Road Test: I tried Foreo’s smart masking device to see if it would improve my skin
WORDS BY CAIT EMMA BURKE
Taking face masks to an entirely new level.
I have a bit of a ritual when it comes to face masks. Once a week, usually on a Sunday, I run a bath, light some incense and pop one on, while music intended for maximum relaxation purposes plays softly in the background (usually some type of ambient jazz playlist, I don’t mess around when it comes to relaxation). If I’m really relaxing, I’ll use some eye gels and savour a glass of wine at the same time.
But my favourite component of this relaxation session is undoubtedly the face mask – I’m a sucker for a good face mask. Being an editor, I’m sent a lot of skincare products which means I have accrued a sizeable collection of face masks. Pastes, sheets, clays, charcoals, creams, gels – you name it, and I probably own it.
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So it’s not often that something in the world of face masks really piques my interest, but upon learning about FOREO’s smart masking device, UFO 2, I knew I had to try it. Obviously, being a skincare guinea pig, the idea of taking my face mask ritual to a whole new level is very appealing to me.
For the uninitiated, FOREO is the world’s most popular skincare device brand, launched seven years ago with the cult-favourite silicone cleansing brush, LUNA. You’ve probably seen some of your favourite skinfluencer’s raving about FOREO’s products on Instagram, and with good reason – from everything I’ve heard through devotees of the brand’s devices, they offer seriously impressive results.
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Back to the device at hand: UFO 2 smart masking device. A round circular device in a very pleasing baby pink and rose gold combo, UFO 2 is the only device of its kind on the market (hence my eagerness to try it) and claims to reinvent at home masking for the better, by combining LED light treatment with cryotherapy and thermotherapy for a luxurious, technologically-savvy masking experience.
The device targets enlarged pores, dull skin tone, redness, puffiness and wrinkles, ultimately resulting in glowy and hydrated skin. As someone with troublesome dry-yet-oily acne-prone skin that often looks lacklustre, a device that can provide me with a more radiant, flawless complexion is incredibly appealing. So let’s give it a whirl.
Putting it to the test
Please excuse the makeup-free photos, but one can’t very well apply a face mask with makeup on, so here you have my visage free of any products at all, directly after double-cleansing. As you can see, I have not been blessed with naturally ‘good’ skin. I have acne scars, redness, dryness, oiliness – the whole kit and caboodle. The UFO 2 comes with a selection of masks you can use with the device, and after inspecting my skin close up, I decided on the H2Overdose mask, a hyaluronic acid-infused mask that promises ultra-hydration.
Now, before you can use the mask, you need to activate your device on FOREO’s For You app and connect it to your phone via Bluetooth (pretty high tech, right). The process is super straight forward, and after scanning the QR code and setting up and connecting my device, I followed the instructions and inserted my mask. It’s hard to describe without doing it yourself, but there’s a clear ring which you remove and you open the sheet mask which is a round circle, lay it on top of the device, and place the clip over top to secure it in place.
With my mask ready to go, I let the app know which one I had chosen and started the treatment. It took me 30 seconds or so to really get the hang of how to manoeuvre it around my face – the round shape fits well in your hand, but there isn’t anything to grip on to. But once I got used to it, the process worked seamlessly. Basically, the mask is attached to the back of the device, and you move it across your face, distributing all its goodness in circular motions.
The device buzzes and vibrates and moves through different treatment cycles as you move it across your face, letting you know via the app exactly what it’s targeting. When you first start applying the mask, the revitalising red LED light and thermotherapy provide a gentle warmth, massaging your skin and preparing it for the high dose of moisture it’s about to receive.
The addition of T-Sonic pulsations ensures maximum penetration of all the hyaluronic acid this mask contains, and provides your skin with long-lasting hydration. This is followed up nicely with a skin brightening green LED light that works alongside soothing T-Sonic pulsations to help even out skin tone.
But fancy technological capabilities aside, on a very basic level, it just felt incredibly relaxing. The whole ‘bringing the spa to you’ thing isn’t hyperbole – I felt pampered, and the device felt like it was actually doing very good things to my skin.
The results are in
It’s hard to show just how hydrated and plump my skin was once the treatment finished. My skin looked brighter and yes, more radiant, and areas that have a tendency to look dry and dull near my nose and eyes looked much more glowy. But most notably, it looked significantly less red.
Yes, I still look tired, but it’s Melbourne Fashion Festival at the moment which means late nights and crazy hours, so you’ll have to forgive the under-eye bags. The next day when I applied my makeup, I noticed that it sat better and that my skin just seemed much more hydrated, with minimal dull, dry patches.
Would I use UFO 2 again? Look, it’s definitely a little more admin than plonking on your run of the mill sheet mask or scooping out some cream from a tub and whacking it on, but if I’m seeing results like these after one use – and experiencing a whole new level of relaxation while using it – then I have a feeling UFO 2 will be a welcome addition to my Sunday night maxo-relaxo routine.
Check out FOREO’s UFO 2 smart masking device for yourself here.
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