polymer b selected from the group of homopolymers and copolymers of alkylene oxides , vinyl pyrrolidone and / or their derivatives ; and / or the group of homopolymers and copolymers of vinyl alcohol , saccharides , hydroxyalkyl cellulose and / or their derivates ; polymers a and b are preferably present in the composition in a ratio of between 1 : 5 and 5 : 1 , more preferably between 1 : 2 and 2 : 1 polymer b preferably has a monomeric unit comprising a group that can form hydrogen bonds with the carboxyl groups of polymer a . preferably , polymer b is selected from the group of homopolymers and copolymers of alkylene oxides , vinyl pyrrolidone and / or their derivatives ; and / or the group of homopolymers and copolymers of vinyl alcohol , saccharides , hydroxyalkyl cellulose and / or their derivates . the group of homopolymers and copolymers of vinyl alcohol , saccharides , hydroxyalkyl cellulose and / or their derivates , is generally not water soluble . in order to obtain the benefit of this group of polymers the particle size is set such that the particles are easily dispersible in water or and aqueous solution ( i . e . a wash or rinse liquor ). if the polymers are in particulate form , the particle size is preferably less than 200 μm , more preferably less than 100 μm , even more preferably less than 50 μm still more preferably less than 10 μm , or even less than 5 μm . polymers and homopolymers of carboxylic acid and / or sacchharides and / or polyalkylene glycol / ether qualify to be selected both as polymer a or polymer b , as they comprise hydroxyl or carboxyl group and either a carbonyl or an ether group . however , according to a preferred embodiment , polymer a and polymer b are not the same . it is particularly preferred that the polymers a and b are selected from different classes of polymers . without wishing to be limited by theory , it is believed that the two polymers a and b , when dissolved in water , form a complex with a solubility lower than each of the polymers a and b , which helps in enhanced deposition and other benefits . polymer b preferably has a molecular mass from 10 3 to 10 9 d . homopolymers or copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone or vinyl alcohol preferably have a molecular mass of between 10 3 and 10 7 d , more preferably from 10 4 to 10 6 d and most preferably from 30 , 000 to 500 , 000 d . commercially available polyvinyl pyrrolidone can be used , one example of which is luviskol ® ( basf ). homopolymers or copolymers of poly alkylene oxide preferably have a molecular mass greater than 2 × 10 4 d . the molecular mass is preferably from 2 × 10 4 to 10 6 d , more preferably from 3 × 10 4 to 5 × 10 5 d and most preferably from 5 × 10 4 to 2 × 10 5 d . homopolymers or copolymers of saccharide preferably have a molecular mass of preferably from 10 3 to 10 9 d , more preferably from 10 4 to 10 9 d and most preferably from 10 5 to 10 9 d . any commercially available poly alkylene oxide , for example polyox ® ( dow chemical co ) can be used according to the present invention . polymer b may be synthetic , semi - synthetic or natural . however , synthetic or semi - synthetic polymers are preferred . according to a preferred embodiment , the polymer b is water soluble . it is particularly preferred that the polymer b is selected from a class consisting of homopolymers or copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone or alkylene oxide . when present , the concentration of polymer b in the composition according to the invention is preferably between 0 . 001 and 20 % by weight , more preferably at least 0 . 002 %, or even at least 0 . 005 %, but preferably not more than 10 %, more preferably less than 5 %, still more preferably less than 1 %, even more preferably less than 0 . 5 %, even less than 0 . 1 %, or even less than 0 . 05 % by weight of the composition . some examples of combinations of polymer a and polymer b , which are particularly preferred , are given below . the compositions according to the inventions comprises at least two essential oils selected from aromatic essential oils including amyl salicylate , carvacrol , cymene , e . g . ρ - cymene , dihydroeugenol , eugenol , hexyl eugenol , hexyl salicylate , isoeugenol , methyl eugenol , methyl isoeugenol , methyl salicylate , tert butyl cresol , thymol , and vanillin ; and non - aromatic essential oil terpenoid compounds including cedrene , cineole , citral ( including geranial and neral ), citronellal , citronellol , eucalyptol ( also known as 1 , 8 cineole ) paradihydrolinalool , dihydromyrcenol ( dh myrcenol ), farnesol , geraniol , hexyl cinnamaldehyde , hydroxycitronallol , hydroxycitronellal , isocitral , limonene , preferably d - limonene , linalool , longifolene , menthol , nerol , nerolidiol , pinene , e . g . α - pinene , phellendrene , terpinene , e . g . α - terpinene and γ - terpinene , terpineol , e . g . γ - terpineol and terpin - 4 - ol , and tetrahydromyrcenol ( thm ). although essential oils are often isolated from plants , they may also be obtained though synthetic or semi - synthetic routes . the most preferred essential oils in the context of the present invention are thymol , terpineol and eugenol . it is even more preferred that the composition comprises three essential oils , wherein the essential oils are still more preferably selected from a combination of a thymol , a terpineol and a eugenol . each essential oil is preferably present in the composition in a concentration of between 0 . 001 and 10 % by weight of the composition , but preferably at least 0 . 002 %, or even at least 0 . 005 % by weight of the composition , while preferably not more than 5 %, more preferably not more than 1 %, still more preferably not more than 0 . 5 %, or even not more than 0 . 1 % by weight of the concentration . the compositions according to the invention may be applied in various skin care and cleansing products , including but not limited to hand soap , hand hygiene , deodorants , face wash , body wash and even shampoo and hair conditioner products . it is preferred that the compositions are applied to the skin neat , while the skin may be wet or dry at the time of application . it is preferred that the contact time of the product with the skin before rinsing is at least 15 seconds , preferably at least 1 minute . stay on compositions , such as deodorants , skin hygiene compositions , skin care compositions may stay for a longer period of time , preferably at least 15 seconds , more preferably 1 minute , even more preferably at least 15 minutes , still more preferably at least 1 hour , still more preferably at least 2 hours , or even more than 5 hours . the ph of the compositions is preferably neutral or mildly acidic , more preferably between ph 2 and 9 , still more preferably at least ph 3 , while more preferably less than ph 8 , still more preferably less than ph 7 , or even less than ph 6 . consequently there is provided a method for providing an anti - microbial effect to skin comprising the steps of applying a composition according to the invention to the skin , and waiting for at least 15 seconds . for hand / skin hygiene applications , skin care applications and deodorant applications the composition is preferably left on the skin after application without rinsing , but may be wiped of after the indicated time . for hand soap , face and body wash and shampoo and hair conditioner applications , the skin is preferably rinsed after application and after the indicated time . the invention will now be illustrated by means of the following non - limiting examples . anti - microbial efficacy test ( in vitro ) against e . coli at ph 3 . 5 the protocol used for testing in - vitro is based on standard test method astm e2149 - 01 , wherein working cultures of individual bacterial species ( e . coli atcc 10536 as indicated below ) were added to the test samples ; and were given a 15 seconds contact time . the samples were neutralized and serially diluted in a neutralizer . the viable count is determined by agar pour plating . activity is assessed by comparing the size of the population of untreated with that of treated specimens . test compositions and bacterial kill results are given in the table below : 1 ) the polymer is paa ( poly acrylic acid ; mw 100 , 000 d , ex sigma - aldrich ) 2 ) the saline solution comprised 0 . 1 % nacl and citric acid to a ph of 3 . the table above shows that the composition of polymer and two essential oils provides the objected effect at 15 seconds contact time . anti - microbial efficacy test ( in vitro ) against e . coli — at different ph the same method was used as in example 1 , but a contact time of only 15 seconds was used in this example . test compositions and bacterial kill results are given in the table below : 1 ) the polymer was paa ( poly acrylic acid ; mw 100 , 000 d , ex sigma - aldrich ) 2 ) the saline solution comprised 0 . 1 % nacl and citric acid to the indicated ph . the table above demonstrates that good results are obtained at different ph &# 39 ; s . comparative tests : anti - microbial efficacy test ( in vitro ) against e . coli — effect of single polymers test compositions and bacterial kill results are given in the table below : 1 ) the polymer complex comprised paa ( poly acrylic acid ; mw 450 , 100 , 000 d , ex sigma - aldrich ) and peo ( poly ethylene oxide ; mw 100 , 000 d , ex sigma - aldrich ), in an amount as given in the table . 2 ) the saline solution comprised 0 . 1 % nacl and citric acid to a ph of 3 . 6 . the table above shows that the single polymers do provide the objected effect at 15 seconds contact time . a typical hand sanitizer composition according to the invention is given in the table below . the composition given above provides long lasting hygiene when applied to skin . the compositions given above provide anti bacterial effect on skin within 15 seconds .
the invention is in the field of skin hygiene , especially hand hygiene and / or hand soap compositions . it remains to be desired to prepare skin hygiene compositions having a high anti - microbial effect , even with a low dosage of anti - microbial essential oils . it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a skin hygiene composition , having good anti - microbial properties , at low levels of essential oil . surprisingly it has been found that composition comprising a low amount of at least two essential oils and a polymer provides improved hygiene efficacy .