Foreo’s UFO is a vibrating puck that makes sheet masks better
Skincare company Foreo is adding a bit of tech into a beloved pampering ritual with its new UFO and UFO Mini devices. The company is calling these smart masks, and UFO stands for Ur Future Obsession — both of which are sort of misnomers. The UFOs are more like palm-sized pucks that vibrate, similar to the Neutrogena Wave cleansers. You attach a mini sheet mask, which Foreo is selling at $9.99 for seven, and rub the device all over your face. During this, the UFO is going through a preset cycle — heating up for 30 seconds, followed by a period of vibrating, and finishing with 30 seconds of cooling down.
There are benefits to having these extras when applying a sheet mask — the heat opens up your skin’s pores to help you better absorb the juicy goodness. A light ring on the UFO also glows red, green and blue to signal whether you’re in the heat, vibrate or cool phases respectively. But they also offer other benefits. The red light is supposed to stimulate collagen production to counter signs of aging, the green brightens a dull complexion while the blue is supposed to fight bacteria and promote blood circulation. According to Foreo, anyway.
After I tried out a 90-second facial on half of my made-up face, I did notice a lot less residue left on my face compared to what I typically see after a 20-minute mask. This makes me think that the heat did help my skin absorb more of the mask, but it could also be the fact that the UFO’s sheet is so much smaller than a traditional mask. It’s also easier to ensure that areas of my face that are not typically covered by sheet masks, like the corners of my nose and around my mouth, got some mask goodness. Beyond that, I couldn’t tell if there was much of a difference in results from using UFO compared to my usual sheet masks.
Still, the whole experience was immensely comfortable. The UFO will only go up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and down to 40 degrees, so your skin won’t get scorched. I thought that having to rub the device all over my face would be troublesome, but since it’s only for 90 seconds, I wasn’t too bothered. I think the only reason to pick a traditional sheet mask over the UFO is if you’re feeling extremely lazy and want to put on a mask, lay down and not have to physically exert yourself at all.
The UFO’s battery should last for up to two weeks on a charge if you’re using it twice daily. Foreo is offering morning and nighttime masks at launch, with preset cycles catered to each. The UFO costs $279, while the Mini, which doesn’t have the cooling capability, is $179. That’s not money that I want to spend unless I know it will truly improve my complexion, but others might like the entire UFO pampering experience.
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