Best Milky Toners: Why This K-Beauty Export Is A Hydrating Essential
Confession: I am a beauty editor, but once upon a time, I forwent the use of toner. Often considered the essential second step in any beginner’s skincare routine to encourage a more thorough cleanse and enhance product absorption, it has never been an essential for me. And that is for one very important reason: I find them way too drying.
The last thing I want to apply to my complexion is an alcohol-based, dullness-causing liquid that exacerbates dehydration. This is something my TikTok For You page must have learnt about me, as I am now constantly served up videos extolling the benefits of milky toners. But, turned out it was the missing piece in my skincare routine.
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Beauty Of Joseon Glow Replenishing Rice Milk
Like most good skincare innovations, milky toners originate from South Korea, and have been lauded for their moisture-rich, skin-softening, smoothing and hydrating properties. “A milky toner is a creamy, lotion-like type of facial toner that bridges the gap between a traditional watery toner and a lightweight moisturiser,” explains Dr Jinah Yoo, Korean UK-trained consultant dermatologist. “Unlike clear, watery toners that mainly balance pH or remove residue, milky toners are formulated to deeply hydrate, soothe, and nourish the skin using ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and botanical extracts”.
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Shop Vogue’s edit of the milky toners you need in your skincare arsenal below
Beauty of Joseon Glow Replenishing Rice Milk
Beauty Of Joseon
Glow Replenishing Rice Milk
- Key ingredients: Rice extract, rice powder and rice amino acids
- Why we recommend it: “Be it an essence, toner, milk or mist, I’m game. As my skin is so dry, I like to layer my skincare to help pack as much hydration into the skin as possible. This skin milk pulls double duty, combining some of my favourite ingredients for plump, more robust skin (rice amino acids and rice extract) with a silky, milky texture. A dry-skin staple.” – Morgan Fargo, beauty & wellness editor
- How to use: Shake the bottle to mix up the rice-based ingredients, place a few drops into your palms and press onto your face for optimal absorption. You can also use a cotton wool pad, but this leads to wastage.
- Size: 150ml
TirTir Milk Skin Toner
- Key ingredients: chamomile extract, niacinamide, rice bran extract, peptides and ceramides
- Chemical/physical: gentle chemical exfoliation from rice bran enzymes
- Why we recommend it: Just one use of TirTir’s viral milk toner is enough to impart an otherworldly glow. That is in large part due to its milky mixture of humectants and emollients that almost polish the moisture barrier, plus peptides that help to firm and smooth. A must-try for immediately glassy skin, it refines texture and blemishes over time too – we saw clearer, brighter looking skin in just six weeks.
- How to use: Dispense a few drops into the palms of your hands and press onto a clean face before applying your serum or moisturiser. Alternatively, you can soak a cotton pad with the solution and swipe it across the skin.
- Size: 150ml
Thank You Farmer Rice Pure Essential Toner
Thank You Farmer
Rice Pure Essential Toner
- Key ingredients: Centella asiatica, ceramide NP, ulmus davidiana root extract
- Why we recommend it: Known best for SPF, Thank You Farmer has redefined what staple skincare can be, reformulating typically drying products to hydrating alternatives. This is certainly the case with the Rice Pure Essential Toner, an instantly moisturising formula that leaves skin touchably soft. The texture is lightweight but not too runny, unscented and barrier supporting, while leaving a healthy glow.
- How to use: Apply to palms and layer over the complexion
- Size: 200ml
Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner
- Key ingredients: rice water, niacinamide, ceramides
- Why we recommend it: Enriched with ceramides, this milky toner from Anua pairs the nourishing ingredient with rice bran water to maximise hydration and glow with every application. The brightening formula supports skin barrier health and balances sebum production thanks to the inclusion of niacinamide. The hydration boost is immediate, while the complexion gets increasingly radiant and clear with use.
- How to use: Use in the morning and night in the palm of your hands or on a cotton wool pad
- Size: 250ml
Byoma Hydrating Soothing Milky Toner
Byoma
Hydrating Soothing Milky Toner
- Key ingredients: barrier lipid complex, polyglutamic acid and cica
- Why we recommend it: High-performance products at affordable price points are the Byoma bread and butter, as is perfectly encapsulated by its Hydrating Soothing Milky Toner. The lightweight texture calls on the hydrating and soothing double act of polyglutamic acid and cica, while the brand’s own proprietary complex supports the skin barrier.
- How to use: Pat into skin in need of moisture – face, neck and décolletage
- Size: 150ml
Laneige Cream Skin Cerapeptide Toner & Moisturizer
Laneige
Cream Skin Cerapeptide Toner & Moisturizer
- Key ingredients: Ceramide, peptide, white leaf tea
- Why we recommend it: This multitasking product from Laneige is all about long-lasting hydration. It offers the skin an immediate hit of nourishment, but follows it up by locking in moisture over 120 hours. The Korean label has created it to tick off both the toning and moisturiser steps in your routine, fortifying with peptides to plump and firm.
- How to use: Layer up this product to boost hydration by using hands to pat into the face
- Size: 170ml
FAQs
What do milky toners do? How is it different from other toners?
Dr Yoo explains, “They have a soft, opaque texture that feels more emollient on the skin, helping to strengthen the skin barrier and prepare it for serums and moisturisers”.
When comparing them to ordinary toners, she reveals, “Because of their rich, hydrating nature, milky toners are especially beneficial for dry, sensitive, or mature skin, or for anyone living in cold or dry climates. They add a layer of moisture that keeps the skin plump and comfortable while enhancing absorption of the next steps in a skincare routine”.
What skin types are milky toners suitable for?
While all skin types can maximise the hydation boost that these formulas provide, Dr Yoo says “Milky toners are best suited for dry, dehydrated, sensitive, and mature skin types, thanks to their rich, moisturising and soothing formulas. They help replenish lost moisture, calm irritation, and strengthen the skin barrier – all of which are especially beneficial if your skin feels tight, flaky, or easily irritated”.
How do you choose the right milky toner for your skin type?
The expert breaks it down: “To choose the right milky toner for your skin, match the formula to your specific needs and skin type:
- Dry or dehydrated skin: look for hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, or glycerin to restore moisture.
- Sensitive skin: choose a gentle, fragrance-free option containing soothing ingredients such as panthenol or centella asiatica.
- Mature skin: opt for toners with niacinamide, peptides, or antioxidants to improve elasticity and radiance.
- Combination skin: go for lighter formulas that balance oil and hydration, often with ingredients like rice or green tea extract.
- Oily or acne-prone skin: seek non-comedogenic versions with niacinamide or tea tree extract for lightweight hydration”.
What ingredients should you look for in a milky toner?
The best milky toners will be packed with hydrating and nourishing ingredients that protect the skin barrier. Dr Yoo highlights the following:
- “Humectants (e.g. hyaluronic acid, glycerin) to attract moisture
- Emollients (e.g. squalane, jojoba oil, ceramides) to soften and lock in hydration
- Soothing agents (e.g. panthenol, centella asiatica, oat extract) to calm irritation
- Antioxidants (e.g. vitamin E, green tea, niacinamide) to support skin repair and brighten the complexion”
As for the ingredients to avoid, dry and dehydrated complexions may want to steer clear of alcohol-based products – and helpfully, Dr Yoo stresses, “Most milky toners are alcohol-free, as they are designed to moisturise rather than strip the skin. However, it is always sensible to check the ingredients list, as some formulas may contain small amounts of alcohol for texture or preservation. In general, if your skin is dry or sensitive, choose one labelled alcohol-free to ensure it is as gentle and hydrating as possible”.
Should I use a milky toner before or after an essence? How do they differ?
In K-Beauty 10-step routines, essences follow toner. Dr Yoo explainis, “You should generally use a milky toner before an essence, though the order can vary depending on the products and your skin’s needs”. She adds:
- “A milky toner is designed to rebalance and hydrate the skin immediately after cleansing, restoring moisture and preparing the skin to absorb subsequent products.
- An essence has a thinner, more watery texture and typically contains a higher concentration of active ingredients – such as fermented extracts, peptides, or brightening agents – that target specific concerns like dullness or fine lines”.
Can milky toners help with hydration, uneven texture, or dullness?
The main reason you will want to integrate a milky toner into your routine is for their hydration benefits but they also work to even out skin texture and combat dullness. Dr Yoo confirms this. She says “Milky toners can definitely help with hydration, uneven texture, and dullness, though their effects depend on the specific ingredients in the formula. Their main strength is hydration: they are packed with humectants such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin, along with emollients like ceramides or squalane, which restore moisture and improve the skin’s softness and elasticity. This extra hydration makes the skin appear smoother and more supple, naturally minimising the look of uneven texture”.
Should I use a milky toner in the morning or at night?
Due to the nature of their gentle, hydrating formulations, you can use milky toner during your AM and PM skincare routines. “You can use a milky toner both in the morning and at night, depending on your skin’s needs and the rest of your routine”, the expert confirms. She details:
- “Morning: helps hydrate, soften, and prep the skin for make-up or sunscreen, creating a smoother, more radiant base.
- Night: works to replenish moisture lost during the day and supports barrier repair after cleansing or exfoliating”.
- Dr Jinah Yoo, MBChB, FRCP, is a Korean UK-trained consultant dermatologist and the founder of Maylin x Dr. Jinah Yoo Dermatology