A hair growth inhibitor contains, as an active ingredient, at least one herb selected from the group consisting of phellodendron bark, houttuynia, rice bran, mulberry tree bark, Japanese coptis, thyme, peach seed, nettle, calendula, wild rose and balm mint or the extract thereof and various skin external application compositions such as cosmetic compositions to be used on the outer skin is prepared by mixing these active ingredients with other aqueous phase ingredients and oil phase ingredients according to conventional-methods.