A quick review of some recent patents awarded to ELC Management (Estée Lauder) during 2016.

ELC Management has been awarded a patent (US Patent No. 9,408,790 B2) for a method for stimulating healing or regenerative properties in the skin, scalp and/or hair. It comprises applying to the skin, scalp and/or hair a cosmetic or dermatological composition that has a near infra-red (NIR) light-emitting material in combination with at least one skin, scalp and/or hair benefit agent in a cosmetically or dermatologically acceptable vehicle, activating the composition by continually exposing the composition to ambient light, daylight, UV light or fluorescent light emitting light source for a period of about 1 minute to about 10 minutes; and retaining the cosmetic or dermatological composition in contact with the skin, scalp and/or hair for a time sufficient to stimulate a healing or a regenerative property in said skin scalp and/or hair. The NIR light-emitting material persistently emits NIR light for at least about 1 hour to about 6 weeks after said activation step.  

US 9,387,161 B2 covers a method for moisturizing a keratin surface and blurring the appearance of defects by de-glossing the keratin surface by topically applying to a keratin surface having defects and in need of moisturization, a copolymer of methacrylate PPG-6 phosphate and one or more monomers of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or one of their simple esters, crosslinked with dimethicone PEG/PPG-25/29 acrylate in a cosmetically acceptable composition, wherein the composition containing the copolymer provides improved moisturization and blurring of skin defects when compared to the same composition not containing the copolymer.
 
US 9,370,471 B2 covers a slurry powder cosmetic formulation in the form of an evaporation residue of a slurry mixture. It is comprised of particulates coated with a pre-mixed binder composition that contains at least one nonpolar oil selected from the group consisting of dimethicone, C_2-30 fatty acid esters, paraffinic hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof; at least one synthetic wax having a melting point of from about 30° C. to about 110° C., and at least one film former selected from the group consisting of trimethylsiloxy silicate, dimethicone silylate and mixtures thereof prior to incorporation into the slurry mixture; a silicone gel composition comprising an organosiloxane elastomer solvated in dimethicone; and an aqueous based composition comprising water. The binder composition comprises 5 to 75% by weight of said final slurry powder cosmetic formulation.
 
US 9,358,194 B2 covers a compound selected from the group consisting of: 3-succinate-5,4′-dihydroxystilbene; 4′-succinate-3,5-dihydroxystilbene; 3,5-disuccinate-4′-hydroxystilbene; 3,4′-disuccinate-5-hydroxystilbene;and  3,5,4′-trisuccinate stilbene.
 
 
US Patent N. 9,351,559 B2 covers a patented a powered skin care device shown here:


 
US 9,333,231 B2 covers a composition for treating periorbital skin. The composition comprises an effective amount of a blend of fermented extracts of an effective amount of Ligusticum chuanxiong root, Paeonia lactiflora root, Rehmannia glutinosa root, and Zizyphus jujube fruit. The blend of fermented extracts is obtained by:
•  blending Ligusticum chuanxiong root, Paeonia lactiflora root, Rehmannia glutinosa root, and Zizyphus jujube fruit to provide a blend of plant parts;
•  fermenting the blend of plant parts with a microorganism, wherein the microorganism is yeast cells, and culturing nutrients; or
•  fermenting the blend of plant parts with microorganisms, wherein said microorganisms are yeast cells, in an aqueous environment in substantial absence of additional nutrients in a low nutrient media to catabolically process the blend of plant parts;
•  monitoring the fermentation of (ii) or (iii) for signs of plateauing biological activity;
• briefly raising the temperature to rupture the yeast cells to release yeast cell contents, or disrupting the yeast cells by sonication; and
•  filtering to remove yeast cell debris and to recover the blend of fermented extracts, wherein the blend of fermented extracts has reduced odor and/or color, wherein the blend of fermented extracts is in the form of a fine powder, and wherein the topical composition further comprises a cosmetically or pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.