Aqueous oil emulsions suitable as bases for hair dressings, skin creams including antimicrobial creams, and other facial cosmetic preparation comprise as emulsifying agents a hydrophilic carboxyvinyl polymer and a polyonyalkylene ester of a mixture of C8-C18 fatty acids comprising 40-60% lauric, 10-20% myristic and 20-40% other acids.  The alkylene groups contain 2-4 carbon atoms.  The oil may be a paraffin oil, petrolatum or petroleum oil, preferably having 12-30 C-atoms, and triglyceride oils having C10-C18 alkyl radicals.  The carboxyvinyl polymer preferably contains salt groups produced by at least partial neutralization with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hydroxide or amine base.  Specified polymers are interpolymers of acrylic acid and a polyvinyl, polycrotyl or polyalkyl polyether of a polyhydric alcohol e.g. sucrose: specified amine bases are mono-, di- and tri-amines having 1-20 C-atoms in the alkyl groups and alkylolamines having 1-12 C-atoms in the alkyl group e.g. hexyl-, lauryl- and stearyl-amines and methanolamines, ethanolamines and propanolamines.  Specified polyoxyalkylene esters have a m.w. of 200-800 and are based on polyoxyethylene, polyoxypropylene and polyoxybutylene and coconut and/or palm oil fatty acids.  In addition other emulsifiers may be used, e.g. anionic emulsifiers (sodium, potassium and ethanolamine soaps), nonionic emulsifiers (fatty acid esters and ethers of polyhydric alcohols e.g. esters and ethers of polyethylene p  glycols and modified sugars, substituted fatty acid amides and alkylolamides), surface active compounds in combination with long chain fatty materials (e.g. cetyl alcohol or cholesterol with sodium cetyl sulphate) and blends such as glyceryl and glycol esters with water soluble surface active agents e.g. glyceryl monostearate and potassium stearate, and soap plus free fatty acid. Other emulsifiers include polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate or monostearate, polyoxyethylene esters of resin acids, polyoxyethylene cetyl ether polyoxyethylene lanolin derivatives.  Less viscous emulsions may be pressurized with a propellant e.g. the Freons (Registered Trade Mark) or nitrogen.  The Examples describe emulsions suitable as hair dressings which further comprise humectants (propylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol) antimicrobial substances (hexachlorophene), lanolin and perfumes. Preservatives (p-hydroxy benzoates), polyglycols and carbowaxes (Registered Trade Mark) may also be added.ALSO:Aqueous oil emulsions comprise as emulsifying agents a hydrophilic carboxyvinyl polymer and a polyoxyalkylene ester of a mixture of C8-C18 fatty acids comprising 40-60% lauric, 10-20% myristic and 20-40% other acids.  The alkylene groups contain 2-4 carbon atoms.  The oil may be a paraffin oil, petrolatum or petroleum oil, preferably having 12-30 C-atoms, and triglyceride oils having C10-C18 alkyl radicals.  The carboxyvinyl polymer preferably contains salt groups produced by at least partial neutralization with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hydroxide or amine base. Specified polymers are interpolymers of acrylic acid and a polyvinyl, polycrotyl or polyalkyl polyether of a polyhydric alcohol e.g. sucrose: specified amine bases are mono-, di- and triamines having 1-20 C-atoms in the alkyl groups and alkylolamines having 1-12 C-atoms in the alkyl group e.g. hexyl-, lauryl- and stearyl-amines and methanolamines, ethanolamines and propanolamines.  Specified polyoxyalkylene esters have a m.w. of 200-800 and are based on polyoxyethylene, polyoxypropylene and polyoxybutylene and coconut and/or palm oil fatty acids.  In addition other emulsifiers may be used, e.g. anionic emulsifiers (sodium, potassium and ethanolamine soaps), nonionic emulsifiers (fatty acid esters and ethers of polyhydric alcohols e.g. esters and ethers of polyethylene glycols and modified sugars, substituted fatty acid amides and alkylolamides), surface active compounds in combination with long chain fatty materials (e.g. cetyl alcohol or cholesterol with sodium cetyl sulphate) and blends such as glyceryl and glycol esters with water-soluble surface active agents e.g. glyceryl monostearate and potassium stearate, and soap plus free fatty acid.  Other emulsifiers include polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate or monostearate, polyoxyethylene esters of resin acids, polyoxethylene cetyl ether, polyoxyethylene lanolin derivatives.  Less viscous emulsions may be pressurized with a propellant e.g. the "Freons" (Registered Trade Mark) or nitrogen.  The Examples describe emulsions suitable as hair dressings which further comprise humectants (propylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol) antimicrobial substances (hexachlorophene), lanolin and perfumes. Preservatives (p-hydroxy benzoates), polyglycols and "Carbowaxes" (Registered Trade Mark) may also be added.