L’Erbolario was founded in Lodi in 1978 as a small artisan herbalist shop. However, the idea for the company had existed in the minds of its founders, Daniela Villa and Franco Bergamaschi, even before that. As teenagers, the young couple shared a passion for medicinal plants, spending their days in the countryside around Lodi, searching for wild herbs to turn into lotions, decoctions and infusions, following ancient family recipes.
The name L’Erbolario comes from the archaic word erborare, meaning “to go foraging for herbs for study or therapeutic purposes”.
Within a few years, thanks to word of mouth from their first enthusiastic Clients, what had begun as a personal passion turned into a successful business. This allowed Daniela and Franco to anticipate the boom in the plant-derived cosmetics market, and later to become key players in the years to come.
Over the years, L’Erbolario has established itself as a cosmetics brand increasingly appreciated not only in Italy but also abroad, while remaining true to its identity as a family-run, 100% Made in Italy company.
In 2004, Franco and Daniela decided to combine L’Erbolario’s decades of experience in the phytocosmetic field with the expertise of Dr. Fausto Mearelli, an authoritative specialist in the phytotherapeutic sector. This partnership gave birth to Erbamea, the sister company located in Umbria, in the green heart of Italy, specialising in medicinal plants and food supplements, as well as being L’Erbolario’s supplier of excellence for organic plant-based raw materials.
Our mission
Our goal has become increasingly clear: to draw the best ingredients from the plant world to create innovative and high-performing products, but also, and above all, to adhere to an ethical vision of cosmetics based on the principle of making natural beauty accessible to all and on respect for people, animals and the environment.
The intrinsic pleasantness of the product, which is the true challenge of natural cosmetics, has always been a constant focus of L’Erbolario’s research. We are committed to offering cosmetics that are effective, yet pleasant in texture. The delicate fragrances of the products and their refined packaging, inspired by the botanical illustrations found in ancient herbariums, are also an unmistakable hallmark of the brand.
Our numbers
With 4,800 retail stores in Italy, 200 franchise stores – including 14 abroad* – and distribution in 45 countries worldwide, L’Erbolario is synonymous with an unmistakable style that celebrates natural beauty.
*Data as at 31/12/2024
