Cosmetic composition designed to impart to the skin a coloring which is substantially similar to the pigmentation resulting from natural tanning, characterized in that it contains, in a cosmetically acceptable medium suitable for topical application, at least one compound of the formula: ##STR1## in which R.sub.1 denotes a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a residue --SiR.sub.9 R.sub.10 R.sub.11, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3, which may be identical or different, denote a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, a carboxyl group, a lower alkoxycarbonyl group or a group --COOSiR.sub.9 R.sub.10 R.sub.11 ; R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 which may be identical or different, denote a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl group, a formyl group, a linear or branched C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 acyl group, a linear or branched C.sub.3 -C.sub.20 alkenoyl group, a group R.sub.6 OSO.sub.2 --, a group --SiR.sub.9 R.sub.10 R.sub.11, a group --P(O)(OR.sub.6).sub.2 or an aralkyl group, or alternatively R.sub.4 and R.sub.5, with the oxygen atoms to which they are attached, form a ring optionally containing a carbonyl group when at least one of the groups, R.sub.1, R.sub.2 or R.sub.3 is other than hydrogen or alternatively a thiocarbonyl group, a residue >P(O)OR.sub.6, a group >CR.sub.7 R.sub.8 or a methylene group, R.sub.6 denoting a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, R.sub.7 denoting a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, R.sub.8 denoting a lower alkoxy group or a mono- or dialkylamino group and R.sub.9, R.sub.10 or R.sub.11, which may be identical or different, denoting linear or branched lower alkyl groups, at least one of the substituents R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 being other than hydrogen; and the corresponding salts with alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, ammonium or amines.