SKIN EXTERNAL AGENT

PURPOSE:To provide a skin external agent enhancing the moisture retentivity of horny layer and exhibiting an excellent effect on improving and preventing skin irritations. CONSTITUTION:A skin external agent having the above effects contains (A) at least one of the compounds of formula I and II (R , R are 8-26C linear or branched saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon groups which may be substituted with one or more OH groups; R , R are linear or branched chain saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group; R has 10-26 carbon atoms and R has 9-25 carbon atoms), e.g. N-(2-hydroxy-3-hexadecyloxypropyl)-N-2- hydroxyethylhexadecanamide and (B) one or more kinds of the compounds of formula III [R is (CH2)n, group of formula IV; n is an integer of 2-10; R is 3-18C linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl; R is the residue (excluding the proton of the hydroxyl group) of a cholesterol compound] as essential components preferably in an A:B weight ratio of 95:5 to 5:95.