[This article first ran on 30 December]
CHINA. Estée Lauder and China Duty Free Group (CDFG) joined hands on 22 December to host a blockbuster year-end celebration entitled ‘Shining Stars, Beautiful Together’ in Sanya.
This was the sixth such annual event hosted by the two close partners to usher in the New Year.
This year’s theme was inspired by the beauty aspirations of founder, the late Mrs. Estée Lauder, who believed that every woman could be beautiful
The brand invited travellers to Hainan to join in “a cosmic celebration of objects of desire and indulge in the glitz and glamour of the starry night sky”.
Estée Lauder noted it has worked closely with CDFG over recent years to continuously bring consumers top-quality products and high-touch services, helping to upgrade Hainan’s duty free consumption experience.
This year, the American beauty brand created what it described as a new realm of luxury travel shopping, curating a “one-stop, full-on, high-end service featuring a groundbreaking new shopping experience”.
The shopping extravaganza featured the premiere of the cdf Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex’s ‘Galaxy Train’ (a first-ever train service exclusive to the retail location) and the sparkling ‘Starlight Tree’ (see details below), which each attracted a constant stream of visitors.
Estée Lauder said these innovations reflect its pushing the boundaries of retail experience and its commitment to Hainan’s offshore duty free sector.
To mark the occasions, Estée Lauder executives, media, KOLs and other guests gathered at cdf Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex in Haitang Bay to enjoy the ‘Starlight Rendezvous’ event.
The brand extended a special invitation to Estée Lauder Global Ambassador Yang Mi and Estée Lauder Skincare Energy Ambassador Dylan Wang to grace the event, serving as the evening’s stars’ to illuminate the radiance of Hainan and usher in the festive spirit at the end of the year.
Estée Lauder also teamed up with leading KOLs to livestream the event with special Starlight gifts on offer for online viewers.
Positioned at the heart of the square within the cdf Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex, the Starlight Tree sparkled brilliantly, Estée Lauder’s familiar blue harmonising elegantly with the festive red hues.
The star-studded gift boxes gleamed with constellations and golden Pegasus figures leapt from branch to branch, infusing the scene with a warm holiday ambience.
“Estée Lauder shines this holiday season with stellar, beyond beautiful gifts for everyone on your list and a star-studded cosmic celebration in Hainan with CDF,” said Estée Lauder Senior Vice President General Manager Travel Retail Worldwide Alice Marvillet.
“We are honoured to have Yang Mi and Dylan Wang join us to shine a light and celebrate the beautiful stars that are our consumers, and we are proud to be setting a new bar for beauty in travel retail.”
Under the theme of ‘Shining Stars, Beautiful Together’, Estée Lauder also launched ‘Starlight Festive Store’ pop-ups for a limited period during the event.
The pop-ups are prominently featured at cdf Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex and the cdf Mova Mall store in Haikou.
Infused with glittering stars, the stores seamlessly merge the effervescent festive ambience with a collective vision of ‘Beautiful Together’.
Consumers are invited to immerse themselves in a temporary haven aglow with starlight, capturing their star-studded moments in a specially designed photo area and engaging in a series of imaginative interactive retailtainment actvitities exclusive to Hainan.
Consumers who collected a starlight card at the event, gained access to the exclusive Galaxy Train experience and received exclusive Estée Lauder star stickers.
Capturing a photo moment with the Starlight Tree, consumers can collect an additional star sticker. Guests have an exclusive opportunity to obtain two-star stickers, redeemable for brand surprise gifts at the counter. Additionally, consumers who make purchases at offline brand counters stand a chance to enjoy priority access to the Galaxy Train, along with the privilege of unlocking further surprise gifts.
The innovative immersive starlight experience aims to illuminate every consumer’s shopping journey, creating unforgettable holiday memories shared with Estée Lauder.
During the celebrations, Estée Lauder and CDFG introduced the limited-time Nighttime Essential Exclusive Set, featuring Perfectly Clean Multi-Action Foam Cleanser/Purifying Mask (150ml), Micro Essence (200ml), Advanced Night Repair Serum (50ml), Revitalizing Supreme Soft Crème (75ml), and Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream (15ml).
The Perfectly Clean Cleanser/Purifying Mask treats the skin with a refreshing foam that cleanses gently and thoroughly, leaving the skin looking healthy and fresh during travel.
Micro Essence locks in moisture and soothes to minimise the appearance of redness, optimising the skin’s barrier-inherent strength and stability.
The Advanced Night Repair Serum and Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream adopt the unique Chronolux Power Signal Technology, coupled with Tripeptide-32 to effectively repair skin genes from the source, revealing a bright eye look and a radiant complexion. The Revitalizing Supreme Soft Crème significantly improves skin firmness and elasticity for a more lifted and firmer look.
Additionally, Estée Lauder also introduced the luxurious Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv Collection. The cutting-edge Sirtuin Skin Science Technology demonstrates the power to reverse skin cell aging. Sirtuin longevity protein activators target critical structural proteins to enhance skin cell shape and strength, supporting the mechanical properties of the skin.
The Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Transformative Brilliance Serum helps fortify the skin for a firmer look with a visibly more perfected surface. The Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Transformative Energy Eye Serum reveals a brighter, tighter, less puffy, and more sculpted eye look.
Consumers can further explore Estée Lauder’s starlight journey through the brand’s WeChat mini program ‘Duty Free Social Circle’ to get information on travel exclusive sets and seasonal offerings. ✈
