The Estée Lauder Companies is rolling out a virtual service centred around video chats and personalisation, starting with Clinique in the UK. Vogue Business has the exclusive details

The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), the American beauty conglomerate and manufacturer of brands like Mac Cosmetics, Jo Malone, Origins and Le Labo, says customers are missing the social interaction and personalisation of the in-store experience, so they are recreating it online.

This week, Clinique quietly launched a new UK site allowing customers to video chat with consultants, try on products using AR and shop with product preferences, skin types and recommendations personalised to the user based on data. Friends will soon be able to shop together online from various locations, customise their storefront and be in control of their entire digital experience, ELC says. Other brands will soon follow.

Covid-19 made it challenging for beauty brands to deliver a high-touch service and connect with customers, says Nicky De Simone, regional director of enterprise marketing and transformation at Estée Lauder Companies. “One of the things shoppers love about going to the store is that social connectivity.