Some people call them milky toners. Others call them milky essences. Some even call them skin milks. Regardless of their multiple, rather nebulous names, they're all over the internet. Head to Instagram or TikTok, and you're bound to see countless celebrities, content creators, and skin experts use them in GRWM videos.
As a category, these products aren't exactly new. Nope, they've been around for a while. However, they've hit peak relevancy in recent years, thanks to the parallel popularity of the "skin flooding" trend and the internet's obsession with all things smoothing, plumping, and moisturizing. Plus, today's modern lineup features enhanced formulations. They contain skin-saturating moisturizers, barrier-strengthening soothers, and glow-boosting actives. Or as Brendan Camp, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in NYC, puts it, they're essentially toner-moisturizer hybrids. "Milky products refer to products that have a milk-like appearance and texture as a result of the emulsification of oils and water-soluble ingredients. Milky toners differ from traditional toners because they are more hydrating and in some cases can function as both a toner and a lightweight moisturizer."
For many people, they've become a staple skincare product, especially in the fall and winter, when dryness, redness, irritation, and other undesirable skin issues are on the rise. They've certainly become a staple for me. My skin drinks them up, relishing in much-needed moisture and comfort. But that doesn't mean I'll use just any milky toner—quite the contrary. After testing an unfathomable number of formulas, I've whittled my collection down to 12 expert-approved and worth-the-hype options. Ahead, see the 12 best milky toners on the market, according to me (a beauty editor) and two top skin experts.
The Best Milky Toners, Listed
- Best Overall: Rhode Glazing Milk
- Best Affordable: Bubble Cosmic Silk Hydrating Milky Toner
- Best Barrier-Strengthening: Ilia The Base Face Milk
- Best Brightening: Chanel Éclat Premier Bright Milky Essence
- Best Exfoliating: Eadem Cashmere Peel Gentle AHA + PHA Exfoliating Toner
- Best Spray: Violette_FR Boum Boum Milk
The Best Milky Toners
Best Overall: Rhode Glazing Milk
Size: 2.2 or 4.2 oz | Key Ingredients: Ceramide trio, mineral complex, vitamin E
I would argue that this product—Hailey Bieber's Rhode Glazing Milk—helped drive the internet's obsession with milky toners in a major way. Mrs. Bieber launched this product as one of her three original skincare products, and it's been incredibly popular ever since. As a beauty editor, it's tempting to write it off as just another hype-fueled product fronted by a celebrity. (Would you blame me? The market is so saturated with celeb beauty brands these days.) However, this really, truly, genuinely lives up to the hype.
The milky, creamy consistency wraps the skin in cushiony moisture. Meanwhile, ingredients like ceramides, magnesium, zinc, and copper provide skin-strengthening and anti-irritation power. Last but not least, vitamin E offers antioxidant protection. And the glow! True to the name, Rhode's Glazing Milk gives my skin a dreamy, dewy radiance. IMO, it's the perfect pre-moisturizer, pre-makeup prep step.
Beauty editor Kaitlyn McLintock after applying Rhode Glazing Fluid.
Customer review: "Rhode Glazing Milk is one of those products that just instantly makes your skin look healthier. It’s super lightweight and absorbs fast, giving your skin a fresh, dewy glow without feeling greasy. I love how it preps the skin — it makes your moisturizer and makeup sit so much better, almost like your skin is naturally smoother and more hydrated. If you want that soft, radiant, “glazed” look without effort, this is the perfect everyday step. It’s gentle, calming, and just leaves your skin looking alive."
Best Affordable: Bubble Cosmic Silk Hydrating Milky Toner
Size: 3.4 oz | Key Ingredients: Oleic acid, linoleic acid, arnica, allantoin, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, maple sap water
Drugstore skincare can be just as good, if not better, than high-end skincare. That, my friends, is a hill I'm willing to die on. Whenever one of my friends or family members asks for a budget-friendly option, I send them Bubble's Cosmic Silk Hydrating Milky Toner. It's creamy, yet lightweight. It's noncomedogenic. It soothes redness and irritation. It does it all! And it's thanks to a stellar ingredient list that includes ceramides, hyaluronic acid, fatty acids, and skin-soothing arnica and allantoin.
The only downside? The packaging. It has a twist top that you have to open and close slowly and carefully. Otherwise, it will shoot the liquid out the top, which can get messy and wasteful. Despite that, I'm giving it my top drugstore pick simply because the formula is *that* good.
Customer review: "I appreciate how hydrating this product is. In the midwest, it gets so cold and my skin starts to get really tight and itchy. This has been a game-changer and added extra hydration."
Best Barrier-Strengthening: Ilia The Base Face Milk
Size: 1 or 3.4 oz | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, Barrier Renew Complex, micro-algae, prickly pear extract
Fun fact: One of these sells every minute, and it has since it originally launched. That's how you know it's good, like, really good. After testing it, I can confirm that its hype is well-deserved.
With a soft, smooth, and creamy texture, it sinks into my skin and immediately gets to work soothing irritation and reducing stubborn redness. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, lipids, fatty acids, sterols, micro-algae, and prickly pear flower strengthen the skin barrier for stronger, more resilient skin. Sensitivity? I don't know her.
Customer review: "Came on to buy another bottle, and it is so good I decided to leave a 5-star review. This has transformed my skin and made it so soft and clear. It reduced my redness and uneven skin."
Best Brightening: Chanel Éclat Premier Bright Milky Essence
Size: 3.38 oz | Key Ingredients: Ylang-ylang extract, niacinamide, ferment extract
Even Chanel, the pinnacle of luxury, is in on the milky-toner trend. Sure, the brand's Éclat Premier Bright Milky Essence is expensive, but it's worth it if you want to nix dullness and dark spots. Take it from Camp. "Enriched with premier flower extract and pure niacinamide, this milky essence possesses brightening qualities to prevent and correct the appearance of dark spots caused by aging, sun exposure, and acne," he says.
Best Exfoliating: Eadem Cashmere Peel Gentle AHA + PHA Exfoliating Toner
Size: 3.38 oz | Key Ingredients: Ylang-ylang extract, niacinamide, ferment extract
If you want a milky toner that moisturizes your skin while simultaneously keeping it soft, smooth, bright, and blemish-free, then Eadem's Cashmere Peel Gentle AHA + PHA Exfoliating Toner is for you. Camp says it's "A milky exfoliant that includes ingredients like gluconolactone, lactic acid, azelaic acid, and tranexamic acid. This product exfoliates at just the right amount to safely remove dark spots and unclog pores." Or, to put it another way, it effectively exfoliates the skin without making it erupt with irritation. I can confirm! It was gentle enough to use nightly on my redness-prone skin. I saw smoother, clearer, and brighter skin within a week.
Customer review: "Honestly this is Holy Grail. Love it worth every penny. I tried to switch to a different brand due to it being a tad bit pricey but went right back. Highly recommend love love love."
Best Spray: Violette_FR Boum Boum Milk
Size: 1.69, 3.38, or 6.76 oz | Key Ingredients: Fermented birch sap, glacial water, squalane, olive leaf extract
This is the French girl's take on the milky toner trend. Designed, developed, and approved by French makeup artist Violette Serrat, this milky toner comes packaged in a convenient spray bottle for anytime application. Infused with 38% fermented birch sap, a hydrating and microbiome-supporting ingredient, it helps balance, soothe, and moisturize off-kilter skin. Meanwhile, mineral-rich glacial water, softening squalane, and inflammation-reducing olive leaf extract provide extra benefits. It's safe for sensitive and acne-prone skin types. It's baby-like skin, bottled.
Customer review: "I've been using Boum-Boum Milk for over 2 years, and my skin has never been as healthly - no rashes, no dryness (and God knows I did before!!). Great product!"
Laneige Cream Skin Refillable Milky Toner
Size: 5.7 oz | Key Ingredients: Ceramide and peptide complex, white leaf tea
Tama Tran, MSN, NP-C is a nurse practitioner and aesthetics expert. She recommends this internet-favorite milky toner. "Laneige Cream Skin Toner combines the feel of a cream with the hydration of a toner, plus ceramides and peptides to strengthen and plump," she says.
Camp also recommends this Korean formula. (You know it's good when not one but two experts love it.) "This product functions as a two-in-one formula combining the qualities of a rich cream with the lightweight texture of a liquid toner and features ingredients like white tea leaf extract, ceramides, and a peptide complex," he says.
Customer review: "I don’t usually leave reviews on here. However, I had to! My skin is so supple and soft and my makeup has been applying beautifully! I oil cleanse and then use this as a toner/moisturizer. This toner is a game changer. I will be using this on my clients as well. AMAZING!"
Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner
Size: 8.45 oz | Key Ingredients: 70% rice water, niacinamide, ceramides
Here's another expert-recommended K-beauty product. "Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner has 70% rice water, niacinamide, and ceramides," Tran says. "This toner is very hydrating and brightening." I love that it's fragrance-free and suitable for acne-prone skin (no breakouts, here). And the glow! Pat this onto your skin after cleansing, and you'll know exactly what I mean by "glass skin."
Customer review: "I've been using this for months and I feel like it has really brightened up my skin. I'm definitely a fan and I'm going to continue using it. My skin feels hydrated and glowy."
Naturium Multi-Bright Milky Toner
Size: 4.0 oz | Key Ingredients: Azelaic acid derivative, fermented grape extract, licorice root extract, glycerin
If you know me, you know I love Naturium skincare products (and recommend them often). This milky toner is no different. It contains an azelaic acid derivative, as well as fermented grape extract and licorice root extract to gently resurface the skin, fade dark spots, and smooth texture. A combination of hydrating ingredients dives deep into the skin to provide moisture.
Customer review: "From everyone's videos, I thought this was going to be a lighter formula, but this surprised me in the best way possible. It's light yet super hydrating and has such a luxurious slip and in some way, rich? LOVED IT."
The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner
Size: 3.4 oz | Key Ingredients: Saccharomyces ferment, squalane
"If you want gentle renewal, try milky toners with saccharomyces ferment or low-dose AHAs," Tran says. "The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30 % Milky Toner has a very high percentage of saccharomyces ferment for gentle enzymatic exfoliation, as well as 3% N-acetylglucosamine. [It's] a great toner for texture and subtle renewal."
Customer review: "I have only one major complaint!!! They need to make a bigger bottle cuz this stuff is amazing!!! This feels so hydrating and soothing while it gently exfoliates. Gives a nice glow to the skin and goes well under makeup."
Femmue Rose Softener Milky Essence
Size: 4.9 oz | Key Ingredients: Rose Damask oil, white willow bark, eight-layer hyaluronic acid complex
If you want super soft skin—I'm talking rose-petal soft—you'll want to use Femmue's Rose Softener Milky Essence. This K-beauty product is so underrated in my opinion. Simply shake the bi-phase formula, press it onto your skin, follow with the rest of your skincare routine, and you'll know what I mean. It makes the skin feel like luxurious silk, and it's all thanks to ingredients like rose damask oil, white willow bark extract, and an eight-layer(!) hyaluronic acid complex that locks moisture inside the skin.
Byoma Hydrating Milky Toner
Size: 1.69 or 5.07 oz | Key Ingredients: Barrier lipid complex, polyglutamic acid, cica
Here's another drugstore milky toner that I can't recommend highly enough. It's packed with hydrating ingredients like a proprietary Barrier Lipid Complex, polyglutamic acid, and cica (or centella asiatica) for smooth, plump, and moisture-saturated skin.
Customer review: "I have rosacea, uneven texture, and dry skin—toner has always been a challenge for me! This, however, is my holy grail product. I got mini's for a girl's night in gift bags!"
Milky Toners vs. Traditional Toners
As Camp previously mentioned, milky toners are a combination of water and oil-soluble ingredients, which makes them more moisturizing than many traditional toners. Tran agrees, saying that milky toners are creamier and thicker than traditional toners, which are typically more watery or liquid in texture."
This cushiony texture, paired with ultra-moisturizing ingredients, makes them more efficient at providing deeper, more long-lasting moisture. "Milky toners are often emulsion-based, containing both water and oils, rich in hydrating and nourishing ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, or botanical oils," Tran says. "[They] focus on hydration, soothing, and balancing the skin barrier, and are suitable for dry, sensitive, or combination skin. Milky toners leave the skin feeling soft, moisturized, and slightly creamy, almost like a lightweight lotion. Think of milky toners as a hybrid between a toner and a lightweight lotion, focusing on hydration and barrier support, while traditional toners are more about cleansing, balancing, or prepping the skin."
What to Look For in a Milky Toner
The quality of a milky toner comes down to its ingredients. "When researching milky toners, look for ingredients that heighten hydration and improve the quality of the skin barrier," Camp says. Tran agrees and recommends looking for the following specific ingredients:
- Humectants for hydration: "Hyaluronic acid deeply hydrates by drawing in water. Glycerin is another classic humectant for hydration. Sodium PCA helps skin bind moisture."
- Lipids for barrier strength: "Ceramides help rebuild and maintain the skin barrier. Squalane or plant oils provide emollience and support the lipid barrier."
- Soothing agents for skin repair: "Panthenol (vitamin B5) soothes irritation and promotes healing. Allantoin is gentle and calming. Centella asiatica (cica) is anti‑inflammatory and barrier‑friendly. Plant extracts such as marshmallow root, aloe vera, chamomile, and green tea are included for soothing and repairing."
- Brightening actives for skin-tone evening: "Niacinamide (vitamin B3) is very common in milky toners; it helps with tone, redness, and the skin barrier. Alpha-arbutin is used for hyperpigmentation."
- Exfoliating actives for resurfacing: "Ferments (like saccharomyces ferment) can offer enzymatic exfoliation and skin renewal. A low percentage of AHAs is sometimes included to exfoliate for texture and renewal."
How We Chose
Beauty editor Kaitlyn McLintock has nearly 10 years of experience assessing the latest and greatest beauty products, and she has approached these toners with a trained, discerning eye. She reached out to two experts: one dermatologist and one nurse practitioner and aesthetics expert. She also collected insights from her colleagues—Who What Wear's expert beauty editors. Finally, she put these milky toners to the test, introducing them into her own routine to see if they could really live up to their claims. While creating this list, she made sure to consider a variety of factors, including price, texture, active ingredients, and more.
Customer reviews are also important to keep in mind, as everyone has different needs and preferences, so she made sure to scour the review sections of our favorite retailers when compiling this list of the best milky toners.
Why Trust Who What Wear
At Who What Wear, we know that beauty isn't one-size-fits-all. Over the years, our editors have tested thousands of products—including skincare, makeup, haircare, and nails—while also working closely with trusted experts, like renowned dermatologists, celebrity makeup artists, and other leading industry insiders. Together, this ensures every guide is well-researched, inclusive, and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they're affordable favorites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how, and what we'd truly recommend to our closest friends and family members.
-
Hurry! Kendall Jenner’s Go-To K-Beauty Device Is 29% Off RN on AmazonA glass skin staple.
-
These 11 Winter Beauty Finds Are So Good I'm Carrying Them Around in My Bag RNThey're absolutely essential.
-
I Spent the Last Two Months Assembling a Cool-Girl Gift Guide—26 Nonbasic, Beauty-Centric GiftsThese are the items that made it past my picky personality.
-
I'm Already Making Space in My Beauty Cabinet for These Black Friday Ulta Beauty BuysIt's that time of year again.
-
Out of All of Nordstrom's Best Beauty Finds, I Want These 20 the MostI've been waiting all year.
-
These 17 Sephora Products Have High Sellout Potential (I Won't Be Surprised If They're Gone by Black Friday)Don't say I didn't warn you.
-
I Thought I Knew What "Lit From Within" Skin Looked Like—Then I Tried This New Silky FoundationLiquid gold.
-
Ulta's Sneaky Sale Saved Me $351 While Doing Early Holiday Shopping—Deals on MAC, Shark, and More End TonightNo time to waste.
