Cationic polyurethanes and polyureas formed from

(a) at least one diisocyanate or reaction product thereof with one or more compounds containing two or more active hydrogen atoms per molecule, and

(b) at least one diol, primary or secondary amino alcohol, primary or secondary diamine or primary or secondary triamine each with one or more tertiary, quaternary or protonated tertiary amine nitrogen atoms

and having a glass transition temperature of at least 25 C. and an amine number of from 50 to 200, based on the non-quaternized or -protonated compounds, or other salts of these polyurethanes and polyureas, are useful as ingredients of cosmetic and pharmaceutical preparations.