A cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition, to be applied topically is described, which has a hydrophilic outer phase, at least one cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical active ingredient and at least one carrier substance for the active ingredient. The carrier substance here forms such structures, which comprises at least two lamellar double membrane layers arranged one over another in the manner of a sandwich, wherein between adjacent double membrane layers, aligned parallel to each other, a layer of an inner phase is respectively arranged. The active ingredient is distributed in the double membrane layer and in the layer of the inner phase such that the layer of the inner phase contains the active ingredient in a concentration range between 2% by weight and 98% by weight and the double membrane layer contains the active ingredient in a concentration between 98% by weight and 2% by weight, respectively in relation to the total concentration of active ingredient, and the outer phase has no or almost no active ingredient.
