TikTok thinks adding toner to your makeup is the secret to ‘glass’ skin - I tried it so you don't have to

In 2026, if there's a trend worth knowing about, have no doubt that we've plucked it straight from the depths of our For You pages.

One that you may have seen circulating currently, is a milky toner beauty hack that's got people entirely divided.

When it comes to achieving K-beauty-inspired glass skin, until now, there's been a large focus on skin prep - but what if melting our skincare and makeup together was the key to unlocking that flawless, dewy base?

Milky toners are having a huge moment right now. Thicker than a toner but thinner than a moisturiser, they're packed with skin barrier-loving ingredients that make for the perfect makeup base.

While some people suggested this particular trick has completely changed the game for them (and their results speak for themselves), others are questioning if it's simply another fad that requires already-flawless skin to yield results.

Ever in search of new ways to make my getting-ready routine a) quicker, and b) more effective, I had to give it a go for myself.

An almost-instant turn off for me is that the application process for this one is nothing short of clown adjacent, to say the least. This particular hack involves mapping out makeup product placement on your face, before taking a milky toner on the back of your hand, and blending it all together with a brush in one motion.

Most people I’d seen online used Rhode’s Glazing Milk as their toner of choice, so I opted for the same, to keep things consistent (besides, it is one of the best out there, in my opinion).

Painted like a work of art (the conceptual type that no one would buy, in all honesty), it was time to see if I could channel my inner-artist and bring the final result to life.

Where influencers had managed to blend each section out seamlessly, mine was admittedly a little messy. But, I couldn't write it off straight away, as this may well have just been a first-timer fail.

What I did find, however, is that the added element of the toner instantly thinned out the product on my face, which meant that I ended up wearing a lot more makeup than I needed to.

What's more, the 10 minutes I'd spent moonlighting as the Mona Lisa with blush and contour were rendered completely pointless, as by the end of it, everything just melted into one. The pigment of the other products also meant that the base I was left paler than what I'm used to.

That being said, if it's a glass base you're hoping for - I'll admit that it works.

For all its flaws, the added hydration of the toner meant that my skin itself did look extremely airbrushed. If I were to do it again, I'd probably opt to just mix the toner with my foundation instead of adding all the extra steps and save them for later.

However, the real test would be taking my new routine on the road. I had a day of meetings, tube journeys, and a trip to the office that would put it through its paces and see if it could make up for in longevity what it lacked in practicality.

I was initially concerned as I'd seen reports of makeup separating over time, but five or six hours in, and it didn't seem to have budged at all, and I had multiple compliments on how fresh my skin was.

In fact, I'd almost forgotten about the hassle it took to get to this point.

The verdict? Well, it's a bit of a difficult one.

Hacks are designed to make life a little easier - and this one doesn’t exactly do that. Does it make for the glass skin base that was promised? Sure, but I also don’t think it’s worth the extra effort of having to do every other step twice-over, and the unpredictability of knowing how much product to apply.

While I wouldn't call it a complete flop; I can’t see this one sticking around for long.

Why not read...

You’re about to notice your hair shedding more often - here’s why

Kylie Jenner’s ‘crystal candy’ gem nails spark 311% surge - and they're super easy to recreate

Sign up to our free indy100 weekly newsletter