Abstract: An aqueous liquid cleansing and moisturising composition comprising a surface active agent and a benefit agent in which the surface active agent and benefit agent are separate but combinedly dispensable from a single packaging means in a predetermined ratio as discrete domains. Separating the benefit agent from the surface active agent results in improved deposition of the benefit agent.

Abstract: Formation of soap bars comprising fatty isethionate esters and fatty acid can be achieved without an energetic mixing step by forming an isotropic solution of the fatty isethionate ester, fatty acid and water.

Abstract: A translucent detergent bar is provided containing with respect to the total weight of the bar 25 to 34 wt % soap, 5 to 15 wt % alcohol, 15 to 30 wt % sugar and/or cyclic polyol, and 15 to 30 wt % water, the soap comprising a soap mixture consisting of 18 to 26 wt % soluble soaps and 8 to 16 wt % insoluble soaps calculated with respect to the total weight of the bar. The bar has good user properties and yet can be a low cost bar due to its relatively low soap content.

Abstract: Translucent detergent bar contains 30 to 45 wt % soap, 5 to 15 wt % monohydric alcohol and 5 to 15 wt % dihydric alcohol whose molecule contains at least one alkylene group with at least three carbon atoms and water. Optional ingredients include up to 10 wt % non-soap detergent and polyhydric alcohols, sugars and polyalkylene glycols. The combination of monohydric and dihydric alcohols promotes translucency while avoiding disadvantages observed with either of them alone. The bars can be made by forming a melt of the component ingredients, casting the melt into molds and allowing it to set.

Abstract: An optical amplifier particularly for use in a high data-rate fibre-optics communication link utilizing a body of a dielectric substance transparent to signal light of a given band of wavelengths and transparent also to pumping light of a different band of wavelengths, a smooth continuous surface along the length of the body having as amplifying component a layer of laser material adhered contiguous to the surface. Both signal light and pumping light are introduced into an end face of the body, which may be a passive dielectric fibre core such as glass, or a passive dielectric slab with parallel side walls, utilising mode order converting holograms. By the phenomenon of penetration by light of both frequencies within a thin layer of the adhered material as the light beams undergo multiple total internal reflections at the interface between the body and the laser material, atoms of active material, e.g. Nd.sup..sup.