A method for adjusting hardness of a stick-shaped base material including a lipid peptide compound. A method for adjusting hardness of a gelled solid base material for skin external application including a surfactant, water, and lipid peptide compound including compounds of formulae (1) or similar,wherein R1 is a C9-23 aliphatic group, R2 is a hydrogen atom or similar, and R3 is a —(CH2)n-X group, n is a number from 1 to 4, and X is amino group, the method including adding a pH adjuster to a solution in which the material is dissolved, or a solution including a surfactant, water, and lipid peptide compound including at least one of compounds of formulae (1) to (3) or pharmaceutically usable salts thereof, to adjust the pH of the solution to a weak acidic to neutral range, causing gelation of the solution to form a solid base material for skin external application.
