A cholesteric liquid crystal composition includes a) a cholesteric liquid crystal compound or a cholesteric liquid crystal precursor; and b) a compound of formula (I), formula (II) or formula (III): R—R1—R2R3R4nR5—R6  (I) R—R7—R2R3R4nR5—R8  (II) R9R4R3mR2—R10—R)2  (III) where, n is 1, 2, 3, or 4; m is 1, 2, or 3; R is an acrylate, methacrylate, acrylamide, isocyanate, epoxy, or silane; R1 is a (C3-C8) alkylene, (C3-C8) alkenylene, or (C3-C8) alkylyne; R2 is a bond, —O—, —C(O)O—, —O(O)C—, —OC(O)O—, —C(O)N—, —CH═N—, —N═CH—, or —NC(O)—; R3 is a cycloalkylene, cycloalkenylene, heterocyclylene, arylene, or hetroarylene; R4 is a bond, (C1-C8) alkylene, (C2-C8) alkenylene, (C2-C8) alkylyne, carbonyl, —O—, —C(O)O—, —O(O)C—, —OC(O)O—, —C(O)N—, —CH═N—, —N═CH—, or —NC(O)—; R5 is a bond, cycloalkylene, cycloalkenylene, hetrocyclylene, arylene, or hetroarylene; R6 is hydrogen, cyano, halo, (C1-C8) alkoxy, (C1-C8) alkyl, nitro, amino, carboxy, mercapto, (C1-C4)thioalkyl, COCH3, CF3, OCF3, or SCF3; R7 is a (C1-C2) alkylene, (C2) alkenylene, or (C2) alkylyne; R8 is is hydrogen, halo, (C1-C8) alkoxy, (C1-C8) alkyl, nitro, amino, carboxy, mercapto, (C1-C4)thioalkyl, COCH3, CF3, OCF3, or SCF3; R9 is a cycloalkylene, cycloalkenylene, heterocyclylene, arylene, or hetroarylene; and R10 is a (C1-C8) alkylene, (C2-C8) alkenylene, or (C2-C8) alkylyne.