Want the viral glazed donut look without the risk of congested skin? Check out my favourite milky toners and essences that deliver the glow, but not the breakouts and clogged pores.

If you’ve read any other posts on this blog, you’ll know I’m equal parts curious and skeptical of viral products. I’ve learned (the hard way) that not every viral product works for my oily, acne prone, tropics dwelling skin. So, when Rhode’s Glazing Milk started taking over my social media feeds, I was intrigued but wary. A dewy, glazed donut like base layer that hydrates and soothes? Sounded like a dream—until I took a closer look at the ingredient list. Seeing some potential pore-cloggers and the thickkk, creamy consistency, I knew, even without trying, that this product wasn’t designed for me. Plus, I live outside the US, in a country where Rhode is being sold at a ridiculous 2X markup!

Still, us oily girls want to get our glow on too—and the good news is that there are so many fantastic, affordable milky toners out there that do the same thing, without triggering a breakout. So, if you’re looking for Rhode Glazing Milk substitutes that work for oily, acne-prone skin, you’ll find some tried-and-true picks below.

Why Rhode’s Glazing Milk May Not Work for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

Despite claiming their products are designed for all skin types, Rhode Beauty has always felt, to me, like a brand that’s catering to normal/dry or damaged skin. There’s a lot of emphasis on rich, nourishing ingredients like ceramides, peptides, shea butter, and marula oil. While these ingredients can be extremely beneficial for dry skin, they can be a little too rich if your skin—like mine—is already prone to congestion.

In the case of the Glazing Milk, the ingredient that immediately sent alarm bells ringing for me was Coconut Alkanes, an emollient created from the fatty-acids of coconut oil. This was third on the ingredient list (indicating a high percentage) and was just one of quite a few heavy emollients that I knew would be too occlusive for my skin. Then there was the consistency of this product, which is far heavier than the watery essences my skin is used to. Even though it’s marketed as an essence, it looks waaaay thicker than any essence I’ver ever used—almost like a lighter moisturizer.

4 Lighter, More Oily Skin Friendly Alternatives

I’m intentionally not calling these “dupes”, because their ingredient lists aren’t identical to that of the Rhode Glazing Milk. Instead, I’m recommending milky toners and essences that can give oily skin the same healthy, glazed glow without the risk of congestion. All these products are lightweight, and for the most part, free of pore-clogging, occlusive ingredients.

1. Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner

I’m so conflicted about Anua as a brand. On the one hand, their ultra hyped, viral products—like the Heartleaf toner, or the Niacinamide + TXA serum—are big fat “mehs” for me. Yet, their less talked about products are far more impressive! This rice toner and the ceramide barrier serum from the same range are both excellent (and that’s saying something coming from a diehard I’m From Rice Toner stan).

Similar to the I’m From toner, the Anua formulation is also made up primarily of rice bran water, and has niacinamide listed as the second ingredient. However, the Anua toner is bolstered with the presence of ceramides and hyaluronic acid for added hydration and barrier support. The Anua toner is also a little less creamy than the I’m From version. In my opinion, both are great toners, but the Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner wins out as being a better alternative to the Rhode Glazing Milk. It’s also fungal acne safe, which makes it a great choice for all types of acne-prone skin.

2. Tirtir Milk Skin Toner Light

The important thing to note with this product is that there are 2 versions of the Tirtir Milk Skin Toner–original and light. The original has a richer texture, which is closer to the that of the Rhode Glazing Milk, but not quite as creamy. Personally, however, I prefer the light version (no surprise), which is thinner and fast-absorbing, designed for combination to oily skin or humid weather.

Similar to the Anua toner, the Tirtir Milk Skin Toner Light is a lot more watery, and a lot less milky than a conventional milky toner, but don’t be fooled by the lighter texture, it’s still packed full of amazing hydrating and soothing ingredients, including niacinamide, rice extract, panthenol, centella asiatica, green tea extract, and beta glucan to name a few. Similar to the Rhode Glazing Milk, this formula also contains ceramides and peptides, though they’re far lower on the ingredients list and are likely to be found in a lower concentration here.

3. Torriden Dive In Skin Booster

It’s hard to describe the consistency of this product, but for me it’s somewhere between a toner and a serum. It still feels very lightweight on the skin, and absorbs quickly, but doesn’t have quite the same runny consistency as the other recommendations.

Even though it’s not a traditional milky toner, I included it on this list because of its formula, which shares a lot in common with the Glazing Milk. Similar to the Rhode formula, this little hydration hero from Torriden is formulated with five types of hyaluronic acid, alongside panthenol, ceramides and allantoin—providing multi-layer hydration, that leaves the skin plump and refreshed without a greasy feel. Trust me, your skin will absolutely drink this up. For my fungal-acne suffering girls, this is another one on the safe list.

4. The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner

The only non-K-beauty product on this list, and I debated hard about whether or not to include it on at all, because, in terms of ingredients, it’s VERY different from the Glazing Milk. But, I decided to keep it in because 1) It is a milky toner, and 2) It does provide similar textural and brightening benefits.

The Ordinary feels like its faded in relevance a little over the last few years. The once cult brand seems to have lost its edge, and it’s a shame because it’s still putting out some great products. Case in point: this milky toner formulated with a 30% concentration of saccharomyces ferment—a yeast ferment which gently hydrates and exfoliates the skin. The fermented yeast definitely gives this product a funky ol’ smell, but if you can get past it, then you may find that it leaves you with even-toned, radiant looking skin, like it did for me. The addition of squalane in this minimalist formula ensures added hydration too.

Final Thoughts: Just Because It’s Viral, Doesn’t Mean It’s For You

Fellow, oily girls, I hope you found a recommendation here that you liked. I know there are many out there which I missed (and some which I purposely excluded), but tell me which is your fave, and which I should try next.

Remember, just because something is viral, doesn’t mean it’ll work for your skin’s specific needs. While Rhode’s Glazing Milk is undeniably trendy, there are so many effective alternatives that won’t break the bank or your skin barrier. The key is to know your skin, listen to it, and find what’s going to keep it happiest over the long term.