A substance, which is in principle insoluble in a cosmetic or dermatological anhydrous preparation is converted into a powdery product by absorption onto a carrier, the powdery product being soluble in the preparation. The anhydrous preparations comprise one or more hydrophilic substances or substance mixtures which are liquid, pasty at room temperature and/or meltable up to a temperature of 150° C. and which are absorbed on one or more particulate carriers. The hydrophilic substance or substance mixture in itself is insoluble or sparingly soluble in the preparation and the carriers are characterized by a particle size ranging from 5 nm to 2 mm, a tamped density of between 50 kg/m3 and 1400 kg/m3 and a spherical, fibrous, flocculated and/or sponge-like particulate form.