When Dara Gerson had her first bout with skin cancer in her twenties, she started to read the labels of everything she put on her body. She was continually looking for something that offered visible anti-aging and healing powers, and learned that most products don’t deliver what they promise—until she met herbalist Marysia Miernowaska, who formulated her brother’s best-selling CBD product.

“People were raving about the miraculous healing effects of the product she formulated for FORIA called Awaken,” says Gerson. “I knew her as a well-respected teacher of herbalism in Malibu, an earth activist, and a plant magician. I tried the face serum she made and could not believe the results I saw right away. It became my favorite product and I sold it at my shop, but Marysia made it in small batches and there was a long waitlist, so she would always run out. Having experienced the healing effects of CBD thanks to my brother’s successful brand, I began dreaming of what would happen if Marysia’s Serum and high-potency organic CBD had a miracle baby...on that full moon night, we decided we had to make that happen.”

Along with Stephen Gandee, Gerson and Miernowaska joined forces to create Rituel—a line of organic and cruelty-free, high-potency skincare products that restore beauty and balance in our bodies and the planet. They achieved this by creating the highest-quality organic products using ethical practices and ancient alchemy, and all of their ingredients are 100% clean and sourced from certified organic farms.

We chatted with the founders, who shared the inspiration behind their innovative brand, future plans for the company, and more.

When was Rituel founded and what’s the meaning behind the name?

Rituel Beauty was founded on a February full moon night in the mountains of Topanga. Our mission has always been to restore beauty and balance for both humans and the planet. We called our beauty elixir Rituel to honor the rhythmic and sacred practices of self-care and of caring for the Earth.

The act of Ritual is infused in all we do—from sourcing the highest-quality ingredients grown using sustainable practices that give back to the Earth by regenerating the soil to drawing on ancient alchemy and the healing powers of the most revered botanicals. We are here to create the highest-quality organic skincare products with such a depth of care and beauty that even the act of nourishing our face becomes a meaningful act of love and healing—a ritual.

What inspired the creation of Rituel?

We wanted there to be a luxury beauty brand that truly offered their customers health, the power of secret anti-aging plants with no fillers, pesticides, and all too common chemicals. We wanted something that was truly luxurious, of the best quality—in recyclable luxury packaging, supporting farms that were working to restore balance on the planet.

It really just flowed from our shared values living in the same small nature-focused community in Topanga, the highly coveted small batch “Serum” Marysia had formulated, Dara’s aesthetic and healing experiences with CBD, and the vision us three cofounders shared of bringing something to the mainstream that is so unique, exceptional, effective, healing, ethically made, and regenerative to the Earth.

Tell us more about your products and what makes them special.

At Rituel we harness the healing power of plants that were once only available to geishas, monks, kings, and pharaohs. Super plants of longevity and eternal beauty from the Himalayas to the forests of Europe, the trees of Africa, and the seeds of the jungle fruits. Our ingredients are all raw, cold-pressed, organic, and extracted using no heat. The serum is formulated and created by an herbalist and “plant alchemist” using the best of both ancient and modern practices. We use botanicals shown to boost collagen, increase the healing of skin and creation of new skin cells, reduce inflammation, reverse wrinkles, heal scars, boost skin elasticity, hydrate and create a radiant glow. The results are visible within the first application!

Do you have a hero product? What’s your favorite?

Our Rituel Sacred Serum is a game-changer. You can literally keep your eye on a wrinkle, acne scar, or sunspot and watch it diminish with regular use. And while the serum is the superhero, we offer the duo set because of how the Organic Rose Mist and Serum work together. They are meant to work together synergistically, offering deeper hydration and a plumping of the skin.

We have had people writing in after a month of using the set saying they have never found anything that has so effectively healed and reversed wrinkles, rashes, scars, dryness, lack of skin elasticity—you name it. We have dermatologists who are using it after skin surgery to prevent and heal scars, and models who have reported the collagen-boosting effects of the serum and are starting to get booked for work again. The Rituel Sacred Serum is not just our hero product—it has become a hero for so many others and it brings us such joy to see the healing and beauty that our customers are amazed by.

Where are your products sold?

Our products can be purchased directly from our website. We have a rapidly growing wholesale channel found in luxury boutiques, spas, salons, dermatologists, and some select hotels all across the United States. We have been focusing on partnering with like-minded entrepreneurs who share the same values for clean beauty and sustainability. Some of the retailers you can purchase from are Dover Street Market (Los Angeles), Love Adorned (New York), Christy Dawn (Los Angeles), Aloupis Dermatology (West Palm Beach), Medicus Vein Care (Palm Beach), Sepi Spa (Santa Monica), Heist (Los Angeles), and Dara’s own Alkemie Road Shoppe (Los Angeles).

What's next for the brand?

We are working to expand our product line in 2021 and continue to improve the environmental impact of our packaging and operations. We have gone through extensive efforts to avoid plastic wherever possible. We confidently believe that scale, innovation, and good design can reduce our environmental impact so we will continue to challenge ourselves and hope to offer a refill option for our loyal customers to reduce our environmental footprint even more.

We also hope to continue sharing the medicine of the Earth in a way that supports people in falling deeper in love with themselves and the Earth. We hope that as the mainstream experiences Rituel, people see that true beauty can be found in the power of the healing Earth, that harsh chemicals are unnecessary and harm us and the planet, and that it is our birthright and joy to give back to the Earth, making her more healthy and beautiful.

As people experience the miraculous effects of Rituel, we hope they soften into the knowing that we cannot experience beauty without balance. As we receive all we need from the Earth to live a healthy and beautiful life, we hope that others will be inspired and find joy in supporting the long-term health and beauty of the Earth’s soils, waters, plants, animals, and ecosystems so we can all enjoy health and beauty for generations to come.

For more information and to purchase, visit rituel.com and follow on Instagram: @rituelbeauty

[Images courtesy of Rituel]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk