An object of the present invention is to provide a means of appropriately evaluating a skin conditioning-ameliorating agent for ameliorating bad skin conditions or preventing the skin conditions from getting worse and a composition for topical application to skin containing the above agent. The invention provides a method for evaluating a skin conditioning-ameliorating agent or a composition for topical application to skin containing the same using an animal having at least one skin portion with bad conditions, which comprises applying to the skin portion the skin conditioning-ameliorating agent or the composition for topical application to skin containing the agent and evaluating the agent or the composition using as an index changes of the degree of order of dermis collagen fiber bundle at the skin portion before and after application.