phospholipids , including lecithin , have a number of desirable health benefits and are used in cosmetic products for a variety of different uses . phospholipid compounds are high in vitamin e and fatty acids , which are beneficial when placed on the skin . traditionally , phospholipids have been placed in cosmetics and other goods as an emulsifier rather than as an active ingredient . to date , high percentage lecithin cosmetic creams , lotions and lip protection products have not been commercially available . in addition to lecithin phospholipids as active ingredients , oils such as for example , jojoba , emu , almond , macadamia nut , borage , black current , evening primrose , high oleic sunflower , and other vegetable oils result in cosmetics that exhibit excellent emollient characteristics . other dermatological nutrients such as the vitamins tocotrienol , tocopherol , and ascorbic acid , also can be incorporated into the lecithin cosmetic compositions and are useful in repairing damaged skin . the addition of phytochemnicals such as for example , polyphenols , sterols , and stanols , act to maintain the integrity of the skin cell membranes and to stabilize the liposomes formed when the lecithin phospholipids of the composition are hydrated . powdered or granular lecithins are commercially available and come in a variety of grades , including food grade , technical , bleached , unbleached , and enriched . regardless of the type of powdered or granular phospholipids selected , it is preferred for convenience that the lecithin have a phospholipid content of at lea 90 %, but not limited to this amount , and be oil free or de - oiled . specific phospholipid components , which are available for use in the invention , include , for example , phosphatidylcholine , phosphatidylethanolamine , and phosphatidylinositol . in addition , synthetic lecithins , such as yn100 cadberry , a synthetic phosphated diglyceride , and other synthetic phospholipids may be used . the starting lecithins can also be enriched or enhanced lecithins that are well known in the art , such as lecithins enhanced with phosphatidylcholine or phosphatides . in one embodiment the lecithin has an acetone insoluble index equal to or greater than 90 %. in another embodiment , the lecithin comprises a phospholipid having the formula c 8 h 17 o 5 nrr ′, wherein r and r ′ are fatty acids having the formula ch 3 ( ch 2 ) n coo , with n equal to between 4 and 22 . in yet another embodiment , the lecithin comprises a phospholipid having a formula comprising at least one of : wherein r and r ′ are fatty acids having the formula ch 3 ( ch 2 ) n cooh , with n equal to between 4 and 22 . one of skill in the art will appreciate that other fatty acids containing other r groups , including those with a cyclic structure and with or without heteroatoms , may also be used according to the present invention . the starting lecithin can also contain an amount of one or more additives , such as an active agent . the compositions of the invention comprise lecithin as an active ingredient . in one embodiment , the lecithin comprises at least about 10 % by weight of the total weight of the composition . the lecithin can comprise as much as 30 % by weight of the total composition . the compositions of the invention , which comprise lecithin as an active ingredient , are advantageous because they take advantage of the monomolecular film - forming properties of phospholipid and impart numerous health benefits to the skin of the user . not only do phospholipids have health benefits , but they can also serve as a carrier for dermatological preparations desirable for skin health . the lecithin cosmetic may contain substances such as waxes , fatty acids , vitamins , ultraviolet light blockers , germicides , phytochemicals , oils , and additional compounds . thus , the invention relates to lecithin cosmetic compositions that may contain additives for use on human or animal skin . the invention also includes compositions and pharmaceutical compositions that have pro - liposomes . several examples of the proliposome - liposome formation are known ( williams , w . p . et al ., “ the pro - liposome method : a practical approach to the problem of the preparation and utilization of liposomes suitable for topical applications ”, in phospholipids : characterization , metabolism , and novel biological applications , chapter 17 , aocs press ; payne , n . et al ., “ characterization of proliposomes ”, j . of pharmaceutical sciences ( 1986 april ) 75 ( 4 ): 330 - 333 ; deo , m . et al ., “ proliposome based transdermal delivery of levonorgestrel ”, j . of biomatter appl . ( 1997 july ) 12 ( l ): 77 - 78 . in this process , the starting lecithin is mixed with one or more components ( e . g ., other active agents ) in the presence of a small amount of water . when the resulting mixture is combined with additional water , vesicles ( liposomes ) are formed effectively encapsulating the active ingredients into the composition . thus , the invention relates to lecithin cosmetic compositions that may contain other active agents , which cosmetics contain pro - liposomes that are converted to liposomes when they are hydrated . a variety of additives can be mixed with the powdered phospholipid to form liquid - solid lecithin compositions , including fragrances , oils , moisturizers , vitamins , uv blockers , humectants , cleaning agents , colloidal meals , nutritional supplements , chelated minerals , herbal extracts , essential fatty acids , drugs , phytochemicals , amino acids , disintegrants , and combinations thereof . which additives will be added to the lecithin cosmetic composition will depend upon the characteristics desired in the finished product . for example , a lecithin cosmetic composition designed specifically to improve psoriasis may contain tocotrienols , emu , borage , evening primrose , or omega 3 oils in addition to the phospholipids in an amount equal to at least about 20 % by weight of the total lecithin cosmetic composition . a lecithin cosmetic composition designed specifically to reduce the effects of uv exposure to the skin may contain tocopherol , tannic acid , and epigallocatechin isolated from green tea . regardless of the ingredients incorporated into the lecithin cosmetic composition , the formulation is initiated by adding an amount of selected lecithin to the water , water - soluble agents , and polyethylene glycol at a temperature of about 65 - 70 ° c . the lipid soluble ingredients are combined together under constant mixing at between 70 - 80 ° c . the lipid soluble combination is slowly added to the aqueous mixture with constant stirring . bactericides are then added and the material is cooled . the composition thus formed is subjected to reheating to about 70 ° c . at which point fragrance and any additional water is added to correct the consistency . the following are working examples demonstrating the production and use of lecithin cosmetic compositions . it will be appreciated by someone skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the following examples . suppliers of the various ingredients that are cited in the said examples are : ascorbyl palmitate roche vitamins β - carotene roche vitamins borage oil — cotton / soy / palm sterine ac humko emu oil lb processors evening primrose oil — germall plus sutton labs jojoba oil purcell jojoba inc . kokam butter carlisle international lecithin 5750 riceland foods lecithin 6440 central soya lecithin 8100 central soya na ascorbate basf na_palmitate — na stearoyl lactylate ( emplex ) american ingredient co . octyl salicylate rita chemical polyethylene glycol paddock labs sterol esters cognis corp steryl esters cargill tocopherol henkel tocotrienol eastman chemical fifty - three grams of deionized water is heated to 80 ° c . with 0 . 5 gr of polyethylene glycol . fifteen grams of lecithin ( riceland - 5750 ) is slowly added with constant stirring ( phase 1 ). in a separate kettle the following is heated to 80 ° c . : 15 gr of high oleic sunflower oil , 1 . 5 gr each of kokam , emu oil , jojoba oil and emplex . add 0 . 60 gr of tocotrienol . cool slightly and add 0 . 53 gr germall plus ( phase ii ). slowly add the oil phase ii to the water , peg and lecithin phase i , stirring until cool . the resultant product is a thick cream that acts as a barrier to outside agents , and is applicable as a diaper cream or as an occlusive covering . the same procedure was used as in example 1 , except that the final composition is reheated to approximately 70 ° c . and 50 gr of di water is added under constant stirring ( phase iii ). the cosmetic is cooled . the resultant product is a lotion that is readily absorbed and leaves a thin layer of emollients on the skin . the same procedure was used as in example 2 except that 15 grams of central soya 8100 lecithin is substituted for the riceland 5750 . upon examination of the final product , a softer and slightly more spreadable lotion was formed . phase i : di water 51 . 8 % lecithin 8100 10 . 4 peg 0 . 5 phase ii : hi oleic sunflower 20 . 7 cotton / soy sterine 5 . 3 kokam butter 4 . 1 jojoba oil 2 . 1 polysorbate 2 . 1 tocopherol 1 . 0 palm sterine 1 . 2 germall plus 0 . 5 fragrance 0 . 3 this cosmetic was used at night as a repair cream for badly chapped hands and elbows phase i : di water 23 . 3 % lecithin 8100 14 . 2 phase ii : hi oleic sunflower 40 . 1 cotton / soy sterine 12 . 2 kokam butter 8 . 1 jojoba oil 0 . 4 germall plus 0 . 9 fragrance 0 . 8 phase i : di water 42 . 4 % lecithin 5750 11 . 9 peg 0 . 4 phase ii : hi oleic sunflower 11 . 9 cotton / soy sterine 3 . 1 kokam butter 1 . 2 jojoba oil 1 . 2 emu oil 1 . 2 polysorbate 1 . 2 tocotrienol 0 . 6 steryl esters 3 . 7 palm sterine 0 . 7 germall plus 0 . 4 fragrance 0 . 2 phase iii di water 19 . 9 this cosmetic was used as a moisturizing lotion for the body . phase i : di water 51 . 8 % lecithin 8100 10 . 4 peg 0 . 5 phase ii : hi oleic sunflower 20 . 7 cotton / soy sterine 5 . 3 evening primrose oil 6 . 2 polysorbate 2 . 1 tocopherol 1 . 0 palm sterine 1 . 2 germall plus 0 . 5 fragrance 0 . 3 this cosmetic was used at night as a repair cream for the itch associated with poison ivy . phase i : di water 50 . 0 % lecithin 8100 5 . 0 peg 0 . 9 phase ii : hi oleic sunflower 25 . 2 cotton / soy sterine 6 . 3 kokam butter 5 . 0 jojoba esters 1 . 3 tocopherol 0 . 6 palm sterine 1 . 3 octyl salicylate 3 . 9 germall plus 0 . 5 this cosmetic lotion was used to protect the skin from uv radiation . an emollient bar was produced by the procedure used in u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 245 , 289 . it consisted of initially mixing together and subsequently compressing 20 . 6 % by weight of lecithin ( riceland 5750 ) together with 23 . 1 % aloe vera , 7 . 4 % emu oil , 0 . 5 % tocotrienol , and 0 . 5 % ascorbic acid . in this manner , a liquid - solid form of lecithin matrix was produced with all ingredients cosolubilized with the active agent , lecithin . ten grams of this liquid - solid form was cryogenically milled and added slowly to 10 gr of di water at 70 ° c . under constant stirring . the resulting lotion was used as a skin moisturizer and a treatment against acne . a liquid - solid form cosmetic bar composition was made from phospholipid , so that the method of the invention converted the powdered or granular phospholipids into a solid phospholipid bar composition having a specific gravity of 1 . 2 g / ml . the cosmetic bar composition was made by adding 40 grams of powdered lecithin obtained from archer daniels midland co ., having an acetone insoluble index of 98 , to a die mounted on a hydraulic press . the die was purchased from vvr scientific products inc located in dallas , tex . under catalog number 53887 - 003 . the die had an internal diameter of 2 . 25 inches and an outside diameter of 3 . 825 inches . the hydraulic press was model number 2086 , made by carver , inc of dallas tex . after the 40 grams of powdered phospholipid were added to the die , the die was closed so that the powdered phospholipid could not escape the die . once the die was closed , the hydraulic press was activated and 5000 psig was applied to the powdered phospholipid for 5 minutes . the pressure caused the phospholipid to form a translucent liquid - solid form phospholipid bar , similar to a bar of soap , having a specific gravity of 1 . 2 g / ml . the cosmetic bar made of phospholipid was then removed from the die . the bar was intact , had a diameter of 2 . 25 inches and was ⅜ inch tick . the cosmetic bar had non - brittle form . the cosmetic bar made from phospholipid had an amber appearance and was a semi - transparent solid having the consistency of a soap bar . the cosmetic bar from the phospholipid was then tested on a human subject who used the cosmetic bar in the shower after washing , but in the same manner as a bar soap . after applying the cosmetic bar , the subject rinsed and dried with a towel . the subject observed a coat over his entire body surface which made the skin smooth and gave it a soft feel . the subject further observed that the coating was present for eight ( 8 ) hours and up to 12 hours later after application of the cosmetic bar to the skin . the subject further observed that , after use , the cosmetic bar did not readily degrade and that it kept its shape after use in the shower , lasting two weeks . the same procedure was used as in example 10 except that 45 grams of powdered phospholipid , equal to 90 % by weight of the total composition , were added to the die chamber along with 5 grams of white petrolatum , equal to 10 % by weight of the total composition . compression was similar to example 10 . upon examination of the finished product , a translucent , liquid - sold form bar was formed which was usable in the shower similar to hand soap , except it was used after rinsing , and then it too was rinsed off . after use , a thin layer of phospholipid and white petrolatum were formed on the subject &# 39 ; s skin . it was observed that the thin film layer was especially desirable because it persisted for up to eight hours and relieved dry skin and discomfort associated with pruritis . the same procedure was used as in example 10 except 45 grams of powdered phospholipid , equal to 90 % by weight of the total composition , were added to the die chamber along with 5 grams of usp aquaphor , equal to 10 % by weight of the total composition . the phospholipid and aquaphor were mixed in a standard food processor prior to placement in the die chamber . the translucent , liquid - solid form bar similar to the cosmetic bar of example 10 was formed , so that the cosmetic bar containing usp aquaphor had the consistency of a bar soap . again the cosmetic bar of the present example was used in a manner similar to the cosmetic bar disclosed in example 11 . the cosmetic bar of the present example resulted in a uniform film on the skin of the user that resulted in a slight , desirable sheen to the skin surface and which provided a protective layer . the same procedure used in example 10 was followed except 40 grams of powdered phospholipid , equal to 80 % by weight of the total composition , were added to the die chamber along with 10 grams of colloidal oatmeal , equal to 20 % by weight of the composition . the resulting phospholipid and oatmeal cosmetic bar was opaque and had the consistency of a bar of soap . the phospholipid and oatmeal bar was used in a similar way as the cosmetic bar disclosed in example 11 . use of the phospholipid and oatmeal bar resulted in the formation of a thin layer on the skin of the user . the phospholipid and oatmeal bar was particularly useful in relieving the discomfort of pruritis . a cosmetic bar similar to the bar discussed in example 10 was prepared , but in place of a portion of phospholipid , 5 grams of lanolin was mixed with 45 grams of powdered phospholipid in a food processor . the 50 gram mixture was compressed as in example 10 . the phospholipid lanolin bar was easily used in the shower , bath or after hand washing , especially when compared to treatment with a product as unctuous as lanolin . the bars last approximately 14 days . a cosmetic bar similar to the bar discussed in example 10 was prepared but in place of a portion of the phospholipid , 32 grams of borage oil ( bioriginal food and science corp ), 0 . 8 grams of green tea extract ( anhui tongling co ), and 1 . 6 grams of tocotrienol complex ( eastman chemical co ), was mixed with 45 . 6 grams of powdered phospholipid in a food processor . the 80 gram mixture was compressed as in example 10 . the resulting phospholipid bar was easily applied in the shower , bath , and after hand washing . this phospholipid bar and the ingredients contained therein was used as a precautionary agent against exposure to ultraviolet b radiation . the skin was soft and moist after use and the bars lasted approximately 14 days . a cosmetic bar similar to that of example 10 was prepared , but in place of a portion of the phospholipid , 9 . 4 grams of evening primrose oil ( now foods ) and 2 . 6 grams of tocotrienol complex was mixed with 111 grams of powdered phospholipid in a food processor . the 123 gram mixture was compressed as in example 10 . the liquid crystal evening primrose oil ( epo ) bar was readily used in the shower or bath after washing and rinsing . the epo bar was used in the treatment of plaque - type psoriasis and was effective in reducing the itching and scratching associated with that ailment . the bars lasted approximately 12 days . a cosmetic bar similar to the bar discussed in example 10 was prepared but in place of a portion of the phospholipid , 3 . 2 grams of green tea extract ( anui tonglai corp ) and 1 . 6 grams of tocotrienol complex ( eastman chemical co ) were mixed with 35 . 2 grams of powdered phospholipid in a food processor . the 40 gram mixture was compressed as in example 10 . the resulting phospholipid bar was easily applied in the shower , bath , and after hand washing . this phospholipid bar and the ingredients contained therein was used to reduce the itching associated with poison ivy . the skin was soft and moist after use and the bars lasted approximately 14 days . a skin bar was made using the following ingredients : 14 . 2 % sodium ascorbate ( basf ), 82 . 8 % lecithin ( riceland 5730 ) and 3 % water . after mixing and compressing at 3500 psi for 4 minutes , the ingredients were cosolubilized . the bar was used to prevent oxidative damage to the skin .
a composition is described for cosmetic and / or pharmaceutical treatment of the outermost layers of the epidermis by topical application to the skin . the preparation comprises a relatively high amount of phospholipids that applies a thin monomolecular layer to the skin , permitting natural hydration . the chemical composition of the phospholipids provides antioxidant protection and natural sun - blocking effects . all natural oils are incorporated into the phospholipid phase . since no synthetic emulsifiers or harsh alcohols are used in the composition , it is non - irritating to the skin . moreover , the cosmetics of the present invention exhibit both good emulsion stability and storage stability while providing a good skin feel .