Back in the old days, a toner was a lightweight skincare product that felt like water, smelled like alcohol, and made your skin tingle. You’d use it after cleansing, to remove cleanser residue from your skin, but you wouldn’t expect many benefits from it otherwise. Fortunately, we’ve come a long way since. Nowadays, there are many different types of toners, with different functions that range from exfoliation to hydration. A relative newcomer to the world of toners is the “milky toner”, a hybrid type of toner that could be a game-changer for anyone with dry or sensitive skin. Want to learn more? Then read along.
What is a milky toner?
A milky toner, milk toner, or “milk skin toner,” is a moisturizing and nourishing toner with a milky texture.
Unlike the better-known hydrating toners, which are often water-like and infused with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, milky toners are creamier and thicker in texture. They also feature different ingredients–like rice extracts, nourishing oils, ceramides, and other barrier-friendly ingredients like niacinamide.
Milky toners have long been popular in Korean skincare, and you can tell by the finish they leave on the skin: a dewy and reflective “glass skin” finish. This may sound overwhelming if you’ve got combination or oily skin and want to avoid shine at all costs, but don’t worry–there’s enough variation between formulas to ensure that everyone can use a milky toner.
What does a milky toner do?
Milk toners are all about replenishing moisture to the skin, first and foremost, and then ensuring the skin holds on to that moisture.
To achieve this, milky toners are generally formulated with ingredients that help maintain the skin barrier function, which in turn helps prevent transepidermal water loss.
What are milky toners good for?
Milky toners are a great choice for:
- Dry skin that needs both hydration (water) and nutrition (oil);
- Dull, tired skin that lacks radiance and shine;
- Dehydrated skin, no matter the skin type.
What is the difference between a milky toner and a regular toner?
There are many types of toners out there: cleansing toners, exfoliating toners, hydrating toners, toner pads, etc.
Cleansing toners are easy to understand: they’re often used as the final step in a cleansing routine and their main purpose is to remove any cleanser residue from the skin. Exfoliating toners work a little harder, as they typically use AHAs to refine the skin texture and boost luminosity. Hydrating toners, on the other hand, are all about giving the skin a boost of water. Toner pads could serve either function.
Milk toners are richer than all previous alternatives. With formulas packed with barrier-friendly ingredients that combine hydration and nutrition in a creamy, comforting texture, milk toners are more nourishing than a typical hydrating toner–in a way, they almost cross over into essence or serum territory. One of our team members, here at Care to Beauty, defined them as “milk-like essences”, which is a pretty good description of how they look and behave on the skin!
How (and when) to apply a milky toner
Milky toners can be applied once or twice a day, depending on the instructions for each specific formula–and the condition of your skin.
The most popular way to apply them is to follow the Korean style: dispense a little toner onto your clean, dry hands, and pat the product–gently!–into your skin. Specific products may come with different instructions for application, but this method should be versatile enough to get you started!
Our favorite milky toners
From Korean brands and beyond, here are a few milky toners we recommend:
I’m From Rice Toner
The dewiest milk toner
I’m From Rice Toner
With an ultra-nourishing formula, the I’m From Rice Toner is one of the most popular rice toners out there. Formulated with Goami rice extract, a key ingredient sourced from Yeoju, Korea, this toner moisturizes and nourishes the skin, helping prevent water loss throughout the day. At the same time, it offers a soothing effect, ideal for those with dry or sensitive skin that tends to react to environmental aggressions.
If you’re looking for a milky toner with a luminous and dewy finish, this product could be the ideal option for you. The formula is suitable for all skin types, although the very dewy finish may not please everyone!
The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner
The exfoliating milk toner
The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner
The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner is a milky toner that’s a little different from the rest–because it’s actually an exfoliating toner! The formula combines 30% saccharomyces ferment–a natural ingredient obtained from the fermentation and filtration of yeasts–with 3% fermented N-Acetylglucosamine and a dash of squalane. The result is a unique cocktail that hydrates, refines the skin texture, and helps minimize the appearance of dark spots.
Because it’s not a “direct acid exfoliator,” to quote the brand, this toner can be an extremely gentle alternative to most exfoliating toners. With its milky and comforting texture, it’s a great choice even for dry skin types!
Beauty of Joseon Glow Replenishing Rice Milk
The modern-day rice toner
Beauty of Joseon Glow Replenishing Rice Milk
The Beauty of Joseon Glow Replenishing Rice Milk is a moisturizing toner that brings the benefits of traditional rice bran water, used in the Joseon Dynasty, to the modern day.
With a two-phase formula, this toner features a liquid layer, made up of soothing and hydrating rice extract, and, at the bottom of the bottle, a powder layer made up of kaolin clay, with mattifying and sebum-regulating benefits. To mix the nutrient-rich rice extract with the mattifying clay, give the toner a good shake–you’ll be creating a milky lotion that not only moisturizes the skin, but also helps calm redness and sensitivity while, at the same time, refining the skin texture.
TIRTIR Milk Skin Toner
The milk toner for dark spots
TIRTIR Milk Skin Toner
The TIRTIR Milk Skin Toner is one of the most popular “milky toners” out there–it’s even available in two versions, standard and light. Infused with 2% niacinamide, rice bran extract, ceramides, and panthenol, this formula delivers long-lasting moisture to the skin, all the while strengthening the skin barrier, preventing transepidermal water loss, and increasing the skin’s resistance to environmental aggressions.
And because it features 2% niacinamide, this toner is also ideal for brightening the skin and minimizing the appearance of dark spots, for a glowy and dewy appearance.
Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner
The lightweight milk toner
Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner
With a lightweight formula, somewhere between a water and a milk, the Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner strikes a perfect balance between hydration and nutrition. The formula combines 70% rice water, niacinamide, and ceramides in a blend that is deeply hydrating, rebalancing, and friendly to the skin’s moisture barrier.
The fast-absorbing texture, which doesn’t leave a sticky residue, is perfect for two types of people: those who like to speed through their skincare routine, and those with combination or oily skin (who will enjoy both the lightweight formula and its sebum-regulating benefits).
Clarins Bright Plus Dark Spot-Targeting Milky Essence
The revitalizing milk toner
Clarins Bright Plus Dark Spot-Targeting Milky Essence
And now for something a little different, here’s the Clarins Bright Plus Dark Spot-Targeting Milky Essence. Part of the Bright Plus range, this toner is designed to minimize the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation and create a brighter, more even complexion.
The milky formula features Clarins‘ advanced Brightening Complex, along with superfruit extracts of rose myrtle and organic acerola seed, and hydrating squalane from sugar cane. Together, these ingredients form a well-rounded formula that revitalizes dull skin while brightening and evening out the complexion.
Dr. Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence
The hybrid toner and essence
Dr. Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence
Dr. Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence is a 3-in-1 product that combines the benefits of a toner, essence, and moisturizer. The product is bi-phase, consisting of a creamier layer and a more fluid layer–shake them well, and you’ll end up with something that looks a little bit like milk tea.
Formulated with probiotic-rich kombucha tea extract, nourishing sunflower seed oil, vitamin-rich Camellia sinensis leaf water, and purifying Schisandra chinensis fruit extract, this essence helps maintain the skin’s oil and water balance. It’s perfect for anyone struggling with dull and tired skin, or for anyone dealing with with dehydrated skin that–confusingly–also looks a little oily at the same time.
As we have seen, milky toners are the perfect solution for anyone looking for a product that provides hydration and nutrition and, at the same time, supports the skin’s barrier function. If you feel like your skin is struggling, but you can’t quite strike the right balance between hydration and nutrition, a milky toner may be the right choice for you. Visit the shop to browse more milk toners among our selection of Korean skincare products–you never know what you might find!
