A polyoxyethylene sorbitol fatty acid ester produced by reacting polyoxyethylene sorbitol having ethylene oxide units added in an amount of 20 to 100 moles on average per mole of sorbitol with a saturated fatty acid having 20 to 40 carbon atoms at a molar ratio of 1:2.5 to 1:5.5 and then esterifying the resulting product until the acid value reaches 10 mgKOH/g or less a wax-dispersing agent for a cosmetic or an aqueous phase, which comprises the ester a solid wax composition comprising the ester and a wax an aqueous wax dispersion comprising the ester, a wax and water, wherein the content of the wax is 0.1 to 60 mass% and the content of the ester is 0.01 part by mass or more relative to 1 part by mass of the wax and a cosmetic and a wax preparation each comprising the dispersion.
