Make Every Moment Matter
As people all around the world live their lives at high speed and do things on auto pilot, the Rituals Cosmetics Founder & CEO Raymond Cloosterman was looking for a way to change that. Almost a quarter of a century ago, he had a chance to travel the world and during these travels he dreamed of creating something different in the world of beauty…
Drawing inspiration from the different cultures he encountered and realising that in the Western world people always strive for innovation and renewal without looking back at all the wisdom the past has brought forth, he decided to start Rituals Cosmetics, a brand anchored around the idea of changing every day routines into more meaningful moments.
“Together with a creative team of professionals from around the world, including an anthropologist and leading perfumers from across the globe, we began the mission of transforming the use of our products into a unique experience in your daily routines,” explains Raymond Cloosterman, Founder & CEO of Rituals Cosmetics.
Today the brand is established as a global industry expert across 36 countries and is present in gateway cities with more than 1,100 stores, more than 3,900 shop-in-shops, five body spas and the world’s first Mind Oasis. In addition to the first Mind Oasis in Amsterdam, Rituals also opened The Mind Oasis sites in Antwerp, Barcelona, Frankfurt and Paris last year.
Last year the business launched a key UK site, opening on Oxford Street adding to its portfolio in the country that has grown from five stores to 78 in the last five years. Shops in locations like Oxford Street and the Champs-Élysées in Paris show that Rituals are not only expanding their geographical footprint, but they are solidifying their position as a leading global wellbeing company within the luxury beauty industry.
This year they will continue to innovate and open additional stores in order to reach the two billion euro revenue milestone. They aim to keep momentum in Europe within retail, digital, wholesale and travel retail while carefully building the business in Asia by launching 20-30 new locations.
“To help maintain and continue growing our market position, we have a strong team of people working in our innovation department and I myself am very much involved because it is one of my favourite aspects of the job, helping to innovate and create new concepts and ideas for products and stores. I am very passionate about the company and it is amazing to work with people who believe in it and who are trying to make a difference with beautiful and innovative products and experiences.”
“At Rituals, we always want our products to be as beautiful as possible, but at the same time, low on materials and very recyclable. In order to realise this, it takes a lot of hard work and brainpower to think of sustainable solutions without losing our brand identity and luxury quality.”
As a global luxury wellbeing brand, they prioritise creating unforgettable experiences for their customers, helping them to slow down and enjoy small moments of happiness in their daily routines. It is this ethos that guides their approach at both product and store levels. Their commitment to these principles drives them to constantly innovate and surprise their customers with new products that offer unique and memorable experiences. Within their store portfolio, they meticulously craft an unforgettable and inviting atmosphere that immerses their customers in a journey of brand and product discovery.
As our conversation with Raymond moves onto the topic of social media, he highlights that it is one of their most engaged touchpoints with consumers that allows them to interact and hear what they really think. Rather than just following trends they look to create a Rituals social sanctuary inspired by the wants and needs of their community, a place where visitors can discover tools, inspiration, routines and products that will inspire them to live more soulfully.
Next we move onto a key topic for the business, that of sustainability. Rituals is determined to not just make customers feel good, but also to do good for the environment. Managing this paradox of creating luxury products while being conscious of the planet too, has always been part of their journey.
“At Rituals, we always want our products to be as beautiful as possible, but at the same time, low on materials and very recyclable. In order to realise this, it takes a lot of hard work and brainpower to think of sustainable solutions without losing our brand identity and luxury quality,” Cloosterman comments.
By 2025, Rituals aims to have all of their products to be refillable, recyclable and/or made of recycled materials. Also by next year they plan to have zero waste packaging.
Realising that to build a successful business in the beauty and wellbeing industry requires authenticity, an understanding of your consumers and the delivery of good quality products, the company feels that by staying true to their philosophy and values and by creating products and experiences that resonate with their customers on an emotional level, they have been able to build strong brand loyalty.
“I am proud that, as a global brand, we can contribute to things that really matter. Later this year, we will share an exciting announcement about an impactful initiative that we have been working on that highlights our long-term commitment to people and the planet,” Cloosterman concludes.
