Review: Milk Makeup Matcha Toner (World’s First Solid Toner?!)

In the cosmetics and beauty industry, it’s so rare to find the first of any product category that the important choice often becomes finding any factor of differentiation. After trying and reviewing Milk Makeup’s “Meet The Fam” Set and Sunshine Oil with amazing results, I was open to trying out something that initially seemed a bit unusual.

You can click on the links to read our previous reviews for those products!

While we are typically bombarded with seemingly endless options, a new and original product, certainly one that has not been made or formulated before, seems like a rare and unusual treat. Milk Makeup is famed for a line of fully vegan and gluten-free products, both cosmetics and skincare products designed to treat all skin types, including the most sensitive.

Their Matcha Toner is the first of its kind solid stick toner, and is designed to remove oil while detoxifying pores. The product is formulated with natural ingredients and infused with Matcha (as the name would suggest), the company is cruelty-free, and the product does not contain any parabens or sulfates, or any irritating chemical additives.

It’s designed to improve the appearance of redness, reduce the appearance of pore size, and improve the overall appearance of the skin by restoring radiance and treating any dullness or sallowness in tone. I wanted to try the product out to see if it actually worked or was based in marketing/gimmicky, as it seems to be a product the company is strongly promoting and pushing. While reviews were mixed, the Matcha Toner is generally highly rated and certainly seems to be quite popular and trending. It also seems perfect for those weekend nights after getting home when you’d prefer to use a toner in bed and avoid a complex regimen (or lack the coordination to carry one out).

It’s also ideal if you’re trying to maintain a vegan or gluten-free beauty regimen, which can be difficult and it’s often challenging to find products that fit into both categories.

This review will cover some overview on the main features and benefits with use, a look at the ingredients in the formulation and skin health, as well as some pros and cons to bear in mind prior to purchase.

If you’re comparison shopping and interested in reading reviews on other toners, you’ll want to check out our review on Thayers Witch Hazel Toner also!

Review: Milk Makeup Matcha Toner

The Matcha Toner is 1oz and retails for $26 (although a .22oz mini trial size is available for $14). While the price seems steep for the category, it’s important to bear in mind the product definitely has longevity, and can be used everyday and continually for several months. It also has suitable multi-use benefits, and acts as both a primer prior to makeup application, and a hydrating treatment if you’re experiencing dry skin or looking for a pick-me-up throughout the day.

It’s compact and portable, and can easily be tossed in a purse or gym bag. It feels quite cooling and refreshing when applied to the skin, and cleans the skin while restoring radiance. I definitely noticed a minimized appearance with respect to pore size and a decrease in breakouts even with blemish-prone skin, as ingredients found in the products formulation are designed to treat preexisting acne and prevent future breakouts.

The Matcha Toner is suitable for all skin types, helping control overproduction of oil for those with oily or combination complexions, and helping hydrate, for those with dry skin. The ingredients did not irritate or breakout my very sensitive skin, and the product is definitely suitable for those with sensitive types, or those who are prone to breakouts, excluding any specific allergy to an ingredient found in the formulation, which is always a possibility.

It feels more hydrating than a traditional toner, and is infused with Matcha to help detoxify pores. As mentioned in the introduction, the product is actually the world’s first solid stick toner, and is great to use at night. Skin looks soft, radiant and refreshed after using, like it does after using the Tree of Life Serum we previously reviewed. It feels soft and lightweight, and never feels greasy or sticky on the skin.

I would definitely recommend the product if you’re looking for a stick formulation, looking for a multi-use toner, or looking for different vegan or gluten-free options, which are often challenging categories to find suitable cosmetics products in.

 

Milk Makeup Matcha Toner Ingredients

The ingredients used in the product formulation are all naturally based and free of any parabens, harsh chemical additives, or sulfates. Especially for those of us with sensitive or breakout-prone skin, it’s often important to read and understand ingredients as you would with a food product. Here is a look at the key ingredients used in the formulation as well as some key benefits with everyday topical use:

Green Tea

• Green tea extract has a high B12 content, which helps maintains structure and firmness to the skin, anti-aging properties including minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and over time with continual daily use, sun spots and hyper-pigmentation
• Soothing and nourishing to damaged or burned skin, helping to gently repair damage
• Fights any preexisting DNA damage caused by sun damage (UVB rays-ones that cause burns and damage to the dermis)
• Hydrates any depleted moisture to help balance and soften skin, promoting a more radiant aesthetic
• Helps balance skins texture to restore balance and even out tone
• Antibacterial agent that treats and prevents acne and breakouts, prevents the formation of new acne blemishes and acne-causing bacteria
• Vitamin E (found in green tea extract) supports skin cell growth and expedites cellular turnover while hydrating the skin for anti-aging benefits, providing moisture benefits for all skin types, even very dry skin, and is safe for sensitive skin
• Fights skin cancer by promoting DNA repair and cellular turnover, protecting the skin from toxins found in the environment
• Protects against free radical damage in the environment, creating a protective barrier on the skin, working in tandem with other ingredients, and protecting from future sun damage

Matcha

• Matcha powder helps treat redness and irritated skin
• Anti-inflammatory properties are designed to sooth and treat any topical irritation
• May help treat certain topical conditions, such as rosacea
• Anti-acne benefits: helps in reducing breakouts and combats the bacteria that leads to acne
• Reduces any inflammation
• Gentle and suitable for all skin types, including very sensitive skin
• Anti-aging benefits: helps treat and minimize the appearance of any fine lines, wrinkles, sun spots, and with continual daily use, may even help combat hyper-pigmentation
• Helps reduce the appearance of pore size and minimizes large pores, working in tandem with other ingredients in the formulation, like witch hazel
• Treats all skin types, but is great at treating excess oil production to combat shine for those with combination or oily complexions
• Helps promote a more radiant aesthetic, treating any dullness or sallowness in the skin
• Helps hydrate, for those with dry skin or any depleted hydration

Witch Hazel

• Fights acne by reducing inflammation, and decreasing oil and redness, and fighting any surface dirt, oil, or buildup
• Antibacterial properties help expedite healing times for scars and infection, or any irritation
• Nourishes dry skin, promotes hydration and moisture while fighting acne-causing bacteria and excess oil, helps prevent future breakouts
• Minimizes damage from previous sun damage or exposure
• May help minimize the appearance of large pore size
• Fights signs of aging and contains anti-aging properties caused by dehydration and sun damage
• Treats topical skin conditions such as eczema
• Extremely gentle and nourishing, this ingredient is designed to be soothing
• Heals and reduces the appearance of cuts, discoloration and irritation

Kombucha

• Brightens the skin, improves tone and restores radiance to treat any dull skin
• Promotes a more even texture
• Anti-aging benefits: can help treat and minimize the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and over time with continual daily use, sun spots and signs of hyper-pigmentation
• Helps restore skin clarity and balances
• Helps improve skins elasticity
• Helps to hydrate dry skin and restore any depleted hydration
• Helps to clean and detoxify the skin, removing any impurities like dirt, oil, or buildup in pores
• Helps treat blackheads, whiteheads, and blemishes

Cactus Elixer

• Anti-aging benefits: cactus contains skin-softening vitamins E and K to support skin health and repair radiance
• Skin hydrating and nourishing fatty acids found in cactus prevent the formation of wrinkles and fine lines
• Helps brighten the skin and improves clarity and texture
• Helps to gently soften and hydrate skin, like the healing Aztec Indian clay mask we previously reviewed
• Acts as an anti-inflammatory to prevent or treat any redness, rash, irritation, breakouts, or skin flare ups
• Anti-acne benefits: works in tandem with the other ingredients found in the formulation to help treat blemishes and prevent the bacteria that causes them
• Heals cuts and wounds and expedites healing rates
• If used under the eye, may help reduce or minimize the appearance of dark circles
• Works in tandem with other ingredients found in the formulation to help balance oils on the face, while improving overall skin health, and minimizing the appearance of pores

Milk Makeup Matcha Toner Positives & Negatives

Overall, most features and benefits to use were quite positive, and I would definitely recommend this as a great option for a toner with multi-use benefits, including priming and hydrating. It’s an especially good choice if you’re in the market for vegan or gluten-free cosmetics options, or don’t typically enjoy using traditional toners or find them to be drying. With that said, the price point is still a bit cheap for the category, where a good toner can often be found at a lower cost. Here is a look at some main positives and negatives to bear in mind prior to purchase:

Pros

• Facial toner is formulated with gentle ingredients and without any parabens, sulfates, or harsh chemical additives, making is safe and gentle for those with reactive skin
• Suitable for all skin types/skin tone, including very sensitive skin
• Cruelty-free company: all products are vegan and no products are tested on any animals, or used in any manufacturing process
• Product is free of any gluten, for those who are sensitive to the ingredient
• Feels cooling and smooth on the skin, and provides a lot of hydration
• Wonderful gifting option if your recipient likes skincare or is searching for vegan or gluten-free cosmetics options
• It’s easier to apply foundation afterwards and the aesthetic is more even, smooth, and radiant
• Skin definitely felt hydrated and refreshed, and appeared more radiant, with a healthy glow
• The formulation if free of alcohol, and the product did not cause any redness, rash, irritation, or any breakouts, even with sensitive and breakout-prone skin
• Really easy to use, clean, simple, and fun to apply
• Pore size is visibly less noticeable and this makes a good treatment for anyone trying to treat the appearance of large pores
• Multi-use benefits: the product can be used as a primer prior to makeup application, a toner, or a treatment for dry skin and added hydration
• Quite portable and compact: easy for travel and tossing in a purse or gym bag
• Product is lightweight and does not feel greasy or sticky on the skin
• Product helps in treating redness or any topical irritation

Cons

• Price: for the product category, $26 is a bit steep, and while it lasts for quite some time, it is also possible to find suitable toners that work if you’re on a budget, so this is definitely a splurge purchase for most of us
• I’m not sure I would agree that this functions as a traditional toner would, it’s quite hydrating but feels like a moisturizer
• May be better for dry skin than those with oily complexions or those seeking shine control
• While I did not find this to be the case, some reviewers felt the product felt sticky during or following application
• While the product was fine for my very sensitive skin, others claim it made them broke out, or caused allergic reaction

Milk Makeup: Money-Back Guarantee

While I did not personally experience any negative issues, concerns or skin reactions even with quite sensitive skin, allergy is always possible with any topical use product or treatment. The manufacturer, Milk Makeup, has a strong return and exchange policy that honors full refunds upon dissatisfaction or allergy, and this policy favors the new and returning consumers. If you are dissatisfied with the use of the product, or if it does not work for your skin to provide suitable anti-aging benefits, or you experience any product allergy or reaction to the formulation, you may elect to return it at any time. In this case, you will receive a full refund equal to the entire purchase price of the item. It is important to note that the ingredients in this formulation are very suitable for even the most sensitive skin, and designed to improve breakouts as well as topical skin conditions, however allergy is possible with any product. This policy applies to online purchase as individual store policy may vary, and if the product was a gift the policy applies to even exchanges.

Milk Makeup Matcha Toner: Worth It?

Ultimately, if you’re seeking a stick or solid formulation for a toner, this is your best, and only, option. Suitable for all skin types, even the most sensitive skin, the product glides on to the skin and restores hydration while providing a refreshing cleanse. It did not cause any redness, irritation, or breakouts even with very sensitive skin, and would be equally suitable for those with dry or oily skin. All of the ingredients in the formulation are natural, and this is perfect option if you’re seeking toning products or looking to try different cosmetics items that are vegan or gluten-free (or both), which are often quite difficult categories to find good products in. While it does not come cheap, it definitely offers longevity as not much product is needed for application. A mini size is also available if you’re not ready to take the plunge with a full size item, however the traditional size offers more value compared to cost. Milk Makeup is a really transparent company that I enjoy supporting for their environmentally conscious products, cruelty-free policy, and mission to ensure a broader audience can purchase the product if they are trying to avoid certain ingredients, like gluten.

If you’re trying to avoid gluten in the foods you eat, try reading our review on Sun Basket, where it’s easy to find a plan that caters to your dietary needs.

It definitely made my skin glow, and using it for hydration and as a primer was also great, as less foundation was needed and the finish was more radiant and even.

Highly recommended!