Got milk?

While food-inspired drops have seemingly reigned supreme across all categories of beauty over the last few years (“strawberry glaze,” “guava” and “tomato girl,” to name a few), brands are embracing a new — albeit unusual — “It” ingredient: milk.

From the award-winning Drench It face toner by Mikayla Nogueira’s Point of View Beauty to Emi Jay’s Heavenly Hair Milk 3-in-1 and Fenty Beauty’s Butta Drop Hydrating Body Milk, milky — and murky — products are popping up, spawning viral trends such as “skin milking” in the process. In recent months alone, Youth to the People introduced a new Adapatogen Supershroom Cleanser — said to have a “low foaming milky texture,” according to the official press release — and YouTuber Claudia Sulewski added a Ceramide Milky Essence to Cyklar’s product menu.

Hailey Bieber and her billion-dollar beauty brand Rhode is perhaps to thank for this, specifically the brand’s ultra-viral Glazing Milk, which set the internet aflame when it launched in 2023. The product, a $32 facial essence, is rich in both nutrients and ceramides, and is designed to attack dryness, redness and dullness. More than that, the formula promises to leave a glassy finish on the face, an aesthetic that’s become synonymous with Bieber.

Though it’s named Glazing Milk, the skin care doesn’t actually contain animal milk, nor does Point of View’s Drench It or Emi Jay’s hair milk. The term “milk” in beauty comes from the encyclopedia of K-beauty and refers to the silky yet thick texture of the formula made from humectants, vitamins, mineral complexes and ceramides. “Their lightweight, soothing textures make them ideal for sensitive or reactive skin, offering a gentle, calming ritual that enhances the overall skin care experience,” Onyedika Achilike, founder and lead aesthetician at Blue Nomad skin wellness studio, told WWD.

Achilike believes the rising ritual-driven trend in beauty is motivating the uptick in milk-driven products. The trend is an experiential and sensorial approach to self care, encouraging individuals to implement a “tactile,” “slow” everyday regimen. “Milk-textured products aren’t just about their ingredients — they’re about creating a gentle, ritualistic moment of care that nourishes both the skin and the senses. People are craving both the science of ingredient efficacy and the art of engaging the senses,” Achilike explained.

Many “milk products may not actually contain lactic acid, but experts suggest ones that do are just as gentle. Dr. Ross Kopelman, a hair transplant surgeon, told WWD: “Milk proteins can act as moisturizers, and in hair care they can help smooth the cuticle and add softness or shine.”

This is not to say the ingredient won’t have the adverse effect on certain hair and skin types. “Using too much or layering with other strong exfoliants can cause irritation. If you’re acne-prone, the milky texture can sometimes feel heavy or clogging, so it’s best to patch test first,” Michelle Ventresca, aesthetician and founder of Live by Skin, chimed in.

Rule of thumb: Don’t try milk-infused beauty products if you don’t normally drink it straight.