10.01.18
US Patent No. 10,052,269 B2; Mary Kay Inc., Addison, TX, has patented a method of treating erythemic skin. It entails obtaining an apparatus consisting essentially of a water-permeable absorbent material (sponge, cloth or mesh) which has a first outer surface and a second outer surface and wherein said first outer surface has a greater surface roughness when compared with the surface roughness of the second outer surface; and a plant material, a plant extract, or a combination thereof wherein the plant material, the plant extract, or the combination thereof is stitched, or sealed, or stitched and sealed within the water-permeable absorbent material, and wherein the water-permeable absorbent material is configured to absorb water and allow the absorbed water to contact the plant material, the plant extract, or the combination thereof so as to release, solubilize, or release and solubilize a water-soluble skin-active ingredient from the plant material, from the plant extract, or form the combination thereof and allow the water-soluble skin-active ingredient to be absorbed by the absorbent material. Then, the apparatus in water is heated to 30° -100°C for a sufficient period of time so as to release, solubilize, or release and solubilize the water-soluble skin-active ingredient from the plant material, from the plant extract, or from the combination thereof, and for a sufficient period of time to allow said water-soluble skin-active ingredient to be absorbed by the water-permeable absorbent material; and contacting the erythemic skin with the water-permeable absorbent material having the absorbed water-soluble skin-active ingredient.