I Thought Toner Was a Gimmick Until Medicube Made Me Look Less Exhausted

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Between getting older, working in the field, and spending my days surrounded by Manhattan’s pollution and the elements, I’ve never been more concerned about my skin. After trying Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0, I added an entirely new category to my skincare routine, and honestly, I’m annoyed I didn’t start sooner.

Like most guys, my skincare routine was basic at best: cleanser, moisturizer, hyaluronic acid, and sunscreen whenever I remembered it. But none of it ever gave me that immediate damn, I actually look refreshed today feeling. 

Then I noticed my South Asian girlfriend constantly reaching for a product I had only ever associated with office printers: toner.

After finally getting tired of hearing me complain that I no longer looked the way I did during my college years, and finding that no skincare product worked well for my tan skin, she handed me one of her signature Korean skincare products: Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0. Take that, ravages of time.

What a complete game changer.

Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0: $18.90 (originally $31)

The following morning, I started my skincare routine by popping open Medicube’s translucent-blue lid, grabbing the tiny plastic tweezers, and lifting one of the toner pads out of the container with unnecessary precision. The instructions recommend starting at the center of the face and wiping outward with the embossed side before flipping to the silky side and lightly patting in the remaining product.

Within seconds, my skin felt cooler, cleaner, and noticeably more awake. Whether it was the exfoliating acids, the hydration boost, or simply the feeling of finally using something designed to repair the abuse my skin takes every day, I immediately understood why toner has such a cult following in Korean skincare.

Then came the part that genuinely surprised me.

My skin had this moisturized, almost reflective quality to it. What are the cool kids calling it now? Dewy. Not greasy, and not sweaty subway-platform shine. Just healthy-looking skin. I looked like I was finally drinking more water and sleeping eight plus hours a night.

I assumed the effect would disappear the second I layered on the rest of my skincare routine or stepped outside into Manhattan’s traffic and building exhaust fumes. Instead, the opposite happened.

Even after a full day in the field, I’d catch my reflection in a bathroom mirror or dark storefront window and notice my skin still looked fresh and dewey. Ingredients like White Willow Bark and Citric Acid help exfoliate buildup and excess oil, while the toner pads themselves leave behind ample hydration to keep your skin from feeling stripped or dry afterward. Instead of looking exhausted halfway through the day, my skin held up shockingly well against Manhattan’s daily gauntlet of sweat and grime. 

For someone who once thought toner belonged next to printer cartridges, consider me converted. Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 has officially earned a permanent spot in my skincare routine. 

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