Cosmetic composition

A method of preparing a polyol glyceryl ether represented by formula (2') ##STR43## wherein G, A, B, x and y have the following meanings:

• G is a trimethylolalkane residual group represented by formula (3a) or a pentaerythritol residual group represented by formula (3b):
• ##STR44## wherein n is an integer of 0-4, or a residual group obtained by removing hydrogen atoms from all the hydroxyl groups of a polyol having four or more hydroxyl groups, excepting sucrose, fructofuranose, fructopyranose and glucopyranose;
• each A is independently an alkylene group having 2-4 carbon atoms;
• each B is independently a hydrogen atom or --CH.sub.2 CH(OH)CH.sub.2 OR.sup.4' and/or ##STR45## wherein R.sup.4' is a branched alkyl group having 16-36 carbon atoms, provided that at least one of said B groups is --CH.sub.2 CH(OH)CH.sub.2 OR.sup.4' and/or ##STR46## x is a number of 0-10 obtained by dividing, by y, the total mol number of added alkylene oxide to the hydroxyl groups of the trimethylolalkane or polyol;
• y is the number of hydroxyl groups of the trimethylolalkane or polyol;
• said method comprising reacting a trimethylolalkane, a polyol having four or more hydroxyl groups, excepting sucrose, fructofuranose, fructopyranose, polyglycerol and glucopyranose, or a compound thereof represented by formula (9):
• ##STR47## wherein G, A, x and y have the aforementioned meanings, and a glycidyl branched alkyl ether represented by formula (10):
• ##STR48## wherein R.sup.4' is a branched alkyl group having 16-36 carbon atoms, in the presence of a basic catalyst.