PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hair cosmetic capable of promoting the cholesterol synthesis by epidermal cells, and improving barrier functions and moisture- retaining functions of the skin by applying the cosmetic on the skin, and also capable of promoting the cholesterol synthesis by hair-mother cells themselves by directly acting on the hair-mother cells by applying the cosmetic to the scalp and the hair, and thereby capable of preventing the damage of the hair, imparting flexibility, moist feeling, smoothness, luster, tenseness and stiffness, and improving the hair quality by the presence of the synthesized cholesterol in the cell membrane complex of hair. SOLUTION: The hair cosmetic, the cholesterol synthesis promoter and the hair quality improver contain one or more kinds selected from plants of the genus Ruscus, plants of the genus Platycodon, Nasturtium officinale R.Br., kiwi, Astregalussinicus L., aloe, asiasarum, Oryza sativa L., Gentiana lutea L., Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch., Pueraria lobata Ohwi, Lonicera japonica Thunb., Citrus paradisi Macf., Prunus persica, Sasa veitchii (Carr.) Rehd., apricot and a rose fruit, or an extract thereof.
