PURPOSE: To obtain an active oxygen scavenger containing an extract of a specific crude drug, exhibiting excellent characteristics comprising at least one of the singlet oxygen scavenging potency, the hydroxy radical scavenging potency and the hydrogen peroxide scavenging potency and giving a skin preparation for external use having excellent preventing effect on the aging of skin and beautifying the skin by using the agent as a component.

CONSTITUTION: This active oxygen scavenger contains one or more substances selected from SANPENZU (whole grass of Cassia nomame(Sieb)Honda), GOKAHI (bark of Periplosa sepium), JIKOPPI (root of Lycium barbarum L.), SHOUGUNBOKUHI (leaf of Mallotus japonicus(Thumb)Muell. Arg., SOUBOKUHI (bark of Aralia elate(Mig.) Seem) INCHInKOU (whole grass of Artemisia capillaris), YASHAJITSU (fruits of Alnus siebold boldiana Matsum. and Alnus firma sieb. el Zucc.), KAIKA (flower of Sophora japonica), YAKOUTOU (stem and root of Polygonummultiflorum thumb.), KAITOUHI (bark of Erythrina variegata L. var. orientalis), KETSUMEISHI (seed of Cassia tora), BOUI (root of Menispermum dauricum DC.), SENSOU (root of Rubic argyi(Lev. et Vant.) Hara et Lauener), KUMAYANAGI (whole grass of Berchemia race mosa Sief. et Zucc.), HIKAI (root of Dioscoree tokoro Makino), SEKISHOBU (rhizome of Acorus gramineus), OUSEI (rhizome of Polygonatum sibiricum), KIN-OUSHI (fruit of Rosa laevigata Michx), AND ICHIIYOU (leaf of Taxus cuspidata Sieb. et Zucc.). The skin preparation for external use is prepared by using the scavenger as a component.