An external preparation characterized by comprising, as selected from gallic acid derivatives of the following formula (I), ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an ammonium salt, or an alkyl or alkenyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms and R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, a polyoxyethylene group, a polyoxypropylene group, or a residue of a monosaccharide, a disaccharide, or an oligosaccharide; 90 wt % or over of one or more gallic acid derivatives (A) wherein two of R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 in the formula (I) independently represent a residue of a monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide and from 0.001 wt % to less than 10 wt % of one or more gallic acid derivatives (B) wherein one of R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 represents a residue of a monosaccharide, disaccharide, or oligosaccharide, each based on the total content of the gallic acid derivatives.