I Tried Hailey Bieber's Viral Complexion Hack - Here's What You Need To Know
Jas is the former Senior Content Specialist at Adore Beauty. A beauty admirer turned certified addict, she brings a sharp editorial eye and pop-culture pulse to everything she creates. Her words have appeared in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and Broadsheet. When she’s not producing viral content or podcasting about skincare, you’ll find her thrifting for vintage treasures or binging Bravo (strictly for research, of course).
I love a Hailey Bieber hack as much as the next chronically online millennial masquerading as Gen-Z.
Am I giving her credit for inventing every viral beauty trend? Of course not. But with over 70 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, her influence is undeniable — even if it does come wrapped in clever product placement.
So, when Bieber drops a beauty GRWM (Get Ready With Me), I pay attention.
The latest complexion hack? Mixing a milky toner with your foundation to achieve that bouncy, glazed-skin, supermodel glow. I saved the video months ago, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to test it properly.
I’ve experimented with mixing glow drops, sunscreen, and even moisturiser with foundation, but toner? That felt rogue. But as we uncovered on the Beauty IQ Uncensored podcast, modern, milky toners are nothing like the astringent, alcohol-heavy formulas of the past.
Obviously, Bieber used her brand, Rhode’s Glazing Milk, in the viral video (the marketing moment is not lost on me).
Thankfully, there’s another milky toner making the rounds; some even call it a close match.
Having tried them both, I’d say the feel and finish are pretty similar: lightweight, milky (duh), and fluid-y. So, when it finally came back in stock (after yet another sell-out), I knew it was time to see if this hack lived up to the hype.
Keep scrolling for the verdict, and the product I used.
The Milky Toner I Used
Is the product stepping in for Rhode? The tbh Skincare Rebound Skin Milk Activated Cica Toner: a lightweight, hydrating formula that’s built for barrier support and skin soothing.
Rebound Skin Milk has quickly built a reputation as a worthy alternative to Glazing Milk. The texture is fluid and silky, it sinks in beautifully, and it leaves my skin with the soft, cushioned finish that makes makeup glide on.
It’s also formulated with Cica (Centella Asiatica) to calm irritation and amino acids to help strengthen the skin barrier = a combination my dry, winter skin desperately needed.
Bonus points: it’s readily available in Australia (when it’s not sold out), so no searching through international stockists required.
The Foundation I Paired It With
For this road test, I used my failsafe base: IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream.
It’s a skin-first, buildable foundation that lasts, and importantly, it plays well with other products. I’ve mixed it with glow drops and other formulas before, so I knew it could handle a milky toner.
For more context, my skin type is typically dry and prone to dehydration in winter. This can often cause my foundation to flake off and look patchy, so I need to work double-time to ensure my face remains hydrated.
Enter, this clever complexion hack.
The mix:
- 1 pump of Rebound Skin Milk
- 1 pump of foundation
- Blended on the back of my hand
I mixed the combo first with my fingers to blend the opposing consistencies, before applying with a fluffy brush à la Bieber for a smooth, skin-like finish.
You could also easily use fingers for an even more seamless effect.
The foundation instantly felt more fluid, spread more easily across my skin, and looked noticeably fresher than when I wear it on its own.
Putting Theory to Test – Is It Worth The Hype?
Straight off the bat, my skin looked brighter and more hydrated. The finish was sheer but glowy, enough coverage to mask redness and spots while still maintaining the natural texture of my skin.
I kept it on for the day to observe how it handled a full eight hours. I was concerned it might separate or slide off my face (she’s a sweaty gal), but to my surprise, it stayed put pretty much all day.
Before and After
To be fair, I did use a medium-to-full coverage foundation — a lighter formula might not hold up as well. And oily skin types may want to tweak the ratio (more foundation, less toner) or use a semi-matte base to balance out the glow.
By the end of my workday, the glow had softened slightly, but my skin still looked and felt fresh. No patchiness, no dryness creeping in around my mouth and chin, and — importantly — no pilling!
Final Verdict
This hack is a brilliant little winter skin fix if your complexion’s feeling dull, dry, or makeup just isn’t sitting right.
Mixing a milky toner like tbh Skincare’s Rebound Skin Milk with your foundation feels like a simple way to upgrade your base without adding extra steps or complicated layering.
And honestly, I love that it feels less like a fleeting TikTok trend and more like a genuinely useful trick.
It’s not going to give you glass skin in one go, but if your makeup’s feeling flat this winter, it’s absolutely worth a try.
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