PURPOSE: To obtain a skin external agent highly improved in the stability of the α-tocopheryl retinoate therein, formulated with an α-tocopheryl retinoate and specific hydroquinone glycoside (s).

CONSTITUTION: This skin external agent contains pref. 0.0001-10 (esp. 0.01-2.0)wt.% of an α-tocopheryl retinoate useful for preventing or treating keratosis, etc., and preventing or remedying skin aging and pref. 0.001-10wt.% of at least one kind of hydroquinone glycoside of the formula (R is a pentose residue, amino sugar residue, uronic acid residue, or methylated product thereof). The most pref. hydroquinone glycoside is hydroquinone-β-D-glucose (common name: arbutin). The most pref. α-tocopheryl retinoate is the ester of DL-α- tocopherol and all-trans-retinoic acid.