Estée Lauder Opens First Skin Longevity Institute

Estée Lauder has partnered with Hacienda AltaGracia in Costa Rica to launch its first Skin Longevity Institute in the Americas.

Set in the Pérez Zeledón mountains, neighbouring one of the world’s five Blue Zones — regions renowned for their high concentration of centenarians — Hacienda AltaGracia is a wellness resort offering a blend of nature, nourishment, and luxury. Its 50 casitas are spread across 180 acres of rainforest, with curated wellness experiences and cuisine sourced from the resort’s own coffee farm and gardens. Activities range from horseback riding and hiking to ziplining, nocturnal wildlife adventures, and aerial escapes.

The new Estée Lauder Skin Longevity Institute is located within Casa de Agua, an impressive spa inspired by Costa Rica’s natural landscape and cultural heritage. Facilities include an oversized Tranquility Pool, a lavender-infused aromatherapy steam room, a multi-tiered sauna, and a hydrotherapy area, where guests can unwind on heated stone beds, apply local clay, sip herbal tea from the garden, and enjoy panoramic views of the Talamanca Mountains.

“Hacienda AltaGracia is truly a place unlike any other, honoring the rich local culture and lifestyle practices while providing guests with unparalleled luxury experiences and high-touch service, both of which are at the heart of the Estée Lauder brand,” said Justin Boxford, Global Brand President at Estée Lauder.

Rooted in over 15 years of skin longevity research, the new institute offers an exclusive collection of immersive, multi-sensory facials and body rituals developed using the brand’s Re-Nutriv range. Each treatment begins with a comprehensive Estée Lab Skin Pro analysis to ensure it is tailored to the specific needs of each guest.

Beyond the Skin Longevity Institute, Casa de Agua offers a variety of body treatments, including lymphatic drainage, deep tissue, prenatal, and hot and cold stone massage, alongside three signature therapies that blend ancestral healing practices with modern science. Each begins with a purifying ritual featuring herbal exfoliation and a local clay application.

Guests can also explore immersive wellness experiences, including Forest & Sound Bathing, Cold Plunges, and the River Bath, a transformative ritual in which guests are immersed in the sounds of nature and guided to a state of healing. Here, the body is exfoliated with a local coffee scrub before being submerged in an herbal bath designed to warm muscles and purify the body.

Daily mindful movement classes such as yoga, Pilates, meditation, breathwork, and personal training support holistic wellbeing. Guests may also participate in a Release Burning Ceremony — a powerful ritual of letting go to encourage renewal and new beginnings.

For a deeper journey, the Plan de Vida retreat offers four days of mindful movement, ancient healing traditions, and a deep connection with Pachamama (Mother Earth). The programme is designed to restore balance and inner harmony, leaving guests feeling nourished, grounded, and renewed.

Hacienda AltaGracia will also host on-site residencies with top wellness practitioners, delivering tailored programming rooted in longevity principles. To support the May 2025 launch of the Skin Longevity Institute, two members of Estée Lauder’s Longevity Collective will be in residence: mind coach Manjit Devgun, who will offer breathwork and energy healing sessions, as well as a bespoke meditation integrated into every treatment; and renowned facialist Crystal Greene, who will provide personalised, high-performance skincare rituals.

An all-inclusive seven-night stay at Hacienda AltaGracia starts from £7,000 ($9,300). To book a stay, visit ubergeresorts.com.