Imagine my surprise when I learned that there are women who do face masks as often as twice a day.

Yes, It’s true, and I’d normally dismiss this practice except this was top Korean skincare advice, and having quickly fallen in love with the Korean skincare ways, I was quick to give it a try. But, ain’t nobody got time for two daily face masks as that’s easily 30 minutes of the day without all the prep and cleanup that comes with it.

So, I planned to do one. And of course, since we live in the time of technology (and I still didn’t have an extra 15 minutes every day to do the actual face masks), I used the Foreo UFO to help me with this experiment — I’ll explain this later.

Time frame

What better time to try this out than the holiday season! I was basically running on little sleep (holiday deadlines and all) and a lot of stress. I was at the cusp of a breakout and tiny pimples had popped out on my forehead and chin. My face definitely needed the R&R.

I planned to do this for five straight days (a proper work week!) throughout the actual Christmas holidays because bad eating and staying up late is a sure eventuality at this time of year.

Also, I wanted my face to look fresh for the family photos. Duh.

Parameters

Attempt one face mask a day integrated into my routine, wherever it would fit.

And yes, I know that five days is such a tiny time frame to be able to see significant changes, but we’re doing this nonetheless because if it makes even a tiny difference, imagine what it could do long term.

Tools

We’re doing this the high-tech way. As mentioned, instead of boring, traditional face masks, I busted out the Foreo UFO which is an interesting little device that allows for the same face mask goodness in only a minute and a half.

Instead of a full face mask, you have these tiny masks circles that attach to the UFO

Yes, those mask circles are basically face masks in different sizes, also submerged in some face serum goodness.

Attach mask to the device like so

It also has a Foreo app and many different face mask options

The app will prescribe different treatments depending on the mask you use

This tiny puck vibrates (what people in the beauty world would call T-sonic pulsations), heats up (thermotherapy), or cools down (cryotherapy) for optimum mask absorption.

Additionally, the UFO adds LED light treatment that can help with acne, inflammation, or even collagen production — apparently, LED facials are a thing with celebs like Jessica Alba, and even the Kardashians are swearing by it.

Day 1

The whole thing seemed simple enough. Because these masks need not be on my face for 15 minutes (which is forever in precious before-bed minutes), it was an easy addition to my evening routine.

As with any device though, I needed a little time to get used to the Foreo UFO. First off, I didn’t realize it would be so messy. Adding the mask patch on the puck and squeezing out the extra serum (of course, we cannot let it go to waste!) meant my hands got goopy and some may or may not have ended up on the floor.

After initial apprehensions brought about by mess-making, the UFO was pretty straightforward to use: Pair the puck with your phone, pick the mask treatment, scan the mask barcode, and the app pretty much walks you through whatever it’s doing.

Immediately after a UFO session

The first mask I used is called the Matte Maniac which is designed for cleansing skin. I felt fully pampered before I went to bed that night as I wished the pimples forming on my forehead and chin away.

Day 2

Still at it and on this evening, I did Foreo’s Youth Junkie mask. If it wasn’t already obvious, Foreo has a whole line of masks for different skin issues. (I talk about these masks in a different article).

I’m feeling confident about the new addition to my routine now. Super easy! I could do this every time.

Day 3

I could feel my skin calming down, but this might also be a psychological reaction to knowing I’m spending more time pampering my face. Either way, it seems like the impending breakout was averted: My forehead and chin looked so much better compared to when I began the challenge.

I used the H20verdose mask because hydration is key, people!

Day 4

As with any challenge, there would always be a time when your resolve is tested.  This would be that time.

It was Christmas Eve and my poor scheduling skills ended with less than ideal time to get ready for a big family celebration dinner. I wanted to do a mask before said dinner so that I’d look great in photos (yes, it was happening on this day). Obviously, I was rushing and pissed that I had one extra step to do.

I attempted to do it, and failed miserably: My Foreo UFO had low battery, which was my fault — I did play with it a whole lot after I took photos for this feature and forgot to turn it off — so I had to charge. I plugged in the UFO and there it had to stay for at least an hour. I didn’t get to finish the minute and a half that was supposedly a whole cycle as I had to go to dinner; merrymaking was to be had mask or no mask treatment.

I was also pretty sad because I used the Shimmer Freak mask which was my favorite and it seemingly went to waste. This would never have happened with a normal mask. 😅

Day 5

Because I didn’t want to waste face mask sheets, I actually saved the one from the day before to use again (Ha!). I quickly learned that wasn’t possible as the mask dried up overnight. ☹️

On to the next mask, then! I used the pearl-infused Glow Addict mask. At this point, I was getting more and more tired — it was a late night for me — and more and more annoyed: Why do I even need to scan the mask barcode (which you have to do every time) when I can just choose the mask I’m using on the app? Why does it take 90 whole seconds and not faster? Why does the mask keep detaching? (I found out that the mask can sometimes detach from the UFO when you’re rushing and being careless.)

I have no photo because I was up late decking the halls with boughs of holly and even just getting the mask done took so much effort and willpower from me. I was so sleepy I couldn’t even. 🙄

Instead, enjoy this GIF of me, shot at another time, with the UFO:

Day 6

I know I said I’d do five days but despite the ups and downs of the last few days, my face actually felt nice so I decided to continue on.

No makeup!

It may not be as obvious in the photos but I had softer, more hydrated skin and no new pimples had popped up. I was rocking the no-foundation look by this time. What you see in this last photo is actual amusement at the end result.

My takeaway

I honestly don’t think I could’ve realistically done one face mask a day. Even with the gift that is the Foreo UFO, there were days when I just doubted why I was even attempting this (see Day 4 and 5). Then again, this extra hassle is the price I pay for better skin in 1.5 minutes, as opposed to 15.

Skincare takes so much effort, something I already knew. Adding one little thing to your routine can do a lot and although I cannot definitively say that it will improve your skin, I was happy with the results even after just a week. I felt fresher, skin looked less gray and dull, and I felt like the masks contributed to stopping my breakout in its tracks — if not via all the good ingredients it introduced to my face, via the calm minute or so the UFO sessions turned out to be. Honestly, I don’t think that vibrating puck would be as relaxing as it ended up being.

While I don’t think I’ll be keeping the one face mask a day rule, I’ll definitely keep on using the Foreo UFO — just not every day, to preserve my sanity and improving skin.