Toner is an essential part of any thorough skincare routine, but it does get a bad rap. Most people know the product as a harsh, alcohol-based solution that strips the skin of, well, everything. While it can be great to get rid of excess oil, it may harm your skin barrier and leave you with rough, dry skin. And who wants that? Thank goodness times have changed and there are much gentler toners on the market, the most notable ones being milk toners. These milk-based essences are often hydrating and nourishing, working to repair the skin barrier and leave you with a radiant complexion. So before you swear off toner for good, give one of these best milky toners a try. We promise you’ll find one you love!
Fortified with a blend of apricot kernel oil, soybean extract, and cica, this moisturizing milk toner is a game-changer for those with dry skin. According to one Ipster, “It doesn't break me out and it effectively helps calm the irritation from when I accidentally over-exfoliate...or when I sleep in my makeup.” We’ve all been there and need a nourishing product to bring our skin barrier back to life. This is the one.
Mochi isn’t just a delicious dessert, it’s also a product that benefits your skin, no matter your skin type. This particular toner is ideal for sensitive skin types because it’s hypoallergenic and made with ceramides, meaning it won’t irritate your skin like some alcohol-based toners would. Just ask this Ipster who had the best experience with this toner: “I’m obsessed with the way my face glows. For someone who has dry skin, this most definitely has helped my face stay moisturized.” The best part is you can use it in your morning and evening skincare routines without worrying if it will mix well with your other products because this face toner plays well with others.
One Ipster raves that this product has helped keep their acne-prone skin hydrated while using their acne treatment. “It’s good to know I’m doing everything I can to reverse the damage and it’s a huge blessing to [use] promising products that make a true difference in my skin’s health and appearance,” they say. That’s all thanks to the hyaluronic acid, organic cica extract, and antioxidants to balance, hydrate, and calm your skin post-cleanse. Buh-bye, acne!
FIRST AID BEAUTY is a brand we swear by for all skin types and textures for its restorative and repairing properties—and this skin toner is no exception. Formulated with honey and hyaluronic acid, it helps to soothe and relieve redness and irritation in an instant. “The soothing effects of the wild oat were immediately noticeable when I applied some of this milky toner to my chest area, which had somehow gotten red. Within minutes, the redness was gone,” recalls one Ipster of their first experience with the toner. This is a great product for those with rosacea or eczema because of the soothing properties of the oat milk, colloidal oatmeal, and wild oats. It’s also a great anti-aging skincare product as the hyaluronic acid adds bounce to fine lines and wrinkles.
Think: Milk tea, but for your skin! This English Breakfast tea essence is rich with a formula of black tea, pro-vitamin B5, squalane, and probiotic-rich kombucha, which work overtime to boost skin barrier function, lock in moisture for up to 24 hours, and restore firmness and elasticity to dull, lackluster skin. What our Ipsters really love is how well it boosts the serums they follow up with after using the toner. “It can be used with anything I have—AHAs, BHAs, retinol...it’s the perfect first step,” says one. Use it as your first step in your skincare routine to get the most out of your other skincare products.
Whether you suffer from dryness or oiliness, this milky serum is ready to repair your skin. Avocado oil is the key ingredient in this serum-meets-milk toner, and it offers a long list of skincare benefits, including moisturization, nourishment, anti-inflammatory properties, and reducing acne. So if you struggle with a multitude of skin combinations, this is the product for you. Glycerin is another star ingredient, which helps promote skin moisture. “With the smallest amount of this product I felt like it was super lightweight, super hydrating, and even though I always put a small amount of moisturizer after my serums to lock them in, I feel that you could even use the product all by itself for hydration,” raves one Ipster.
For those who struggle with redness and skin sensitivity and are looking for a product that will help restore their skin barrier, this milky toner is the one. With its patented Barrier Lipid Complex, it has been proven to reduce skin sensitivity over time while also protecting and maintaining your skin’s barrier. This is because it uses ceramides and skin-identical lipids that travel deep beneath the surface to hydrate, soothe, and calm your complexion from the inside out leaving your skin feeling its best. One review notes, “This dramatically changed the irritation and discomfort related to barrier dysfunction. I now use it religiously every morning and night and it helps combat the inflammation you can get with actives as I reintroduce them into my skincare.” For those who are worried about trying a traditional toner, this hydrating product will leave you with the glowing skin you crave without destroying your skin barrier.
Dermatologist-tested and approved, this K-Beauty cream-toner hybrid does it all. For those seeking that glass, milk skin, the nourishing ceramides and peptides in this formula deliver just that. When the glass skin trend was big on TikTok, this was the product we used to achieve luminous, hydrated skin. What we love most is that you can pop on a mist pump attachment (sold separately) and spray it on as a sort of refreshing spritz throughout the day.
Glycerin and niacinamide are the powerhouse duo in this rice toner that helps balance excess sebum production (aka keep your oily skin in check)—you don’t need harsh chemicals. But don’t just take our word for it. The brand held a clinical trial and the results speak for themselves: 100% of participants noticed a reduction in excess oil and sebum after four weeks of use. Oil-free complexion, here you come!
Smoothing and brightening, this gentle exfoliating toner features a 30% concentration of saccharomyces ferment, which helps exfoliate the surface of your skin to leave behind an even, radiant skin texture. While it is best for dry skin times, it really is one of the ideal milky toners for all skin types, promoting a stronger skin barrier after eight hours.
Hailey Bieber can do no wrong, especially when it comes to her beauty brand RHODE. Her Glazing Milk is an exceptional product and one of the best milky toners that provides all-day hydration, preps skin for product absorption, and reduces dullness, dryness, and redness. We love using it to add a little pep to our complexion when we need to glow brighter than the sun. The milky texture of this toner leaves us with better skin after each use, even defending against free radicals throughout the day.
While all milk toners aid in hydrating, this one is a cut above the rest. The moisture it delivers is intense, thanks to the dynamic duo of ceramide and panthenol. These strengthening superstars fortify your skin’s barrier to lock in hydration and protect against external stressors. Vegan and suitable for all skin types, it’s the perfect next step after your cleanser to kick off a hydrating skincare routine.
Rice water has been lauded for its hair growth properties, but it also has many benefits for your skin. In this milk toner, the rice bran water offers deep hydration and antioxidant protection to keep your skin moisturized at a cellular level. Not only that, it features a unique dual-layer formula that controls oil production without leaving a greasy finish. We’re big fans of the fact that we can use this toner year-round. While we often need to swap out products in the winter and summer, this one remains a staple in every season.
A toner that offers sun protection? Say less. While it’s not exactly a toner and more of a serum, this is a one-step skincare product for days when you can’t be bothered to do too much or are rushing to get out the door. Zinc oxide, squalane, and an antioxidant complex provide UVA/UVB and free radical protection, along with all-day hydration.
No one is safe from stress. It gets to the best of us, but the worst is when it shows up on our skin. To help combat the effects of a stressed-out complexion, reach for this milky toner essence. Hyaluronic acid, tamarind, and panthenol hydrate and plump, while mineral PCAs and niacinamide moisturize and brighten to calm down your complexion.
Keep it clean, vegan, and cruelty-free with this face milk. The ideal first step in your skincare routine, it uses hyaluronic acid, microalgae extract, prickly pear flower extract, and a barrier renewal complex to plump, strengthen, and renew your skin.