The present invention provides an water-in-oil sunscreen cosmetic in which an unpleasant odor specific to zinc oxide can be suppressed by using hydrophobized silica-coated microparticle of zinc oxide, coarseness due to the hydrophobized silica-coated microparticle of zinc oxide can be suppressed and smoothly and well spreadable excellent texture are brought in reality by formulating a combination of the hydrophobized silica-coated microparticle of zinc oxide and a predetermined amount of volatile hydrocarbon oil and volatile dimethicone. The water-in-oil emulsion sunscreen cosmetic of the present invention comprises (a) a hydrophobized silica-coated microparticle of zinc oxide, (b) a volatile hydrocarbon oil, and (c) a volatile dimethicone, wherein the total amount of (b) the volatile hydrocarbon oil and (c) the volatile dimethicone is in the range of 3 to 45% by mass on the basis of the total amount of the sunscreen cosmetic.本發明提供一種油中水型乳化防曬化妝品，其具有較高之紫外線防禦力且不散發防曬化妝品特有之不良氣味，塗抹時順滑且延展性良好，不會感覺到乾燥，進而於塗抹後不會產生黏膩感。本發明之油中水型乳化防曬化妝品之特徵在於：含有(a)經疏水化處理之二氧化矽被覆微粒子氧化鋅、(b)揮發性烴油分、及(c)揮發性二甲基聚矽氧烷，且(b)揮發性烴油分及(c)揮發性二甲基聚矽氧烷之總量相對於防曬化妝品之總量為3~45質量%。尤佳為進而含有半固形油分、及該半固形油分之調配量相對於防曬化妝品之總量為0.1~3質量%。
