Rituals, the consumer-facing home and body cosmetics company, has merged retail, mindfulness and self-care with the unveiling of its Mind Oasis concept.
The brand, which was founded in Amsterdam in 2000 and has more than 1,400 stores and 4,176 shop-in-shops globally, revealed the approach at its flagship store in London in November.
Central to Mind Oasis is the ‘brain massage’, a treatment based on a zero-gravity chair equipped with haptic vibrations that are synchronised with a 4D soundscape, combined with light and fragrance therapy.
Rituals plans to roll out the offering at its other flagship retail stores across Europe and beyond and is also launching a turnkey package for spas, health clubs and hotels – with a goal to make deep relaxation experiences accessible, convenient and effortless for everyone.
Relax and recharge
“Mind Oasis is designed to offer customers a space to pause, reset and recharge, in the heart of some of the world’s busiest cities,” Couro Seck, head of concept at Mind Oasis, told Spa Business exclusively. “It blends science-backed treatments with immersive sensory design to help people experience deep relaxation.”
Located on the lower ground of the store, London’s Mind Oasis offers a brain massage room with four stations, off a central wellbeing lounge area. On the opposite side is a hydro massage room with six warm, dry float beds that deliver a soothing, intensity-adjustable massage, combined with integrated red light and fragrance therapy.
Rituals is launching turnkey Mind Oasis packages for spas, health clubs and hotels
A 30-minute Brain Massage Recharge is priced at £34 (US$45, €39) and a 55-minute Brain Massage Deep Rest and Reset costs £49 (US$65, €56). A Hydro Massage is £29 (US$38, €33) or £49 (US$65, €56) for 25 and 45 minutes respectively.
Concept collaboration
According to Seck, Rituals’ Mind Oasis was inspired by the company’s core mission: ‘helping people slow down and find meaningful moments of wellbeing in the smallest of things’. “As people’s lives become increasingly fast-paced, we saw the need and the opportunity to create sanctuaries of calm within major cities,” she says. “The Mind Oasis represents the next evolution of experiential wellbeing within the Rituals universe.”
In collaboration with breathwork, deep rest and meditation specialists, such as Muse and audio engineers Elusis, Rituals has created experiences to boost the user’s energy and overall wellbeing. They’ve been designed as an alternative to traditional meditation, which can take people hours to find inner peace.
Seck says every element, from the zero-gravity recliners to precision hydro massage beds, has been meticulously planned. “For instance, our Brain Massage experiences combine breathwork, controlled sensory stimulation, guided meditation, 4D sound therapy and haptic vibrations, all known to support nervous-system downregulation and encourage the brain to enter deeply restorative states. Meanwhile, modalities such as hydro massage and LED light therapy are proven to support circulation, muscle relaxation and skin rejuvenation,” she says.
Refining retail
Mind Oasis made its initial debut in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, the home country of Rituals, in 2021. This led to a rollout in other flagship stores in Almere, Maastricht, Oisterwijk and Schiphol Airport in the country, as well as a wider European appearance in Antwerp, Barcelona, Berlin, Frankfurt and Zurich.
“The existing Mind Oasis locations have allowed us to gather feedback on modalities, session length, sensory design and customer flow,” says Seck. “These insights have helped to shape the London experience by ensuring that each element, including the pacing of the guided audio, delivers the deepest possible sense of recharge.”
Integrating the flow of the retail and wellness experience in one place was also key and Annemarie Forsyth, Rituals MD in the UK & Ireland, says the company has always championed the idea that everyday routines can become a moment of wellbeing. “Mind Oasis takes that philosophy to a new level, blending experiential wellbeing with retail in a seamless way. After their session, guests are encouraged to continue their experience in-store, by exploring products used in the treatment, discovering complementary home and body items and deepening their connection with Rituals products.”
Turnkey partner packages
Unlike traditional treatment rooms, Mind Oasis offers a self-guided experience, which Seck says presents an exciting opportunity for hotels, spas and health clubs to provide a premium relaxation offering without the need for full-time therapists.
“We offer fully turnkey Mind Oasis packages that include the sensory hardware, treatment content, Rituals branding, staff training and ongoing support to allow operators to benefit from a compact, high-margin, touch-free service that requires minimal staffing.
Mind Oasis blends experiential wellbeing with retail in a seamless way
“Based on projected utilisation and typical wellness-service pricing, operators can expect a strong return on investment within a relatively short period.
“These packages also include a curated Rituals retail component – ranging from small product displays to a full-integrated retail zone – creating a seamless journey experience to take-home routine.”
Regarding concept evolution, Forsyth concludes: “We see Mind Oasis as a platform for ongoing innovation in sensory wellbeing – from new treatment content to advanced relaxation modalities and future collaborations.
“We plan to continue expanding into flagship locations across Europe and beyond. Our goal is to bring this new form of accessible luxury wellbeing to key global cities over the coming years.”
Read the last issue of Spa Business to find out how Lush, another high street cosmetics retailer, is shaking up the industry with its innovative day spa concept – www.spabusiness.com/lush
