This invention provides a sterol-modified silicone compound which is low melting, hydrophilic and very suitable for emulsifying, represented by the general formula R<1>aR<2>bSiO(4-a-b)/2, and having a melting point of 40 DEG C or less, and provides a cosmetic material containing this silicone compound having excellent stability and moisture retention properties. R<1> in the general formula is a monofunctional alkyl group, aryl group, aralkyl group or fluorine-substituted alkyl group having 1-10 identical or different carbon atoms, which does not contain an aliphatic unsaturated bond, and R<2> is an organic group represented by the general formula -(CpH2p O(CqH2qO)r-X, where X is a monofunctional residue excepting the hydroxyl group of sterol, a and b are integers satisfying the relations 1.0&lea&le2.5, 0.001&leb&le1.0, and 1.5&lea+b&le2.6, respectively, p is an integer in the range 2-6, q is an integer in the range 2-4, and r is an integer in the range 3-200.
