Film-forming carboxy-containing resin and a polyvalent metal salt in a hair spray and a method of using the same

Claim 1

A hair setting resin composition comprising an alcoholic medium containing substantially uniformally dispersed therein an amount sufficient to form a hair retaining film of a film-forming resin selected from the group consisting of (1) a copolymer of a vinyl alkyl ether and a C 1 -C 5 alkyl half-ester of maleic anhydride, (2) a C 2 -C 6 alkene/maleic anhydride half-C 1 -C 5 alkyl ester copolymer, and (3) a copolymer of a vinyl ester and acrylic acid or an alpha or beta-substituted acrylic acid wherein said substituent is hydrogen or a single C 1 -C 3 alkyl, and a polyvalent metal C 5 -C 20 alkyl carboxylic acid salt capable of forming a stable, non-toxic, clear, glossy film with said resin; the anhydride or acid being used in an amount sufficient to form said resin to contain at least 5 percent by weight of free carboxylic acid groups therein; the amount of salt being sufficient to contain a stoichiometric ratio of metal to free polymeric carboxyl group of from about 1 to 10 to less than 1 to 1; the resultant pH of the composition being between about 3.5 and 7.5.