Dive into the Milky Way: My Top 8 Korean Milk Toners of 2024

Annyeong! Yuhee here from One Eye Beauty, your go-to destination for all things K-beauty. Milk toners are having a major moment this year, and the K-beauty world is overflowing with incredible options. I initially planned a top 5 list, then a top 6, but honestly, there are just too many amazing formulas to leave out! So, I'm bringing you my top 8 Korean milk toners of 2024, plus a couple of lighter alternatives for those of you with oily or combination skin. Keep reading – you'll discover some fantastic new products and learn everything you need to know about incorporating these hydrating powerhouses into your routine.

Let's talk milk toners. Unlike your typical watery toners, milk toners boast a luxurious, creamy texture brimming with hydrating, soothing, and nourishing ingredients. They're an absolute dream for dry or sensitive skin. As someone with dry, sensitive, and mature skin, I’ve become completely obsessed with these toners, and I'm thrilled to share my favorites with you. And for those of you with combination or oily skin, don't worry! I've included some lighter options towards the end that you'll love.

Before I dive into my top picks, I have to give a shout-out to the OG K-beauty milk toner: the Laneige Cream Skin Refiner. I have the mini version here, and I even took an even smaller mini with me on my trip to Paris last summer, which I almost completely finished – that’s how much I adore it! This toner has a super lightweight formula with ceramide, mini ceramides, and peptides. It's incredibly hydrating and nourishing, making it suitable for almost all skin types. I'll be comparing the textures of my top picks to this Laneige toner so you can get a better understanding of the consistency differences.

Okay, ready? Let's explore my top 8 Korean milk toner picks!

This toner has gone viral, and for a very good reason! It's one of TIRTIR's best-selling products, and they've been absolutely killing it this year. This milky toner is one of the most lightweight in my selection, with a texture very close to the Laneige Cream Skin Refiner. It's packed with skin-brightening ingredients like rice bran extract and niacinamide, soothing agents like centella asiatica extract, adenosine, and witch hazel, and hydrating heroes like ceramide and sodium hyaluronate. It's a powerhouse of beneficial ingredients, yet still relatively lightweight for a milk toner, so I'd say it's suitable for all skin types, including combination and sensitive. While those with very dry skin might prefer richer options on this list, this is a fantastic all-rounder. The full 150ml size is around $25.

This toner deserves way more attention. It's my current holy grail for my morning routine. It not only hydrates and nourishes but also brightens and targets hyperpigmentation. The texture is quite rich and infused with powerful brightening ingredients like niacinamide, glutathione, and tranexamic acid to help fade hyperpigmentation and revitalize dull skin. It also contains glycerin, jojoba seed oil, and amino acids for deep hydration and a boost of antioxidants. The bottle design is quite practical – lightweight, easy to hold, and dispenses the toner with a simple squeeze. No shaking or spraying required! Because it's so hydrating, nourishing, and tackles hyperpigmentation, all in this easy-to-use bottle, I find myself reaching for it every single morning. I highly recommend this to anyone with dry skin and hyperpigmentation concerns. It's around $30 for 200ml. A must-try!

Another hidden gem! This toner is called the "Dual Barrier" toner because it's designed to both hydrate and strengthen your skin barrier. It has a lightweight yet rich formula with hydrating ceramides, Aquatide (a peptide that boosts moisture and strengthens the skin barrier), and panthenol for extra moisture. It's deeply hydrating, moisturizing, and nourishing, but still feels incredibly gentle on the skin. This is an excellent choice for dry, sensitive, or irritated skin, and I'd also highly recommend it for mature skin because of its moisturizing, nourishing, and barrier-strengthening properties. It's priced around $24 for 150ml.

Haruharu has nailed the milk toner trend with this essence toner. It's deeply nourishing and also focuses on strengthening the skin barrier. This thick essence toner is enriched with a five-ceramide complex, cholesterol, and fatty acids – the perfect combination for barrier repair. It also contains anti-aging ingredients like Galactomyces and Bifida Ferment Filtrate to boost skin elasticity. And with antioxidant-rich black rice, fermented bamboo shoot bark, and hydrating panthenol, this toner offers a multitude of skin benefits. My only complaint? The bottle. It's heavy and a bit difficult to dispense the product. But despite the packaging, this is a rich, creamy, and nourishing essence toner perfect for dry or mature skin. It's priced around $28 for 120ml.

This innovative essence toner uses "double phase emulsion technology" for quick absorption. It features two layers: a moisturizing cream layer on top and a hydrating essence layer below. Shake it up to mix the ingredients before applying! The formula contains 50,000 ppm of blackberry extract, 100,000 ppm of blue lotus water, jojoba oil, ceramides, and sodium hyaluronate. It hydrates and strengthens the skin barrier and also contains soothing centella asiatica extract. It's a truly well-formulated essence toner with a lightweight yet rich texture. It's priced around $29 for 140ml.

Similar in appearance to the Mary&May essence, this toner also boasts two layers – a moisturizing cream and a hydrating essence. Shake it up before use to blend the layers and activate the formula. This essence is packed with 78% kombucha tea extract, which is rich in probiotics. It nourishes, detoxifies, and balances oil and water levels with the help of green tea leaf extract, centella asiatica, and ceramides. It's deeply hydrating, moisturizing, and soothing. I highly recommend this for all skin types, including combination, oily, and mature skin. It's priced around $38 for 150ml.

For those of you with oily, combination, or acne-prone skin who might find the previous options too rich, here are two lighter alternatives: