19th March 2021
Q & A with Lucy of Ritual Cosmetics
Tell us about your business?
Rituals was created in 2000 in Paris, by a passionate international team of top talents from the perfume and design industry. We are a unique luxury lifestyle brand with a passion to help our customers feel good. The Belfast store in Victoria Square has been open since 2008 and we currently employ 8 staff members.
What is your business most known for?
At Rituals, we are best known for our extensive collection of luxurious yet affordable products for home and body, inspired by the wisdom and ancient traditions of Asian cultures. We truly believe that happiness can be found in the smallest of things, so it is our passion to turn our customer’s everyday routines into more meaningful moments.
3 main attributes you need for the job:
To work at Rituals you need to be passionate and knowledgeable about the products, hardworking, and, always put the customer first!
Path to this position?
I have worked as a Visual Merchandising Manager for several years and then as Store Manager for a clothing brand but have always been passionate about beauty and skincare, so Rituals feels like the perfect fit for me. I love the ethos behind the brand particularly their focus on mindfulness, which is so important especially during these trying times, I also love their focus on sustainability and recycling.
How can customers support you right now?
We are currently only operating online due to the pandemic restrictions in Northern Ireland but we hope to offer click and collect services again soon as the restrictions ease! So, for now, customers can continue to purchase their much-loved products online but keep an eye out on the website for when click and collect is back up and running!
How have you innovated over lockdown?
During lockdown, to ensure our customers could still get their hands on their favourite products, we began offering click and collect and ship from store, alongside our normal online deliveries. This differs from area to area depending on current restrictions, so in Northern Ireland, customers can only purchase via the website at the minute, but we are hoping this will change soon!
What’s your dream job (present position excepted)?
I love anything to do with interior design, I think there is a big interest in decorating and looking after our homes at the minute as people are spending more and more time there. This is why Ritual's home fragrances are my absolute favourite products, as not only do they make your home smell gorgeous, with scents to suit everyone, they also come in beautiful, luxurious packaging so look fabulous in any home!
What are looking forward to the most after lockdown?
I'm looking forward to shops re-opening and being able to have that face-to-face personal interaction with our customers again. And for some exciting new Rituals products to launch!
If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be?
David Attenborough, he's had so many amazing life experiences, travelling the world and seeing so many beautiful places and animals. He's also an important voice when it comes to helping fight global warming, explaining how everyone has to do their bit to help by using more sustainable resources and using materials which are recyclable/decomposable. This is something Rituals are passionate about, for example making sustainable choices for our packaging and offering customers refills of various products to reduce waste.
What do you most love about the Belfast City Centre?
I love the wide range of shops, especially in Victoria Square, and of course, all the gorgeous restaurants and pubs! Belfast is a lovely place to come spend the day shopping and catching up with friends over lunch and a drink.
