Abstract: A process which may be continuous is provided for manufacture of personal care product compositions. The process involves feeding a first water phase which is a concentrate containing most if not all water soluble ingredients of the composition into a blending tube. A second phase which can be oily or aqueous and a third water phase, the latter being essentially pure water, are also fed into the blending tube. All of the phases are transported through the tube at a flow rate of about 5 to about 5,000 lbs./minute and at a pressure of about 10 to about 5,000 psi. Preferably the tube leads into a homogenizer such as a sonolator.

Abstract: A process is provided for manufacture of a personal care composition. Steps include separately feeding a first phase and optionally a second phase into a blending tube, each of the phases moving through the tube at a rate of at least about 5 pounds per minute. Mixing occurs in a homogenizer, in particular a sonic agitator. Thereafter, a late variant addition phase which may include a fragrance, colorant and/or promotional ingredient is fed into the homogenized first phase. The combination is then conveyed to a static mixer for completion blending.

Abstract: A process which may be continuous is provided for manufacture of personal care product compositions. The process involves feeding a first water phase which is a concentrate containing most if not all water soluble ingredients of the composition into a blending tube. A second phase which can be oily or aqueous and a third water phase, the latter being essentially pure water, are also fed into the blending tube. All of the phases are transported through the tube at a flow rate of about 5 to about 5,000 Lbs./minute and at a pressure of about 10 to about 5,000 psi. Preferably the tube leads into a homogenizer such as a sonolator.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for providing a customized, personal care product to a consumer at a location, typically the point of sale, that is remote from a second location in which a personal care product base composition is prepared. A selection of customizing agents of different classes with a common vehicle is made available to the consumer for custom formulation of a personal care product with the desired attributes. The apparatus typically includes a plurality of product base dispensers, a plurality of fragrance dispensers, and a plurality of customizing agent dispensers that may contain benefit agents, botanical extracts, active ingredients for skin and hair, and the like. A blank vehicle is substituted if insufficient customizing agents are selected. Efficient mixing mechanisms are also described.

Abstract: The method disclosed is one wherein n pumps and n relative solenoid valves operated by a single microprocessor-controlled stepping motor dispense one or more of n colouring agents into a paint/varnish medium. The quantity dispensed is either a proper or improper fraction of an integer of 1/m of the volumetric unit of measure (fluid oz) and is defined p, a nominal value reflecting the number of half-steps indexed by the motor which is corrected proportionally by comparison of the effective and the nominal weight of a droplet downstream of the pump and upstream of the solenoid valve in order to produce an effective number of half-steps x. A similar correction is made to the number R of half steps which correspond to the delay occasioned by operation of the solenoid valve, comparing the effective and nominal weights of the droplet downstream of the valve; the speed of the motor is corrected to compensate for system resistances.

Abstract: A process is provided for preparing a silicone elastomer composition for cosmetic products which includes the steps of feeding the silicone elastomer composition comprising a silicone rubber in a carrier fluid into a reactor, mixing the composition in the reactor, delivering the composition from the reactor into a high pressure pump, pumping the fluid into a device for reducing particles of rubber into smaller sizes and recirculating the resultant size reduced particles back to the reactor. The device for reducing particle size is preferably a high pressure fed homogenizer, most advantageously a sonolator.