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5,609,587, and 5,635,191, the disclosure of each of which has been incorporated herein by reference. 

[0081] Specifically, preferred compositions will have the following melt profile: 

<img src='content_image/931259.jpg'>

[0082] By being solid or semisolid at ambient tempera› tures, preferred compositions containing the proton donating actives do not have a tendency to flow and migrate to a significant degree to undesired locations of the article to which they are applied. This means less skin care compo› sition is required for imparting desirable therapeutic, pro› tective and/or conditioning benefits. 

[0083] To enhance immobility of preferred compositions, the viscosity of the formulated compositions should be as high as possible to prevent flow within the article to undes› ired location. Unfortunately, in some instances, higher vis› cosities may inhibit transfer of composition to the wearer’s skin. Therefore, a balance should be achieved so the vis› cosities are high enough to keep the compositions localized on the surface of the article, but not so high as to impede transfer to the wearer’s skin. Suitable viscosities for the compositions will typically range from about 5 to about 500 centipoise, preferably from about 5 to about 300 centipoise, more preferably from about 5 to about 100 centipoise, measured at 60° C. using a rotational viscometer (a suitable viscometer is available from Lab Line Instrments, Inc. of Melrose Park, IL as Model 4537). The viscometer is oper› ated at 60 rpm using a number 2 spindle. 

[0084] For skin care compositions designed to provide a therapeutic and/or skin protective benefit in addition to the benefit derived from the proton donating active(s), a useful active ingredient in these compositions is one or more skin protectants or emollients. As used herein, the term an "emollient" is a material that protects against wetness or irritation, softens, soothes, supples, coats, lubricates, mois› turizes, protects and/or cleanses the skin. (It will be recog› nized that several of the monographed actives listed above are "emollients", as that term is used herein.) In a preferred embodiment, such emollients will have a plastic or a liquid consistency at ambient temperatures, i.e., about 20-25° C. 

[0085] Representative emollients useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to, emollients that are petroleum-based; sucrose esters of fatty acids; polyethylene glycol and derivatives thereof; humectants; fatty acid ester type; alkyl ethoxylate type; fatty acid ester ethoxylates; fatty alcohol type; polysiloxane type; propylene glycol and derivatives thereof; glycerin and derivatives thereof, includ› ing glyceride, acetoglycerides, and ethoxylated glycerides of C$_{12}$-C$_{28 }$ fatty acids; triethylene glycol and derivatives thereof; spermaceti or other waxes; fatty acids or fatty alcohol ethers, particularly those having from 12 to 28 carbon atoms in their fatty chain, such as stearic acid and 

methyl stearyl ether; propoxylated fatty alcohols; other fatty esters of polyhydroxy alcohols; lanolin and its derivatives; kaolin and its derivatives; any of the monographed skin care agents listed above; or mixtures of these emollients. Suitable petroleum-based emollients include those hydrocarbons, or mixtures of hydrocarbons, having chain lengths of from 16 to 32 carbon atoms. Petroleum based hydrocarbons having these chain lengths include mineral oil (also known as "liquid petrolatum") and petrolatum (also known as "min› eral wax,""petroleum jelly" and "mineral jelly"). Mineral oil usually refers to less viscous mixtures of. Petrolatum usually refers to more viscous mixtures of hydrocarbons. Petrolatum and mineral oil are particularly preferred emollients for compositions of the present invention. 

[0086] Suitable fatty acid ester type emollients include those derived from C$_{12}$-C$_{28 }$ fatty acids, preferably C$_{1}$ cC$_{22 }$ saturated fatty acids, and short chain ( C$_{1 }$-C$_{8}$ , preferably C$_{1 }$-C$_{3}$ ) monohydric alcohols. Representative examples of such esters include methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, iso› propyl laurate, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, ethylhexyl palmitate and mixtures thereof. Suitable fatty acid ester emollients can also be derived from esters of longer chain fatty alcohols (C$_{12}$-C$_{28}$, preferably C$_{12}$-C$_{16}$ ) and shorter chain fatty acids e.g., lactic acid, such as lauryl lactate and cetyl lactate. 

[0087] Suitable fatty ester type emollients also include polyolpolyesters as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,587, issued to Roe on Mar. 11, 1997, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Exemplary polyols include, but are not limited to, polyhydric compounds such as pentaerythritol; sugars such as raffinose, maltodextrose, galactose, sucrose, glucose, xylose, fructose, maltose, lac› tose, mannose and erythrose; and sugar alcohols such as erythritol, xylitol, malitol, mannitol and sorbitol. Such poly› ols are esterified with fatty acids and/or other organic radicals having at least two carbon atoms and up to 30 carbon atoms. While it is not necessary that all of the hydroxyl groups of the polyol be esterified, preferred poly› olpolyester emollients of the present invention have sub› stantially all ( e.g. at least about 85%) of the hydroxyl groups esterified. Particularly preferred are sucrose polyolpolyes› ters such as sucrose polycottonate, sucrose polysoyate, and sucrose polybehenate. Mixtures of such polyolpolyesters are also suitable emollients for the present invention. 

[0088] Suitable alkyl ethoxylate type emollients include C -C$_{22 }$fatty alcohol ethoxylates having an average degree ol’ethoxylation of from about 2 to about 30. Preferably, the fatty alcohol ethoxylate emollient is selected from the group consisting of lauryl, cetyl, and stearyl ethoxylates, and mixtures thereof, having an average degree of ethoxylation ranging from about 2 to about 23. Representative examples of such alkyl ethoxylates include laureth-3 ( a lauryl ethoxy› late having an average degree of ethoxylation of 3), laureth- 23 (a lauryl ethoxylate having an average degree of ethoxy› lation of 23), ceteth-10 (a cetyl alcohol ethoxylate having an average degree of ethoxylation of 10) and steareth-10 (a stearyl alcohol ethoxylate having an average degree of ethoxylation of 10). When employed, these alkyl ethoxylate emollients are typically used in combination with the petro› leum-based emollients, such as petrolatum, at a weight ratio of alkyl ethoxylate emollient to petroleum-based emollient of from about 1:1 to about 1:5, preferably from about 1:2 to about 1:4. 

