This article was originally published in the Skin Care Trend Report. Receive your copy here
Gone are the harsh, drying alcohol-based formulations of the past, facial toners have had an upgrade that rolls out the red carpet for the skin barrier.
Enter milky toners, a format that has rebooted the traditional toner segment by prioritising skin hydration and strengthening the skin barrier to boost the complexion and create the much-coveted dewy glow that consumers are seeking.
Brands have flooded the market with milky toner launches following the format’s virality as a K-beauty trend.
Following Korean skin care brand Laneige’s Cream Skin Refiner as one of the earliest entries in 2018, launches from Fenty’s Fat Water Hydrating Toner Essence to Rhode’s viral Glazing Milk have bolstered the trend’s mainstream appeal.
In 2024, there was a 152.9% rise in Google searches for ‘milky toner’ in the US, according to Spate, and 61.9% growth on TikTok.
And in Europe, launches of milky toners were a major driver behind the 76% rise in new products across the entire lotions and toner category, according to Circana.
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