An external preparation for the skin which can be easily applied to various cosmetic preparations by being improved in solubility in low-polarity solvents. The external preparation for the skin also has excellent skin whitening effect, antibacterial effect, acne preventing/improving effect and deodorizing effect. The external preparation for the skin is characterized by containing a rhododendrol derivative represented by general formula (1). (In the formula, R1 represents an acyl group having 2-20 carbon atoms, and R2 represents a hydrogen atom or an acyl group having 2-20 carbon atoms.)本發明之目的在於提供一種皮膚外用劑，係藉由提升對低極性溶媒的溶解性，而使對各種化妝料製劑的應用變得容易，美白作用或抗菌作用、痤瘡預防‧改善作用及抗臭作用亦優越。本發明之皮膚外用劑，其含有下述一般式(1)所示之杜鵑醇衍生物。(式中，R1表示碳數2~20之醯基，R2表示氫原子或碳數2~20之醯基。)
