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The Ordinary

Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner.

The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner
Toners

About this product

A lightweight milky toner with 30% fermented saccharomyces, squalane, and 3% N-acetyl glucosamine designed to gently exfoliate, hydrate, and brighten the skin.

Type

TonersLiquid

Key actives

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Full ingredients

Guru Score

72%

Mixed

8 experts · Strong agreement
8Gurus
6Approved
1Mixed
1Skip
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What the gurus are saying

This toner's gentle fermented exfoliation divides reviewers on whether the payoff justifies daily use. Most find it hydrating and calming with a milky texture that spreads smoothly when pressed in rather than rubbed, though one expert found it hard to apply and saw little visible benefit beyond basic hydration. The yeast ferment at 30% offers mild brightening and may help the skin barrier over time, but experts caution expectations: stubborn dark spots need stronger actives, and one dermatologist flagged potential irritation if used long-term. Those after a daily gentle exfoliant without the dryness of acids may want to patch-test first; it pairs best used alone, not layered with other ferment products.
Synthesized from 8 expert reviews · most recent take February 2026
Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved takes Critical takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored
~Skip
"I see no reason to ever go back to that Saccharomyces thing. It was more of a try use for the sake of reviewing it because people are curious. But I don't really like this that much."
All 2 takes from Dr Dray
The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner *REVIEW*
"I had a difficult time getting it to spread well on the skin. I found my skin was hydrated, didn't burn or sting, but I didn't notice any other effect. It wasn't mindblowing, it wasn't the most amazing thing I have ever used. It has squalane and a humectant which is pretty lightweight and softens and smooths dry rough skin, but other than that not a whole lot going on. Overall, I have not been super impressed with this product. It would not be one I would repurchase. I love milky toners, but there are better ones out there that are hydrating, easier to apply, and I have appreciated definite bang for my buck in terms of hydration, smooth skin, and plump skin."
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"I see no reason to ever go back to that Saccharomyces thing. It was more of a try use for the sake of reviewing it because people are curious. But I don't really like this that much."
~Approved
"The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner is a gentle exfoliating toner with a lot of fermented ingredients, which will make or break it for you. It smells like baking yeast, which reminds me of baking bread, but some people find it off-putting. Fermented ingredients can be broken into smaller pieces that absorb better, though not everyone sees a benefit. I found my skin looked hydrated, fresh, calm, and maybe a tad brighter, and I really enjoyed it, but I wouldn't expect it to make a huge difference on dark spots. It's a great one depending on your expectations."
All 3 takes from Doctor Anne
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"The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner is a gentle exfoliating toner with a lot of fermented ingredients, which will make or break it for you. It smells like baking yeast, which reminds me of baking bread, but some people find it off-putting. Fermented ingredients can be broken into smaller pieces that absorb better, though not everyone sees a benefit. I found my skin looked hydrated, fresh, calm, and maybe a tad brighter, and I really enjoyed it, but I wouldn't expect it to make a huge difference on dark spots. It's a great one depending on your expectations."
My most loved skincare 2024 - Holy grail routine | Doctor Anne
"I discovered The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner this year and while people online don't seem to be able to agree if it actually does something or is simply an overpriced hydrating toner, I have grown to love it. My skin looks well hydrated, calm and happy when I use it, and that is what counts."
Treating Hyperpigmentation & Acne in Fall: Doctor Anne's Full Morning Skincare Routine
"The one I use on the other days is The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner. I still enjoy that a lot. I don't think this counts as an exfoliating toner, it's just hydrating, maybe a little bit brightening, with a really really lovely texture."
~Approved
"The top two milky toners this year, a lighter formula by The Ordinary, their Saccharomyces Ferment. Great for spring and summer."
~Approved
"This is The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment Milky Toner. When it comes to anti-aging, I do like to use Saccharomyces as this one. This ingredient is phenomenal when it comes to gently speeding up cell turnover, getting rid of some of those dead skin cells, but not in an aggressive way like an exfoliating acid. It also helps deeply nourish and hydrate. A lot of the wrinkles we see on our skin are as a result of dehydration, so just plump yourself up, get some instant results, and I think this is a really nice option. I go in with maybe five drops of it and then I just pat it in. It feels so good on the skin. It's nice and plumping. It's hydrating and it doesn't strip and dry. My skin drinks this up and it does definitely make a difference when it comes to cell turnover."
All 5 takes from Mad About Skin
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"This is the only toner I think they do have the salicylic, um, the glycolic acid toner but I don't really count that. Um, this is the first like daily toner that um The Ordinary do and it's beautiful. Put a little between the palms of your hands and then just press it in. I personally press this in because I actually find it absorbs a little bit better that way. It helps with the plumping and also I feel it gives an element of facial massage, you know, tap tap as you're letting this go and it'll just get that circulation moving and bring the skin back to life in the morning. This is great, it's hydrating with the Saccharomyces but it's also lightly exfoliating so if you use this every day on a morning you don't need to exfoliate that often. It's just a really nice like all round phenomenal product."
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"It's a nice watery serum that blends straight in. It's not oily at all, so as oily folk we don't need extra oil applied to the skin, so this is beautiful in terms of how it applies and you can just see it sinks straight in. It pairs with everything else in your skincare routine. I'd actually say the only thing that I wouldn't use this with is the Milky toner from the Ordinary, so I'd say use this on a morning, the Milky toner on an evening, or vice versa, or use one or the other, because they both contain that ingredient and I think you might be overloading the skin. For me, I use this morning and evening and I target it on those areas where I have blackheads and excess oil. I'll then use the Milky toner from the Ordinary on the rest of my skin. That's how I choose to use it, but it's entirely up to you. I just wouldn't use the two together in the same routine because you might be overdoing it. This for me is a great affordable pore minimizing serum."
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"The Ordinary milky toner actually really good as a gentle exfoliant. Milky toners are good for hydration, so if you want extra hydration, a milky toner is a good option."
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"The Ordinary Milky Toner has a rich milky consistency that's going to hydrate and at the margins also help with exfoliation. This is the sort of toner you can use every single day and just gradually exfoliate the skin as you go. It's not going to be super sensitizing, it'll work for almost all skin types. I think this is just a universal toner that everyone can slot into their skincare routine for upping their glow game, helping to fade any textural irregularities, and doing so without stressing out the skin too much or causing irritation. I absolutely love this."
5⭐ SKIN FIRMING ROUTINE (Ultimate Anti Aging Skincare Routine)
"This is The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment Milky Toner. When it comes to anti-aging, I do like to use Saccharomyces as this one. This ingredient is phenomenal when it comes to gently speeding up cell turnover, getting rid of some of those dead skin cells, but not in an aggressive way like an exfoliating acid. It also helps deeply nourish and hydrate. A lot of the wrinkles we see on our skin are as a result of dehydration, so just plump yourself up, get some instant results, and I think this is a really nice option. I go in with maybe five drops of it and then I just pat it in. It feels so good on the skin. It's nice and plumping. It's hydrating and it doesn't strip and dry. My skin drinks this up and it does definitely make a difference when it comes to cell turnover."
~Approved
"This product is amazing when it comes to gentle exfoliation because you have 30% fermented essence. It is a very very gentle exfoliant. The beauty of this product is it is a milky texture, it's not thick, it's watery but it's very very hydrating at the same time. It's an amazing benefit, especially in this area. It doesn't matter how much you exfoliate, this is a product that gives you that gentle daily exfoliation."
All 2 takes from Nipun Kapur
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"I absolute love this product and I am loving it so if you are looking at and this particular product is unique to the ordinary"
Gentle Exfoliation for Anti-Aging and Texture Control | Nipun Kapur
"This product is amazing when it comes to gentle exfoliation because you have 30% fermented essence. It is a very very gentle exfoliant. The beauty of this product is it is a milky texture, it's not thick, it's watery but it's very very hydrating at the same time. It's an amazing benefit, especially in this area. It doesn't matter how much you exfoliate, this is a product that gives you that gentle daily exfoliation."
~Approved
"If you want a drug store product I love the ordinary milky toner. With this you are going to get a brightening effect but the problem is that it may irritate the skin over a period of time. I don't think it'll happen straight away it may well happen a year or two later. So I'm just throwing that out there because if you do want to purchase it I actually fully understand but just be aware that if you start to notice any irritation stop buying the product."
All 2 takes from Dr. Vanita Rattan
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"Yeast extract is at 30% which is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories and also helps a little bit with hyperpigmentation. Squalene is a hydrating emollient and contains 3% N.A, that's N-acetyl glucosamine which very gently removes dead skin cells. This is how brightening occurs. It's a very simple formula with no other actives. It's a decent toner and I'd recommend it if you're looking for a daily gentle exfoliating toner. I'd use it only at night and you can use a treatment serum on top followed by a moisturizer to seal it all in. This will create a hydrated healing environment for the skin."
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"If you want a drug store product I love the ordinary milky toner. With this you are going to get a brightening effect but the problem is that it may irritate the skin over a period of time. I don't think it'll happen straight away it may well happen a year or two later. So I'm just throwing that out there because if you do want to purchase it I actually fully understand but just be aware that if you start to notice any irritation stop buying the product."
~Mixed
"They really have kind of over promised on this one. It will help with a lot of those things, but you can't really rely on one or two ingredients to do all of those things because there's very few and far between that do all of it. What this can do is give all day hydration because it's really hydrating once it soaks and it feels really nice on your skin. It can reduce the look of dark spots over time, but if you have strong, dark spots, stubborn ones, things that have been around for a long time on your skin, it's not going to do much for those. It will help a little bit over time, but for newer hyperpigmentation it will probably be more helpful. For very stubborn things you're going to need multiple ingredients to really do it. It can mildly exfoliate, very mildly, and it will help with the skin barrier."
All 2 takes from No BS Beauty
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"It feels nice and soft and supple and hydrating. It is on the sticky side but it does feel nice and hydrating and softening. Ferments over time are great for brightening up your skin, they're great for building up your skin barrier. So if your skin barrier is irritated or weak, using things like this ingredient over time will certainly help it. It helps the microbiome and things like that, so ferments are amazing ingredients."
The Ordinary Skincare New! 🆕💧 Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner Review, How to, & Dupes
"They really have kind of over promised on this one. It will help with a lot of those things, but you can't really rely on one or two ingredients to do all of those things because there's very few and far between that do all of it. What this can do is give all day hydration because it's really hydrating once it soaks and it feels really nice on your skin. It can reduce the look of dark spots over time, but if you have strong, dark spots, stubborn ones, things that have been around for a long time on your skin, it's not going to do much for those. It will help a little bit over time, but for newer hyperpigmentation it will probably be more helpful. For very stubborn things you're going to need multiple ingredients to really do it. It can mildly exfoliate, very mildly, and it will help with the skin barrier."
~Approved
"It's very hydrating. It has squalane. It has that milky type of consistency, so this is going to provide the skin with more nourishment, more comfort, and hydration. There's a lot of exfoliating acid formulations out there that are not hydrating. They're actually quite harsh and they make our skin feel tight and dry. This does not. And you can use this every single day if you wish, or you can use it every other day or a few times per week. It's nice to use something that you can be consistent with because the more you use a product, the chances of you seeing results are a lot higher. So with glycolic and lactic acid, sometimes people can only use that once a week or once every other week. With something like this, you can use daily or several times a week and you will see results. I find this to be very underrated. So if you want something that will be nice and gentle and hydrating for the winter months especially, then this is a great option to look into."
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All 3 takes from Sincerely Miss Ash
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"It's very hydrating. It has squalane. It has that milky type of consistency, so this is going to provide the skin with more nourishment, more comfort, and hydration. There's a lot of exfoliating acid formulations out there that are not hydrating. They're actually quite harsh and they make our skin feel tight and dry. This does not. And you can use this every single day if you wish, or you can use it every other day or a few times per week. It's nice to use something that you can be consistent with because the more you use a product, the chances of you seeing results are a lot higher. So with glycolic and lactic acid, sometimes people can only use that once a week or once every other week. With something like this, you can use daily or several times a week and you will see results. I find this to be very underrated. So if you want something that will be nice and gentle and hydrating for the winter months especially, then this is a great option to look into."
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"I love that it has that milky consistency, it just feels so comforting on the skin. It also is super hydrating and it does give your skin this beautiful radiance and glow. We have that fermented ingredient that helps with that uneven skin tone. It definitely gave me a brighter complexion and the texture of my skin improved as well, so this can really help to give more of that soft, smoother feel to the skin. This is also fragrance free. It's still really nice for all skin types, so if you have dry skin, you're going to love it, but even if you have oily, acne, combo skin, you're going to love it too. Overall I am very impressed with this."
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"I love this for exfoliation. This is my favorite because it is so gentle and you can use this every day twice a day if you wish to. So this will keep the results going. You can be more consistent with this because this is not an alpha hydroxy acid. It's also not a beta hydroxy acid or a polyhydroxy acid. This is a yeast ferment technology that helps to exfoliate the skin. Plus, there is a 3% NAG in here which is N acetyl glucosamine. And this ingredient also helps to exfoliate the surface of the skin and helps to brighten up the skin as well improving texture. So, if you have dullness, post acne marks, discoloration, this is great to use on an everyday basis."
Common questions

Frequently asked.

What is The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner?

A lightweight milky toner with 30% fermented saccharomyces, squalane, and 3% N-acetyl glucosamine designed to gently exfoliate, hydrate, and brighten the skin.

Is The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 72%.

What is The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner's Guru Score?

The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner holds a Guru Score of 72%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 8 independent expert reviewers we have collected.

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