Rituals — Seshen
Essence
Seshen is a 2026 limited-edition solar floral from Rituals, the Dutch bath-and-body brand, built around an Egyptian-themed concept: “seshen” is the ancient Egyptian word for the lotus that blooms anew each day. It is a fresh, luminous, summery jasmine-and-citrus scent with an aquatic-mineral drydown - an affordable, accessible “spa-clean” floral aimed at evoking the sunlit banks of the Nile, not a serious niche statement. As a brand-new release from a body brand, coverage is thin and largely promotional.
Scent Profile
The opening is bright and fresh - bergamot is prominent, joined by orange blossom and a cucumber/melon sharpness, with cardamom barely perceptible. As it dries, the bergamot recedes and Egyptian jasmine absolute takes over alongside lingering orange blossom, lotus, and a marine/aquatic accord, giving the “white flowers blooming from sun-heated golden stones” effect the brand markets. The base is soft and skin-close: powdery white musk, a mineral touch, and balsamic guaiac wood that integrates into the skin. The net effect, per the few wearer reports impressions available, is “fresh citrus, white floral cleanliness, sweet summer nature” - a solar floral that one reviewer pegged as a “Frutiger Aero scent”: very aquatic, very fresh, very clean.
Performance
Early wearer reports reports put longevity at around seven hours, with projection good in the opening stages but weakening toward the final hours - respectable for an affordable EDP from a body brand. By the late drydown one reviewer was left with “the powdery essence of the white musk + the balsamic guaiac wood.” Another noted it lacks “the slightly weird note of the cosmetic products from this line,” reading as more polished than Rituals’ body sprays.
Wearing Context
A spring-to-summer, daytime, fresh-clean floral - explicitly positioned by Rituals as a warm-weather “fresh start” scent. It reads feminine but several reviewers call it unambiguously unisex. Good for casual daily wear, hot weather, and anyone wanting a light, uplifting, office-safe solar floral rather than a projecting statement.
Comparisons & DNA
The standout wearer reports comparison is to Chloe Nomade Naturelle / Nomade (one reviewer noted “quite a few similarities,” citing the lotus). Within Rituals’ own catalog, it connects loosely to the brand’s lotus-centric Ritual of Karma line (lotus + white tea, a clean aquatic spa scent), though Seshen is a distinct Egyptian-themed limited edition. It sits in the broad solar-floral / fresh-aquatic-jasmine genre.
Reception
Coverage is minimal and there is no major critical review. The handful of wearer reports wearer reports impressions are split: positive takes praise it as fresh, clean, and summery (“would recommend”), while at least one reviewer reacted strongly negatively, saying it was “so awful I can honestly say I hate it. Unlike anything I would ever expect from Rituals.” Sentiment should be considered preliminary given the tiny sample size.
Versions & Reformulation
Seshen is a spring/summer 2026 limited-edition collection - a 12-piece range that, per Cosmetics Business, launched in Rituals stores and online on 4 March 2026. The EDP comes in 50 ml (£50.90 / €50,90) and a 15 ml travel flacon (€18,90), within a full body-and-home range (shower gel, body gel, body milk, scrub, candles, home perfume, diffuser). Note that some retailer/brand materials list a simplified or differing pyramid (e.g., orange blossom + vegetal accord top; lotus, peony, green mango heart; white musk, woody, mossy base), which conflicts with the wearer reports/EDP-specific notes - typical of Rituals collections where body-product and fine-fragrance scent descriptions diverge.
Acquisition Notes
Available through Rituals’ own website and selected stores during its limited run; as a seasonal limited edition it may disappear from shelves once the season ends, so collectors of the Egyptian theme should buy within the release window. At £50.90 for 50 ml it is an inexpensive, low-risk floral. Because it is brand-new with thin coverage, in-store sampling is the best approach.
Notable Facts & Lore
- Rituals (founded 2000 in Amsterdam by Raymond Cloosterman) is primarily a wellness/body brand whose fragrance line has grown to include genuinely well-regarded EDPs (e.g.
- the oud-forward Velvet Oudh and Oudh Pour Homme). The Seshen concept leans hard into ancient-Egyptian theming: Innovation Director Lot van Rij told Cosmetics Business the strong theming is “an ode to the power of fragrance to transport you to faraway places,” explaining “We chose ancient Egypt because it is an endless source of inspiration for us, where scent was used both in temple rituals and daily beauty routines.” The water-drop-shaped bottle is said to be inspired by droplets from the Nile.