Milky toners are incredibly popular right now in the skincare world and for good reason. They are an easy way to add hydration and barrier support into your skincare routine at relatively low price points. I started using milky toners more than a year ago and have tried a handful of different formulas in order to give my thoughts for those looking to add one into their routine.
While the name “toner” makes you think of an old school tonic that you pour onto a cotton pad and swipe over the face, I have found it best to use milky toners as essences in my routine by pouring them into my hand and patting into the skin. I apply them after I have cleansed and toned but BEFORE I apply my serums and moisturizers. There are exceptions here and there but for the most part, I have found them to be most impactful in my skincare routine at this step. I have tested five different milky toners and wanted to share my thoughts on each and which skin types would be best for each formula.
Which Milky Toner is Best For You?
TirTir Milk Skin Toner
TirTir is one of my favorite Korean beauty brands and this was the first skincare product from them that I tried. I fell in love with the formula and have repurchased it multiple times since. It’s a very ligthweight milky toner that has a watery consistency. Formulated with niacinamide, rice bran extract and ceramides, the TirTir Milk Skin Toner delivers intense hydration while also comforting and soothing the skin. The addition of panthenol helps make it suitable for sensitive skin and especially great for those with very dry and reactive skin. Like with all the milky toners that I have, I prefer to pour a small bit into my hands and pat it into the skin. This does leave a slightly tacky finish on the skin which I like since my skin is more dry and mature, but this is a lighter version for those who don’t prefer that feeling.
Best for: Dry, mature and/or sensitive skin.
TirTir Milk Skin Toner Light
The TirTir Milk Skin Toner light is a lighter weight version of the original TirTir Milk Skin Toner. It still delivers intense hydration and soothes the skin but absorbs almost instantly and doesn’t leave any tacky feeling on the skin. There is a higher percentage of niacinamide in this formula which provides skin-balancing benefits in addition to helping control excess oil and sebum. As with the original Milk Skin Toner, the light version helps to soothe and calm while still being suitable for sensitive skin types. I enjoyed this but found it not rich enough for my dry skin though it is a welcome addition to my skincare routine in the summer.
Best for: Oily and combination skin types
Rhode Glazing Milk
The Rhode Glazing Milk is what made me fall in love with milky toners in the first place. It’s still my absolute favorite formula and one that I have repurchase time and time again. This is a creamy milky essence designed to prep the skin for product absorption, boost barrier function and provide instant hydration. It contains a mix of ceramides, a magnesium + zinc + copper blend and beta-glucan to help soften and moisturize the skin. It also helps to reduce redness over time. The Glazing Milk is the thickest out of all these toners in this post but for me is the most intensely nourishing. The name is perfect because it really does give the skin a glazy finish and really provides fantastic skin barrier support. It’s incredibly versatile and can be used in a few different ways.
The first way I use it is as an essence after I have cleansed and toned. I will pour it into my hands and pat into the skin. Recently I have been using it as a final serum in my skincare routine applied right before I put on my moisturizer. Finally, it is the PERFECT makeup prep product. If you find that your makeup doesn’t apply as nicely as you would like, pat a bit of this into your skin right before you apply your foundation.
Best for: All skin types though I think it would really benefit those with dry and/or mature skin.
Byoma Hydrating Milky Toner
While this is not my favorite, I still think this is a great milky toner that would work for so many different skin types. First off the price point is incredibly affordable ($16 for 150 ml) and it’s a straightforward formula that hydrates and soothes. My dry skin needs a bit more but those with oily or combination skin types would love this. It contains polyglutamic acid which provides the hydration, while also giving the skin barrier support with a proprietary lipid complex. For those with sensitive skin and skin that gets red easily, the Byoma Milky Toner also has cica in it which is designed to calm, soothe and reduce sensitivity.
Best for: All skin types though it may not be enough moisture for dry and/or mature skin
Bubble Cosmic Milky Toner
This is the first product I have tried from Bubble skincare and I can confidently say I will be trying out more products ASAP. This milky toner is an amazing price point ($16 for 100ml) and feels AMAZING!!! It’s not as thick as the Rhode Glazing Milk but not as watery or thin as the TirTir or Byoma. As with most milky toners, this is full of ceramides which help to strengthen and support the skin barrier. In addition to ceramides, the Bubble Cosmic Milky Toner contains essential fatty acids to regulate the skin barrier, arnica to soothe the skin, a 4D hyaluronic acid blend to hydrate and maple sap water to protect the skin barrier.
It leaves a gorgeous glazy finish to the skin which I absolutely love. While some of the thicker milky toners may be best for dry skin types and the thinner ones for oily or combination skin types, this texture falls right in the middle which I feel would make it suitable for all skin types.
Best for: All skin types – this formula is the perfect mix of rich yet lightweight and fast absorbing!
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