To provide a moisture-absorbent humectant pigment which can give cosmetics providing the skin with fresh and youthful feeling and having excellent moisture-absorbent humectant properties without using collagen and to provide a process for producing the same.

This pigment has its surface coated with soybean protein extracted from soybeans and is produced by dissolving soybean protein in an aq. high-pH alkali soln., dispersing a pigment powder in the resultant soln. under stirring, slowly adding a dil. hydrochloric acid soln. dropwise thereto under stirring until a predetermined low pH is obtd. to precipitate the protein on the surface of the powder, separating the protein-coated powder by filtration, washing it with water, and drying and grinding it.