L’Erbolario started life in Lodi in 1978 as a small artisan herbalist’s shop, though its story began even earlier in the imagination of its founders, Daniela Villa and Franco Bergamaschi. From their teenage years, the young couple shared a passion for medicinal plants, spending their days in the countryside around Lodi gathering wild herbs to turn into lotions, decoctions and infusions following old family recipes.
The name L’Erbolario comes from the archaic Italian verb erborare, meaning ‘to go out into the fields gathering herbs for study or medicinal use’.
Within a few years, thanks to word of mouth from our first enthusiastic Clients, what had started as an interest we cultivated in our private lives turned into a successful business, enabling Daniela and Franco to anticipate the boom in the plant-derived cosmetics market, and then to become key players in the years to come.
Over the years, L'Erbolario has won a growing following in Italy and abroad, while staying true to its identity as a family-run, 100% Made in Italy company.
In 2004, Franco and Daniela decided to complement L’Erbolario’s many years of expertise in phytocosmetics with the knowledge of Dr Fausto Mearelli, a respected phytotherapy specialist. This partnership gave rise to Erbamea, L’Erbolario’s sister company based in Umbria, the green heart of Italy. Specialising in medicinal plants and food supplements, Erbamea is also a key supplier to L’Erbolario of many exceptionally high-quality plant-based raw materials.
Our mission
Our goal is increasingly clear: to harness the finest plant-based ingredients to create innovative, high-performance products.
Creating products that are as pleasurable to use as they are effective is one of the great challenges in naturally derived cosmetics and a constant focus of L’Erbolario’s research. We are committed to offering cosmetics rich in plant-based ingredients that deliver excellent results while feeling pleasant and comfortable on the skin. The subtle scents of the products and their sophisticated packaging, inspired by the botanical illustrations found in ancient herbariums, are also unmistakable hallmarks of the brand.
Our numbers
With 4,500 points of sale in Italy, 215 franchised stores – including 14 outside Italy* – and distribution in 42 countries worldwide, L’Erbolario has an unmistakable style inspired by nature’s beauty and characterised by authenticity and timeless elegance.
*Figures as at 31/12/2025
