Abstract: A skin external agent characterized in that an extract of a plant of genus Euonymus such as Euonymus alata Sieb., Euonymus japonica Thunb. or Euonymus radicons Sieb. is contained as an essential ingredient in a base in combination with other ingredients to be added to this kind of the skin external agent as required. The skin external agent of this invention is free from any strong side effects on the human body, has excellent activity to improve the performance of a skin through the activation of the skin and hair-root cells, an effect to grow hair, and excellent moisture retention and an excellent effect to beautify the skin.