'I tried the new $24 milky exfoliator from The Ordinary. Here's my honest thoughts.'

Mamamia’s Tried and Tested series is your review of the latest to hit our desks in beauty, health and wellbeing. You won’t find any #sponsored content here, just honest, relatable and independent advice. This week, Mamamia's Beauty Editor trials The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner.

When you think of toner, what do you think of? I'll go first. I think of using it as a teenager and stripping the absolute living goodness out of my skin   

A toner promised to remove all the gunk left on your face after cleansing. It promised to 'close' your pores and prep your skin. And it was as SPICY as hell.

Of course, the spice made you think it was 'working' — but made my skin an irritated, red mess.

So, it soon became a step I'd skip, and it was replaced by hydrating cleansers balms for double cleansing and my whole routine became about putting stuff back in rather than taking it out.

The good news? Skincare formulations are very different to what they were in the early 2000s, and these days toners are galaxies away from the harsh, stingy, alcohol-based stuff many of us used to use.

Watch: Tried and tested: The 10-pump foundation hack. Post continues below.

Enter: The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner, $24.

It's the newest member of the family — and if you're a fan of The Ordinary (all of us) — you've probably already spied it getting around on the brand's social media. 

Now, if you're familiar with The Ordinary — you'll know the brand doesn't do things by halves. They do fluff around with colourful, swanky packaging and flashy words. The stuff is science-backed, clinical and effective. Oh, and affordable.

So, there's a very good reason why a lot of people love the stuff.

But is this new launch something you actually need in your routine? Aren't we done with the whole toner thing? Or do they really deserve a spot in my skincare routine? 

Here, I put it to the test.

What is The Ordinary Milky Toner?

Let's start with a little rundown on the new toner and what it actually is. On the website, Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner is described as "a gentle exfoliating toner that promotes smoother, brighter skin while boosting hydration."

Yes! An exfoliating toner. Sounds exciting. And a wee bit dangerous. 

The key ingredient is a 30 per cent concentration of something called saccharomyces ferment — which sounds like a type of dinosaur, but is actually a yeast ferment technology. 

It's also formulated with another very long and very complicated ingredient called fermented N-acetylglucosamine (NAG). In case you don't have a science degree, this exfoliates the skin's surface to help smooth uneven texture and boost radiance.

Here it is!

This milky little number also includes squalane and promises to provide "all-day lasting hydration, and promotes a stronger skin barrier after eight hours after one application." 

It's supposed to be suitable for all skin types, particularly those with dry, irregular texture and uneven skin tone - which sounds an awful lot like it's made for my skin.

It comes in the brand's classic clinical-looking frosted glass packaging, which clearly outlines the ingredients, percentages and all that unsexy stuff.

How did you go with it?

The texture is EXACTLY like milk. Looks like milk. Feels like milk. Kinda smells like milk? Doesn't taste like milk :( .

The fact that it's a chemical exfoliant made me feel like it could be a bit spicy, but it wasn't the slightest bit strong, stripping and irritating like toners I've used in the past. In fact, the milky formulation actually makes it feel really calming and soothing and absorbs quickly into the skin and isn't sticky or greasy. 

It's easy to apply with a cotton pad (it's really thin, though — so if you pop it in your hands it slips through your fingers, goes down your wrist and annoys the hell out of you x).

I used it after cleansing at night (you can apparently use it morning and night but I started off slow and used at night for twice a week!) and didn't notice any irritation, dryness or redness. My skin felt smooth, hydrated and clean after each use, and gradually my skin has started to look healthier, more balanced and brighter. 

I've also struggled with persistent breakouts and clogged pores around my chin area, and I found this helped clear the bumps and calm redness — so I'm curious to see the results as I continue using it.

The verdict.

I'm actually pretty surprised at how much I've liked this product. I'm usually down for a mere whisper of anything 'milky' but the fact that this is a toner with a hefty percentage of an exfoliating ingredient made me feel a little iffy about whether it would play nice with my skin. 

But it did! Goodness, it played very nicely. 

Not only did it feel calming and soothing on my skin, but I found it was gentle enough for daily use on my sensitive skin and was still really effective when it came to improving the texture of my skin, without upsetting my barrier.

I'll continue using it and can't wait to see how my skin will shape up in the coming weeks. She's a toner girl now!

Have you tried The Ordinary's new milky toner? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Feature image: Supplied.

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