The present invention provides an oil-in-water external skin preparation having thread-forming property and an excellent time-dependent stability of the thread-forming property, penetrating well into skin, providing richness and no stickiness when the applied preparation gets dry. The oil-in-water external skin preparation includes (a) 0.01 to 3.0% by mass of polyacrylic acid or metal salt thereof, (b) 0.01 to 1.0% by mass of alkyl-modified carboxyvinyl polymer, (c) 1.0 to 10.0% by mass of polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of 1000 or more to 50000 or less of, and (d) 0.5 to 20.0% by mass of oil.
