Affordable indulgences – the Rituals Ritual of Sakura collection
Written By Jenny Wu on
For someone who’s obsessed with skincare, it’s sad how little attention I pay to the skin on the rest of my body. Can you believe I didn’t apply body lotion regularly until a few years ago? I know, for shame. Well all that’s changing now with the Rituals Ritual of Sakura body care collection.
Intro to the Rituals brand
Rituals believes that “happiness can be found in the smallest of things” and they’ve developed each of their products to help transform your most mundane everyday routines into something luxurious. From their exquisite scents to quality ingredients to chic packaging, no small details are missed. The best part of all this is that their products are affordable – because everyone deserves a little luxury in their lives.
Intro to the Ritual of Sakura collection
Each of Rituals’ collections are inspired by Eastern traditions, and of course this collection is inspired by the Japanese’ celebration of cherry blossoms in springtime. The blooming of these flowers symbolize new life, and Rituals has combined the sweet scent of cherry blossoms with nourishing organic rice milk to make each day feel like a new beginning.
I’m all about adding a little luxury to my everyday life, especially when it’s affordable! As soon as I saw the products and started using them, it was clear how much thought went in to each one – from the scent to the texture to the packaging, everything was just so lovely! Here are the products I’ve tried so far:
I don’t know about you guys, but for me, the most important thing when it comes to body care is scent. I mean, who doesn’t like smelling good? It’s a shame that some brands have a skewed perception of what good smells like. ಠ_ಠ
- Ritual of Sakura Showering Oil (6.7 oz) – This is my first time using a shower oil, and ah mah gawd I feel fancy. If you love the sumptuous (love this word, it sounds just like its meaning!) texture of cleansing oils, you’ll love this.
→ buy from Spring, Barneys, or Amazon for $15 - Ritual of Sakura Shower Scrub (5 oz) – A very standard body scrub that performs on par with past scrubs I’ve tried. This was my least favorite product in the collection, only because everything else was so outstanding.
→ buy from Beauty Expert ($11.25) or Amazon for $17 - Ritual of Sakura Body Cream (7.4 oz)– I usually don’t like body creams because they’re too thick, but this has a light texture, blends like a dream, and is still nourishing. In addition to rice milk, it also contains vitamin e and centella asiatica extract. Done with the cream? Purchase refills that’ll fit right into the beautiful jar :)
→ buy from Beauty Expert ($22), Amazon ($33) or Barneys ($33) - Ritual of Sakura Bed & Body Mist (1.6oz) – I absolutely adore this mist. Beautiful scent aside (that’s shared by all products in this collection), you can use it on your body and your sheets for a relaxing night’s sleep. Or spray it in your washer to give your clothes a floral aroma, or spray it on a cotton ball, vacuum it up, and the scent will spread throughout the house as you clean.
→ buy from Barneys ($25) - Gingko’s Secret Hand Balm (2.5 oz) – Ok, so this is confusing, because the packaging clearly says it’s from the Gingko’s Secret collection, except it smells exactly like the Ritual of Sakura collection ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Regardless, it feels so rich and leaves my hands moisturized and silky soft without any film or oiliness . Seriously one of the best hand creams I’ve tried!
→ buy from Rituals ($17) or as part of Glossybox’ x Rituals LE Box!
The older I get the more I gravitate towards elevated fragrances rather than one-tone scents. At the same time, I’m still drawn to the same family of scents, and Ritual of Sakura is exactly what I’m looking for – sweet, feminine, and light. It feels like spring each time I apply the products, and by layering them on, the scent can last an entire day. Thanks to Rituals, my body care routine is now just as enjoyable as my skin care routine – maybe even more thanks to the amazing fragrance!
If you’re interested in trying out Rituals or specifically the Ritual of Sakura collection, you don’t want to miss out on the Glossybox x Rituals limited edition box: for just $25 (or $30 for non-subscribers), you get the above 5 full-size products from the Ritual of Sakura collection. For those of you that can’t or won’t do the math, that’s $61 (or $54) saved (the body cream included is a smaller size, hence the retail value is lower)!
In case you’re not a fan of sweet floral scents or you’re not looking for more body care products, Rituals carries other collections (all equally inspiring) and product lines as well. I’ve heard amazing things about their candles and their skincare products, and those are on my wishlist to try out in the future.
Let’s chat!
- Have you tried Ritual products before? If so, which are your favorites?
- I really should invest more in taking care of my body, so please share some of your favorite body care products with me!
Lastly I want to let you guys know how much I appreciate each comment – thank you so much! You have no idea how much your words brighten my day :) Have a beautiful week everyone!
Passionate about science-based skincare. Tested hundreds if not thousands of products since my 20's. Working regularly with brands like iHerb, Ulta, CurrentBody, and MedStar Health to share my knowledge and experience in all things beauty. Learn more.
Skin profile: 35+, dry/combination, focused on well-aging, hydration, and a healthy glow ✨
Comments & Questions
Stephanie | thefantasia.com
I saw a Ritual standalone store the last time I was in NYC and was quite intrigued! It seemed like something else and I just can't get over the aesthetics of the brand! These would be a wonderful gift for my mom on Mother's Day!
Jenny Wu
Ah I'd love to visit one of their stores so I could try out their different products - sadly there aren't any near me :( But yes, their aesthetics is totally on point for me - minimalist chic for the win! Also, great point about the gift - I think I might order a few more sets myself to give them to others!
Cat L.
Oh Jenny, I can never go without applying body lotion! My skin is so dry that if I don't indulge my body with lotion or body oil immediately after a shower, I feel very uncomfortable. This collection by Rituals is so lush and luxurious. I managed to try it out last summer while traveling thru Europe. Will definitely have to repurchase! Great post and your photos are always so stunning!
~ Cat L.
www.CatsDailyLiving.com
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Cat! <3 I used to be able to get away with no moisturizing my body, but I think all these years of neglect has made my skin sad and well, dry ???? Prior to Rituals applying body lotion was such a drag but now it's actually an enjoyable experience! Rituals products are definitely more common in Europe but I'm hoping they get a bigger presence in the US soon! It's always great having another option for body care, especially once at a reasonable price range :)
Shireen L. Platt
Whattt? You only started using body lotion a few years ago? I don't know you anymore, Jenny...I don't know if we can be friends anymore. Hahaha! Jokes aside, believe it or not, I started moisturizing my body way before I started using anything on my face. My mum used body lotion on me and my siblings since baby and it's a habit that I have ever since I can remember....well, not so much for my two brothers because male = body lotion = not macho.
You already know I must be the last person in the beauty world who hasn't tried Rituals but I will get there in the future, maybe a few years down the road. LOL! I love Acure Organics Hydrating Body Lotion as you already know, you just don't feel it on your skin. I am also a huge fan of Palmer's body products in general, the green range with olive oil and shea butter is some of the best. Lately I started using Avon new Skin Therapy range, the yellow label, the body scrub has Lactic Acid listed as its third ingredient and the moisturizer is so creamy as well.
Jenny Wu
Hahaha, but I use lotion now so that's all that matters right? You know, I'm gonna blame my mom for this because she never used body lotion on me when I was younger, tsk tsk, thanks a lot mom! The funny thing is my husband has always been a proponent of using body lotion - pretty sure he secretly judged me when he didn't find any body lotion in my college apartment bathroom.
To be fair, I don't think Rituals is very common in the US or Canada, and while I've heard about them, I've never tried them until now. I wish they had more stores so I could try out the scents in person! I will keep an eye on the Palmer's range next time I'm at the drugstore...makes me wonder if they carry Acure Organics as well. The Avon Skin Therapy sounds lovely, especially since the body scrub has lactic acid! I'm pretty sure my body could use some exfoliation after years of neglect ????
Elisa
Omg that mean girls gif is amazing! I can't even. Lmao that film is so white and blonde i love it :))
Back to what it's all about...
How would you describe the sakura scent? I know you said it smells sweet, feminine and light but would you say it has that intense luxurious perfume-y smell that might be too much for sensitive nose? I find that different beauty brands have different take on cherry blossom scent. Some are amazing and not too overpowering that it sent me into a universe of dizziness and nausea but others can be SO intense. For example, the body shop cherry blossom body butter...gahd i can't stand it. It smells too perfume-y and too overpowering it made me feel nauseous. On the other hand, the kracie ichikami hair treatment has very soothing, just right scent for sakura. This makes me really skeptical when brands release floral fragrances. I'm just so picky with scents.
The bed mist one is really interesting though. I never heard of a mist that is safe to use on bed sheets like wuuuut, is that even possible? I mean, you sleep on your bed! But you're spraying mist / perfume? Amazing! I wouldn't do that though because i'd rather have my bed smells like nothing but my odor (hey, i shower!) instead of a factorial scent.
The two products i'm really interested in would be the shower oil and body cream. Body cream because hello eczema skin so i need all those moisture even though you said this one from Rituals is light lol. Shower oil because that sounds AHMAZING especially for extra dry skin. Is it safe for sensitive skin though? Or does it still contain SLS and fragrance? Hm...
Jenny Wu
Yesss, it's one of my favorite movies and I can never get sick of watching it!
Goodness I'm horrible when it comes to describing scents unless it's something obvious, but this definitely doesn't smell super perfume-y, nor does it have that musk that's usually associated with floral scents. For me this is on the lighter side, but still noticeable if that makes sense? As for the bed mist, if you're already sleeping in the bed with your body lotion and body mist on your body, it makes sense that it'd be fine to spritz it over your sheets, just don't drench it :P I have another bed mist that's lavender vanilla that helps me relax at night!
The shower oil is definitely the most hydrating body cleanser I've used, but it does contain fragrance pretty high up on the ingredient list. No SLS though!
Lena
I’ve always wanted to try Rituals products :) So many people talk about them.
The Ritual of Sakura Body Cream seem cool to try.
The White Ocean
Jenny Wu
They're definitely worth checking out! The body cream is especially great for normal or even oilier skin because it's not super heavy! :)
Lorna
I am ashamed to admit that I don't moisturise my body either. My face and neck I do, but my body I never do. I've not heard of this brand before, but it looks really good!
Raindrops of Sapphire
Jenny Wu
Well to be fair most of our body is covered in clothes, so it's not like people can tell whether we moisturized or not, haha :P Rituals products do make body care much more enjoyable though, so that helps!
Amy
Never heard of this brand, but think I need to try! Thank you for such an in depth review - going to try to find these now : )
xx, Amy
http://www.theluxilook.com
Jenny Wu
You're welcome Amy! I don't think Rituals has that big of a presence in the US yet but they do have a store in LA so you can try out the products in person :)
heather noire
That body mist, and body cream, look amazing! I loved this list :)
http://www.bauchlefashion.com/2017/02/oscars-so-chic-fashion-recap.html
Jenny Wu
Thank you Heather! Pretty much every product in this collection is amazing :)
Marina Rosie
Loved this post a lot Jenny! I've actually never heard of Ritual before but I will be sure to try them out now! Thanks very much. I really enjoy the body care products from The Body Shop, their Moringa Sorbet is out of this world; so moisturising and it smells like a dream! x
Lots of love,
Marina Rosie xx
http://marinawriteslife.blogspot.fr/
Jenny Wu
So glad to hear that Marina! <3 I've used The Body Shop body butters years ago in shea butter, but I wasn't a big fan of the scent or the texture :( Moringa sorbet sounds so lovely though, especially the sorbet texture! Will definitely need to check it out in store next time, thank you for the recommendation!
Laura
I love Rituals. Inexpensive, smells good and works well. There's a bit added fancy for me as we can't get in Finland except in tax frees. I love Rituals showering oils, they're so good for shaving! The scrubs are also amazing, but some better than the others. Love your photography and styling in this post!
xx Laura / Laurantaina Beauty Blog
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Laura! <3 Those are exactly the same reasons why I love Rituals as well :) I've never thought of using the shower oil for shaving, but that's a great idea, thank you for the tip!
Emily
Hahaha I love that clip of Mean Girls! I too never really think to take care of my body. I mean I definitely shower every day, but I don't get too luxurious. I definitely need to invest in some scrubs and oils. They sound amazing, and this brand sounds really good!
-Emily www.coatandcoffee.com
Jenny Wu
Hahaha, I couldn't resist a chance to use a Mean Girls gif :P I think having nice body care products definitely makes the process more enjoyable rather than like a chore :)
Mili
I'm also shamefully bad at taking care of the skin on my body :/ I'm guess I spend so much time and money on facial skincare that I don't have time left to focus on my body skincare lol. I've never tried a shower oil before but it sounds sooo lux! I'll definitely need to look into this one. This box is seriously tempting me XD The price is so great!
Mili | Sharmtoaster
Jenny Wu
I like to think the skin on our body is just a lot less finicky, so it needs less coddling :P Shower oils have spoiled me, though I think it might be a bit much in the summer time. For the winter though, it's super luxurious <3 Let me know if you do get the box, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!
Lindsey Elyse
These products sound amazing and definitely luxurious! Glad that you ended up loving them and the scent. You're totally right that the scent seems to be the biggest factor with products like this.
I still don't use body lotion regularly... oops.
Jenny Wu
Yep, that and texture, so it's awesome that Rituals got both right! I think having the right products really help get you into the habit of using them regularly :)
Gloria
I'm not usually one to jump to purchase body care products, but your post convinced me that I NEED to buy these products NOW. I absolutely adore cherry blossom scents, and your description of the scent makes it sound lovely. To be honest I'm terrible when it comes to body care as well (I can't even remember the last time I used a moisturizer on my body ????), so maybe this set will encourage me to pay more attention to not just my face. If you're a fan of sweet scents, I highly recommend the Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub- it smells so yummy and similar to maple syrup! Another body scrub I really enjoyed was the Skinfood Coffee Body Scrub, the scent is exactly as the name suggests! Gorgeous pictures as always, the ribbons make everything look so pretty and elegant! Thank you for the review <3
Jenny Wu
Thank you Gloria, so glad you enjoyed it! And not to be an enabler, but even I was shocked at how good the price is, I might pick it up as another set as a gift :)
I think having products you enjoy really motivates you to use them more, whether it's skin care or body care :D Ooo, maple syrup and coffee, I do love scents that smell like food, haha. I shower in the evenings before bed, so I'm not sure the coffee scent would work well for me in that case :P I will definitely check out Soap & Glory though, I remember really liking a sample of their body butter years ago - it smelled like cake :D
Floortje
Sounds amazing! Need to try it out!
Xx,
|| FLOORTJELOVES ||
www.floortjeloves.com
www.bloglovin.com/blogs/floortjeloves-12198253
Jenny Wu
They are, hope you enjoy them when you do!
Tara
I, too, am not good about taking care of the rest of my body compared to my face. I actually find that I like using coconut oil with lavender essential oils on my body when it's soooo dry. I found that works way better than any store-bought lotion for me.
I've never heard of Ritual, but I'm glad it's working for you. I am not a big fan of the "cherry blossom" scent from like Bath and Body Works or L'Occitane. Is the sakura scent like that one?
Jenny Wu
Coconut oil + lavender essential oil sounds lovely! Both ingredients have great skin benefits, plus I'm sure the scent combo is lovely! My skin isn't that dry though, so I don't think I would be handle pure coconut oil on my body. I'm not a fan of the Bath & Body Works cherry blossom scent either - it smells really synthetic to me. The Rituals one smells sweeter and just nicer overall :)
Michelle Bio
I checked in at a hotel last week and I'm pretty sure that the complimentary items I took are from Rituals! Haha!
Jenny Wu
Haha, nice! I would definitely take the complimentary items if I found out they were by Rituals :P