I was skeptical of Ritual's women's multivitamin, and then I tried them — I noticed a daily boost of energy and an improved mood almost immediately

The vitamin aisle at the grocery store has to be one of the most difficult to navigate. With so many options to choose from, figuring out which vitamins you need is confusing and overwhelming. There's also the question of whether they're actually benefiting you or if you're simply experiencing a placebo effect.

But the one thing that probably hasn't crossed your mind is whether your vitamins are packed with potentially harmful ingredients. When Katerina Schneider became pregnant with her first child, she also became increasingly aware of everything she was putting into her body — including the vitamins she was taking.

"I realized that the same potentially harmful ingredients like aluminum and carrageenan that I was avoiding throughout my house were in the vitamins I was taking every day," Schneider told Business Insider. "The more I researched the vitamin industry, the more I realized that it was a black box."

The start of a new Ritual

Frustrated she couldn't find a vitamin brand she trusted or connected with, Schneider founded Ritual, a new line of women's vitamins made "for skeptics, by skeptics," as the company puts it.

Instead of filling a capsule with the same nutrients most multivitamins have, Schneider joined forces with a team of scientists and combed through thousands of studies to find out which ones are legitimately beneficial. She found that half the ingredients of a typical multivitamin were superfluous.

What she did instead was whittle Rituals' signature "Essential for Women" formula down to nine key nutrients most women lack, including vitamin D3 , B12, folate, vitamin K2 MK7, omega-3s, vitamin E, magnesium, iron, and boron.

An ingredient list you can trust

Transparency is important to Ritual, which is why each included ingredient is vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and in a form closest to those found in the food we already eat. The latter, Schneider explained, makes this vitamin a great choice for every woman.

"In those forms, our bodies know what to do with them," she said. "That means if we have too much already in our diets, then our bodies can dispose of them. On the other end, if we need them, our bodies can utilize them. Sometimes we joke that we've created one single pill that is really the most personalized pill of them all because it adapts for what our body needs most."

Giving Ritual a test drive

I have to admit I was initially skeptical about the vitamin. I've taking multivitamins since I was a kid, so how could this brand possibly be as different as everyone claimed? Immediately after Ritual sent me a bottle of vitamins to try, I found myself feeling better.

The first thing I noticed was the shape of the capsules. They look more like snow globes than a traditional multivitamin, which made taking them more pleasant. The vitamins do have an unexpected, algae-like taste, but all vitamins meant for adults taste a little weird or bland, so I don't view this as a drawback.

Like any other vitamin, you won't see results overnight but I did notice positive improvements over time, the most notable being a dramatic energy boost. I spend at least 40 hours a week staring at a computer, so it's easy for me to feel tired and sluggish during and after work. Not only did I feel sharper at the office but I noticed I had more energy throughout the day.

I was also in a generally better mood, which is a nice perk, too. Since I kept the rest of my routine the same, it's not too far-fetched to think that this little vitamin could be a pleasant surprise for other skeptics, as well.

The bottom line

No two people are the same, so your experience with Ritual may be different from mine. But if you're looking to try a new vitamin, this one gets my recommendation. The brand's conscious effort to include the exact nutrients women need is also a major plus as I was able to confidently take them without worrying about what I put in my body.

They're great for anyone who's vegan, as well as gluten-, dairy-, or soy-free, which makes them an attractive option for a wider group of women. I was a skeptic at first but the entire experience from taking the pill to the noticeable improvements quickly turned me into a fan of Ritual's multivitamin. Its price isn't too bad either, as the brand offers vitamins for 18+ users starting at $30 for a monthly supply and

• Should you try it? If you're looking for a new multivitamin and want to make sure you're only putting the best nutrients and ingredients in your body, then yes. Ritual's signature formula required extensive research to determine what's actually beneficial, and the finished product lives up to the high standard it's set.
• What are your alternatives? Multivitamins are a dime a dozen. You can walk any health aisle at a supermarket and see shelves lined with alternatives. If you're looking for a bargain option, check out Nature Made Multi for Her. If it's an inexpensive vitamin that focuses on clean ingredients, try Rainbow Light's Women's One Multivitamin.

Pros: Comprised of clean ingredients, backed by extensive research, contains beneficial nutrients like vitamin D3 , B12, and folate, is vegan, as well as gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free

Cons: Has an algae-like aftertaste, can be expensive