A composition for external use on skin that can be spread evenly on the skin, does not produce a liquid residue as a result of temperature change, and can suppress a feeling of sliminess of xanthan gum is provided. That is, there are provided a composition for external use on skin containing 0.1 % by mass to 10% by mass of a component (A) (a water-soluble polymer obtained by mixing agar having a weight average molecular weight of 10000 to 60000 with xanthan gum at a ratio of 4:6 to 8:2 in terms of a mass ratio) and 30% by mass or more of a component (D) (water); the composition for external use on skin containing 0.5% by mass to 40% by mass of a divalent polyol as a component (B); the composition for external use on skin according to any one of the above compositions, which contains one or more kinds of moisturizers selected from hyaluronic acid or salts thereof, pyrrolidone carboxylate or salts thereof, glycerin, diglycerin, and polyglycerin, as a component (C); and the composition for external use on skin according to any one of the above compositions, which contains oil as a component (E).