The invention relates to an external preparation for the skin, characterized by containing an alkylene polyglycol dineopentanoate having a specific structure, and aims at providing an external preparation for the skin which exhibits feelings of nongreasiness in use and contains an oil little irritant to the skin and excellent in safety. Specifically, the external preparation contains diethylene glycol dineopentanoate, triethylene glycol dineopentanoate, tetraethylene glycol dineopentanoate, dipropylene glycol dineopentanoate, tripropylene glycol dineopentanoate, or the like. In particular, the use of dipropylene glycol dineopentanoate or tripropylene glycol dineopentanoate is preferable from the standpoint of feelings in use and gives external preparations for the skin excellent in absorption in the skin, penetration into the skin, and safety.
