Cover story
Discovering Shiseido’s ‘New Culture of Beauty’
Shiseido Travel Retail’s Fran Law on creating a ‘New Culture of Beauty’ in Hainan and beyond.
Introduction: In this interview, Shiseido Travel Retail Vice President, Commercial and Business Development, Asia Pacific, Fran Law outlines how Shiseido Travel Retail is reimagining the beauty experience to meet evolving consumer expectations amid a changing beauty landscape, particularly in the key region of Hainan. From the launch of immersive pop-up campaigns such as NARS Around the Globe to the roll-out of travel-ready Travel Retail Exclusive (TREX) sets, Law highlights how the company is building a ‘New Culture of Beauty’.
At the heart of the company’s strategy lies a commitment to building brand equity through memorable experiences and fostering partnerships with leading retailers such as CDFG. It also weaves together current beauty trends, such as nostalgia, personalisation, exclusivity and digital engagement, to better engage with Gen Z and Millennial travellers.
“Our vision at Shiseido Travel Retail is to shape beauty journeys that are not only innovative and immersive, but also deeply personal,” Law explains. “We aim to meet travellers where they are – physically and emotionally – through experiences that inspire discovery, self-expression and trust in our brands.
“Guided by Shiseido Group’s mission of Beauty Innovations for a Better World, we are reimagining the role of prestige beauty in the travel journey. This means launching formats like TREX, co-creating insight-led campaigns with our partners and integrating physical and digital touchpoints to create a seamless retail experience.”
Shiseido Travel Retail sees travel retail not just as a distribution channel, but as a platform to build long-term brand equity and emotional connection with its core consumers
“Our vision at Shiseido Travel Retail is to shape beauty journeys that are not only innovative and immersive, but also deeply personal”
From AI-powered photobooths to gamified discovery zones, NARS Around the World showcases Shiseido Travel Retail’s ‘New Culture of Beauty’ across digital and physical touchpoints
A new travel retail landscape in Hainan
Hainan’s offshore duty-free market has faced headwinds in recent years with softening consumer spend and a crackdown on Daigou resellers weighing heavily on beauty sales. Haikou Customs reported revenues of CNY16.76 billion (US$2.35 billion) in the first half of 2025, a -9.2% year-on-year decline. The Hainan Provincial Government has launched new measures to stimulate consumption from cultural tourism integration to expanded product ranges and targeted subsidies. These measures are also attracting a more diverse visitor base looking for high-quality local and international products and rich cultural experiences.
Despite the changing macro-economic landscape, Hainan remains an important region for beauty houses such as Shiseido Group. “Hainan remains one of the most dynamic and strategic destinations in travel retail, particularly for Shiseido Travel Retail’s prestige beauty portfolio. As the traveller base in Sanya becomes more diverse – across nationality, age and mindset – it presents an important opportunity to evolve the way we connect with beauty consumers.
“We are seeing a broader mix of travellers with distinct preferences and cultural expectations, particularly as China’s visa-free policy opens access to more visitors from key cities like Tokyo, London and Jakarta1. In this context, Hainan plays a key role in strengthening our brand presence and driving the long-term sustainable growth of our business.”
Shiseido Travel Retail views Hainan as both a strategic priority and a testing ground for immersive, omnichannel activations despite regulatory headwinds
For Shiseido Travel Retail, Hainan remains fertile ground for blockbuster beauty animations that combine retail theatre and omnichannel engagement. Looking back at recent animations, Law recounts: “The unification of our China & Travel Retail business allows us to respond more effectively to the evolving needs of the Chinese traveller, wherever they are. This synergy is exemplified in initiatives such as NARS Around the Globe – a multisensory activation at cdf Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex (cdf Mall) that combined nostalgia, self-expression and digital innovation. Located in the high-traffic Block C, the airport-style outpost featured gamified experiences and a personalised AI-powered Navigator ID photobooth, designed to deepen engagement through an omnichannel journey.
“We also saw strong engagement with our SHISEIDO Ultimune ‘Journey to Freedom from Age’ campaign at cdf Mall in Sanya in May. It reimagined beauty discovery by blending technology with immersive storytelling. Inspired by SHISEIDO’s rich history of research and development, the campaign engaged travellers with Ultimune’s breakthrough science, RFID-powered storytelling and tech-enabled gamification, personalisation and AR experiences.
“Ultimately, we see travel retail not just as a distribution channel, but as a powerful platform to build long-term brand equity and emotional connection with travellers across the globe.”
“Hainan plays a key role in strengthening our brand presence and driving the long-term sustainable growth of our business”
Newstalgia, personalisation and TREX
Shiseido Travel Retail’s New Culture of Beauty reflects a strategic shift towards experiences that resonate on an emotional as well as functional level. Drawing on traveller insights across Asia and beyond, the approach goes beyond product efficacy to embrace storytelling, personalisation and innovation.
“These are not abstract ideals, but rather shaped by real traveller insights and shifting expectations across Asia and beyond,” Law explains. “Today’s beauty consumer is looking for more than product performance – beauty today is about experience, relevance and connection.”
Illustrating how the NARS Around the Globe campaign showcased newstalgia, personalisation and TREX, Law explains: “These themes reflect how travellers today seek meaningful engagement: by connecting with familiar yet reimagined narratives and embracing individuality through tailored experiences.
“Newstalgia taps into the power of collective memory – reimagining the past through modern sensibilities to create emotionally resonant, sensorial experiences. We drew inspiration from retro aviation and the golden era of travel to evoke the romance of jet-setting and a sense of wanderlust. These nostalgic cues are paired with skin-forward innovation to deliver a campaign that feels both timeless and relevant today.
“With the NARS Light Reflecting Collection, we also ensure that our product offering delivers what travellers want. In this case: hydration, comfort and radiance on the go, powered by ingredients like Glycerine and Vitamin E. Together, these hybrid digital and physical experiences help increase dwell time, encourage product trial and build brand affinity.
“Personalisation is equally important,” she adds. “Tools such as the AI-powered Navigator ID photobooth and WeChat Mini Program empower travellers to shape their own journey – whether through creating bespoke souvenirs, unlocking digital rewards or discovering curated TREX sets. These touchpoints turn passive shoppers into active brand participants, deepening emotional connection and brand loyalty.”
Law continues: “Asian travellers increasingly seek high-performance, travel-ready skincare that feels exclusive and elevated. Our TREX sets exemplify our approach to practical luxury – meeting this demand with compact solutions that address the core skincare needs of Asian travellers. Our TREX sets combine localised efficacy with collectability – and TFWA data reinforces their role in driving conversion2.
“Together, these trends are not just tactical choices – they reflect a strategic evolution in how we build brand equity in travel retail: through emotional storytelling, science-led innovation and deeply personal experiences.”
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Digital as a central part of the journey
For Shiseido Travel Retail, digital tools are not add-ons but integral to creating a seamless and emotionally resonant beauty journey. By weaving mobile engagement with in-store interaction, the company ensures that technology enhances discovery, deepens personalisation and complements the human touch that defines its Omotenashi3 approach. “Digital innovation is integral to how we deliver meaningful, differentiated experiences for today’s travellers,” Law explains. “These tools are not standalone innovations, but part of a broader ecosystem that reflects our Omotenashi philosophy – offering thoughtful, intuitive experiences across the traveller journey. Today’s travellers expect more than transactional interactions. They’re looking for relevance, creativity and personalisation – and that’s exactly what these technologies deliver. “For the NARS campaign, the WeChat Mini Program acted as a personalised pre-engagement platform. Through gamified ‘flight missions’, travellers were able to explore hero products, discover curated TREX sets and unlock rewards – all from their mobile devices. This helped drive footfall and brand engagement even before they reached the physical experience. “In-store, the AI-powered Navigator ID photobooth offered a tactile moment of personalisation. Travellers received a stylised portrait printed in a NARS -branded cardholder – a creative and emotionally resonant keepsake keeping the traveller connected to the brand beyond the moment. “Importantly, these innovations are grounded in strategy, not simply adopted for their digital appeal,” Law adds. “These tools are designed to complement our human touchpoints – our brand ambassadors, makeup artists and skincare experts that elevate the experience and bring the final layer of hospitality, artistry and warmth. This balance of technology and personal touch reflects our promise of uniquely Japanese Omotenashi service: intuitive, thoughtful service that puts the traveller at the centre.”
“Guided by Shiseido Group’s mission of Beauty Innovations for a Better World, we are reimagining the role of prestige beauty in the travel journey”
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NARS’ travel retail-exclusive range leverages insights from TFWA’s Global Duty Free Buyer 2025 research that found 70% of beauty shoppers are more likely to purchase TREX beauty products
The NARS Around the Globe activation has quickly become a reference point for how experiential concepts can elevate beauty in travel retail. Law says: “The campaign has resonated powerfully with travellers, driving strong sales momentum and surpassing the performance of 2024’s NARS Voyage campaign. On the ground, immersive live makeup shows have been particularly effective in converting trial into purchase, further strengthening the brand’s prestige positioning. “Traveller engagement with the campaign’s digital ecosystem has set a new benchmark for NARS in travel retail. The WeChat Mini Program drew high levels of interaction, with visitors spending significant time exploring content, experimenting with Virtual Try-Ons and seamlessly connecting to our ecommerce partners – demonstrating the strength of our integrated O2O strategy.”
1 Source: The State Council of the People’s Republic of China, June 29, 2025.
2 Source: The TFWA Duty Free Nationality Insights Series – The Global Duty-Free Buyer 2025, Pi Insight, 2025.
3 A Japanese tradition of hospitality that puts the customer at the heart of everything we do.
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The Moodie Davitt eZine
Issue 347 | 26 September 2025
The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 6 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (MA Travel Retail). © All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher. To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please email kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com