We assess the biodegradability of our rinse-off formulas to ensure they do not harm the environment when flushed down the drain.

Aluminium salts are derived from aluminium, one of the most common elements on Earth. When applied to your underarms, aluminium salts form a kind of plug in the perspiratory glands, reducing the amount that you sweat.

Aluminium salts are also natural antimicrobial agents, meaning they control bacteria on the skin and therefore reduce unpleasant odours. Unfortunately, many people believe that aluminium in anti-perspirants increases the risk of breast cancer. Experts and health authorities have concluded there is no scientific evidence of such a connection, and that aluminium salts are safe for use in cosmetics.

We would like to stress that the limited amount of aluminium that we currently use in our products is absolutely safe for use. All our products and ingredients comply with the latest safety regulations (for example, The European safety Regulation for cosmetics: Regulation 1223/2009/EC) and are subjected to a cosmetic safety assessment conducted by an independent expert party.

Many years ago, we decided not to use microbeads in any of our products, due to the accumulation of microplastics in our oceans. Instead of microbeads, we use natural alternatives such as sea salt, sugar, pumice (volcanic rock) and bamboo.

Cosmetic and personal care products, in general, can also contain dissolved and gel-like synthetic polymers – also called ‘liquid plastics’. These synthetic polymers have been included in the microplastics debate. Which substances are considered microplastics varies in the definitions used by experts and independent organisations. We are currently reassessing all our products to determine the potential presence of microplastics, in line with the new European Chemical Agency (ECHA) guidance. Any products found to contain them will be phased out or reformulated.

Palm/palm kernel oil is extracted from the fruit pulp/ fruit kernel of the oil palm. Palm oil is a highly efficient vegetable oil to grow as it takes less land to produce than other vegetable oils. It's the most widely consumed vegetable oil on the planet, found in many consumer goods like food, and also cosmetics.

At Rituals, we use ingredients in our products that are derived from palm oil. Though it is a highly efficient vegetable oil, it has significant environmental and social impacts, including deforestation, habitat destruction and biodiversity loss. The personal care products industry is responsible for a small part of global palm oil usage, and is a relatively low-volume user of palm oil and palm kernel oil. However, Rituals is sensitive to the issues and complexity surrounding the sustainable production and waste of palm oil and for that reason, we are committed to sourcing it responsibly. We support the initiatives of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), a non-profit organisation that unites stakeholders from the palm oil industry to develop and implement global standards for sustainable palm oil. Aiming to only use certified palm oil and palm kernel oil-based ingredients, more than 99% of our palm oil-derived ingredients are from a certified sustainable source (RSPO Mass Balance).

Parabens are used as preservatives in personal care products to prolong shelf life by preventing the growth of mould and bacteria. Parabens come in many forms, some of which can be found in nature.  

Although the latest scientific findings show that some parabens are safe to use as preservatives for personal care products, concerns regarding parabens still exist. Therefore, we decided years ago to ban all parabens from our assortment.

Silicones are a group of synthetic ingredients which exist in the form of oils or gels, often used in hair care products and deodorant sticks, for example, because of their softening and glossy effect.  

All silicones present in our personal care products are safe to use on skin. Despite this, we have opted to remove all cyclic silicones (such as cyclomethicone) from our products due to environmental concerns. The unique properties of other silicones can make replacing them very difficult. We will continue to look for suitable alternatives and replace remaining silicones where product performance and safety can be matched.

Phthalates can be present in fragrances and plastics. In general, phthalates are claimed to have 'hormone-like activity' which may affect the reproductive system. All Rituals products and fragrances are free from phthalates.

Mineral oil is a by-product of the distillation of petroleum. We do not use mineral oil in our body and skincare products, but some mineral oil derivatives are used in functional categories such as make-up and hairstyling. The mineral oil used in our products is of pharmaceutical quality and is highly refined and purified meaning it contains lower amounts of impurities and is safe to use.

Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES) is ethoxylated alcohol and acts as an anionic surfactant. Due to its effective cleansing, foaming and thickening properties, it is mainly used in cleaning, bath and shower products such as hand soap, shower gel and shampoo. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) has identical characteristics, but prolonged contact with SLS may cause irritation, which is why we do not use SLS. In our foaming formulations, we only use SLES (Sodium Laureth sulphate).

MIT is used as a preservative in personal care products to prolong shelf life by preventing the growth of mould and bacteria. MIT has been found to have sensitising potential, meaning that it can cause allergic reactions such as skin inflammation and itchiness – that increase in severity as a result of repeated exposures. Rituals has always produced products without MIT, and the EU has now also banned its use in leave-on products.

Formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers are used as a preservative in cosmetics. Their function is to prevent microbiological growth and spoilage of cosmetics by releasing small amounts of formaldehyde over time. A common side effect of formaldehyde in cosmetics is skin irritation, and therefore we do not use formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers in our products.

For our textiles, we often work with TENCEL ™ Lyocell. These fibres are derived from sustainable wood sources and produced in a closed-loop production, re-using the solvents and water to prevent water pollution.

Paraffin wax is widely used in candles and derived from crude oil. We have succeeded in minimising the amount of paraffin in our candles, by replacing this with more sustainable plant-based alternatives like sunflower wax and rapeseed wax. However, a minimum amount of paraffin is still required for optimal burning behaviour and to prevent candles from melting during transport, but we are continuously searching for more sustainable alternatives.

We are a proud member of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), which strives to improve global cotton production for the people who produce it, the environment around us and the future of the industry we work in. By purchasing any of the cotton products made by Rituals, such as bathing towels, you are supporting the Better Cotton Initiative.

All the paper, carton and wood we use for our packaging and our stores are FSC/PEFC certified. This means it comes from sustainably managed forests.