'I put Poundland's £1 milky toner promising 'glass skin' to the test against a £15 K-beauty buy'

Daily Mirror

a day ago

Glass skin is a huge skincare trend, so Mirror's shopping writer Grace tested Poundland's £1 milky toner against Beauty of Joseon's £15 K-Beauty rice milk and saw impressive results
Milky textures in skincare have become a trend this year, with hydrating serums, toners, and micellar waters popping up everywhere. Having already tried out a few formulas, including BYOMA's Hydrating Milky Toner, £11.99, Curel's Moisture Facial Milk, £20, and Beauty of Joseon's Glow Replenishing Rice Milk, £15.50, I love the glow they give and how much they moisturise the skin, especially when prepping it for make-up.
Even Hailey Bieber swears by a drop of her rhode Glazing Milk mixed into foundation for the ultimate dewy look.
However, retailing usually between £10 - £30, they can be a pretty pricey addition to your skincare routine, especially if you are opting for higher-end ones like rhode, Tatcha or Curel.
Luckily for us, Poundland launched its Body Stories collection at the end of last year, a range focusing on affordable, effective, and everyday skincare essentials. Jumping on the milky formula trend, a Milky Micellar Water is included in the range and retails for only £1.
I decided to test out this affordable buy against Beauty of Joseon's Glow Replenishing Rice Milk, which is one of my current favourite products in my routine. They are, of course, slightly different in the sense that Poundland's is a micellar water, so it aims to remove make-up and impurities while providing a glowing base. However, I wanted to see if Poundland's glow could live up to a pricier purchase.
Poundland Body Stories Milky Micellar Water review
Pros
Fragrance free, gentle and great for sensitive skin, great price
Cons
Not as glowy as other milky products, doesn't remove make-up as easily as other micellar waters
Upon first use, I was really impressed with the thick consistency of the micellar water. I prefer a richer formula with these types of products. I was a little conscious that this would leave too much of a glow, one that borders on shiny, but was pleasantly surprised to see this was not the case.
Infused with ceramides and watermelon extract, this formula injects a boost of hydration into your skin immediately after use, which you can immediately see on the skin.
Plus, being fragrance-free gets some brownie points from me. My skin can be pretty sensitive to added scents or harsh ingredients, but this soothing, moisturising formula didn't cause me any issues. And I was sceptical considering the price is so low.
My main criticism was that the results were just not quite as glowy or as much of a long-lasting glow as I would like. Or compared to other milky products, such as Beauty of Joseon's Rice Milk. However, if you prefer a more subtle radiance, this will work well for you.
Considering the £1 price tag on this Poundland buy, I would absolutely purchase it again. It may not have provided super long-lasting hydration and radiance compared to other pricier buys, but it worked as a fantastic base under make-up for that 'lit-from-within' look.
It's currently not available to shop online but is available in your local Poundland store.
Beauty of Joseon Glow Replenishing Rice Milk review
Pros
Ideal for oily skin, gives that "glass skin" effect, radiant rather than shiny
Cons
Very watery consistency
I'm already an avid user of milky toners, so it was unsurprising that I enjoyed using Beauty of Joseon's one so much. However, what cemented this one in particular as my new go-to is how well it works for oily skin.
Other milky toners can sometimes lean on the side of shiny, rather than radiant, but that wasn't the case with this rice milk.
Not to mention, I got literally stopped in the street and complimented on my "glass skin", which hasn't happened to me with the other milky toners I've used.
It definitely gives that luminous, "I drink three litres of water a day" glow, and because it's infused with rice extract and rice amino acids, it actually feeds your skin with a whole load of vitamins and antioxidants.
My only criticism is that I would prefer the consistency were slightly thicker; it is far more watery than other milky toners I've used in the past, and that leads me to pouring out a bit too much product every time I use it.
Overall, however, I think it's the perfect glowy but not greasy base for under makeup or those makeup-free days when you want your skin to do all the talking.