Charlotte Cho, the co-founder of Soko Glam and a licensed esthetician, said. "Think of toner as prep for your pores". "It brings your skin back to its natural acidic state, sweeping impurities away and helping your skin absorb your skincare products. Your skin is like a dried-up sponge. If you put a thick cream on a brittle dry sponge, it won't accept it and it isn't 'prepped' for moisture. But if you wet the sponge, the cream will sink in more easily."