Copolymers of n-vinyl pyrrolidone and a vinylic, allylic or methallylic ester of a cyclic .alpha.- or .beta.- carboxylic acid; and cosmetic compositions containing the same

A cosmetic composition in the form of hair setting lotions, aerosol lacquers, rinses or shampoos for treating the hair comprising in a cosmetic vehicle an effective amount of at least one copolymer consisting of units of the formula ##STR9## wherein R' represents hydrogen or methyl,

• m is 1 or 2
• t is 1 or 2,
• when t=1, Cyc represents
• (i) a radical of the formula ##STR10## (ii) a radical of the formula ##STR11## wherein R.sub.1 represents hydrogen or methyl, and p is 1 or 2, (iii) a radical of the formula ##STR12## wherein R.sub.2 represents hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, tert. butyl, ethoxy, butoxy or dodecoxy, and R.sub.3 represents hydrogen, alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms or alkoxy having 1-4 carbon atoms, or
• (iv) a radical of the formula ##STR13## and when t=2, Cyc represents a radical of the formula ##STR14## wherein R'.sub.2 and R'.sub.3 have the same meanings as those for R.sub.2 and R.sub.3, respectively,
• M is a unit derived from a monomer selected from the group consisting of
• (i') a monomer having the formula ##STR15## wherein n is 1 or 2, R.sub.4 represents hydrogen or methyl and R.sub.5 represents linear or branched alkyl having 1-21 carbon atoms,
• (ii') a monomer having the formula CH.sub.2 .dbd.CH--OR.sub.6 wherein R.sub.6 is linear or branched alkyl having 6-18 carbon atoms, and
• (iii') a monomer having the formula CH.sub.2 .dbd.CH--(CH.sub.2).sub.s --CH.sub.3, wherein s is a whole number from 3 to 15,
• x represents from 20 to 90 weight percent,
• y represents from 10 to 80 weight percent, and
• z represents from 0 to 70 weight percent, with the proviso that the total sum of non-homopolymerizable monomers does not exceed 50 mole percent of the total monomers in said copolymer.