Grooming, Italian Style

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If you pay attention to beauty and grooming trends, you’ve probably heard a lot of geographical shorthand: K-Beauty (Korean), J-Beauty (Japanese) and lately, G-Beauty (German). Without getting too deep into why these trendy terms are weird (does everything need a shorthand?), there is some reason they exist beyond marketing. Certain countries and geographical areas have different cultures around beauty and grooming and use native ingredients and techniques that other places don’t. It’s the same reason why we have different cuisines—people use what they have access to.

I refuse to use the term I-Beauty to refer to Italian products, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. Italian grooming, skincare, and beauty products are poised for an explosion. Frankly, it’s about time. Italy may be known for its rich heritage of food, win,e and culture, but it’s for the same reasons that we covet real Italian food and culture that we should also be paying attention to the grooming products coming out of the country. Other companies have for years. In fact, many of the cosmetics sold by other beauty and grooming companies are made in Italy because the craftsmanship, product development, and access to ingredients are unmatched. It’s just that those companies slap their own logos on the bottles. Now, Italian companies are increasingly making them their own.

The exciting news is that guys are poised to reap the most benefits. Think of why we love Italian fashion and style so much. The traditional tailoring, the generational secrets of shoemaking and leatherworking, the appreciation for the most luxurious fabrics, the ability to push trends forward while still being steeped in heritage and history...It’s all there in the clothes—and the grooming products, too. Italian men are known for their style and part of that style is their shave, hair, and scent. They understand that it’s all part of the same package.

The Italian grooming philosophy invites you to slow down, savor the ritual and artistry of grooming (especially when it comes to your shave), and enjoy the subtlety and richness of heritage. These brands, both old and new, are exactly what you need to bring a little sprezzatura to your medicine cabinet.

Olivella

For generations, the Del Papa family has been one of the biggest olive oil producers in Italy, not just selling incredibly high quality olive oils around the world, but also providing fatty acids and lipids (byproducts of the olive oil refining process) to some of the largest cosmetic conglomerates out there. Now, a new generation of the family is taking the reins of the business, most notably by creating the largest organic olive grove in the entire country of Italy (we’re talking 900 acres, so large it includes a literal castle once owned by two popes).

Using their olives in new ways has always been a passion of the family, which is what most recently led to the creation of Olivella, a skin and body care brand that harnesses the power of ultra-refined olive oil. The oil contains fatty acids, lipids, and vitamins that help to bolster skin health, build up the protective skin barrier, and soothe dry and irritated skin.

The Standouts:

Truly one of the best body oils I’ve ever tried. It sinks into your skin almost instantaneously and leaves a dry finish with absolutely no greasy or oily feel.

A perfectly lightweight daytime moisturizer, even during the summer, with a hybrid gel-cream formula.

This color-correcting face cream has a slight green tint to help soothe and camouflage redness, but still acts as a fantastic daytime moisturizer.

Skin & Co Roma

The Balestra family is one of the largest truffle producers in the world and has been selling truffles for over 100 years. They’re a legit dynasty—holders of the Guiness World Record for largest white truffle ever found!—and count Oprah among their friends (and fans). More recently, they’ve figured out a way to actually farm truffles instead of foraging for them, which led to the creation of the first and largest USDA Organic-certified truffle farm in the world (they’re currently developing a second one in Kentucky). If you’re a truffle fan, you’ve probably seen some of their food products in places like Whole Foods. (Might we suggest the Sabatino Tartufi Truffle Zest sprinkled on top of popcorn?)

The creation of Skin & Co, a skincare line utilizing truffle extract as well as other local Umbrian ingredients, was the brainchild of Gabriel Balestra, who grew up watching his grandmother use local ingredients in beauty treatments. It turns out black winter truffles are rich in antioxidants and also have unique anti-aging properties. And no, the products don’t smell like truffle fries (the odorless extract is used in skincare, not the more fragrant oil).

The Standouts:

A slightly lathering, ultra-smooth in-shower oil that cleanses skin and leaves it moisturized at the same time.

Use this daily serum with hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, squalene, and over twenty botanical ingredients to help brighten skin tone and fade dark marks, as well as protect your skin from environmental aggressors.

Mondial 1908

Founded by Attilio Bagnoli in 1908, and still run by his descendants, Mondial 1908 has been making shaving brushes the same way for more than a hundred years. Each badger- or boar-bristle brush is constructed by hand from start to finish, which means only about 100 of these beauties can be made in a day. But until a few decades ago, Mondial 1908 only made them for other companies—the most iconic, luxurious grooming companies, to be exact. The company still does that (though the client list is a well-kept secret) but now you can also get them directly, including an innovative and more sustainable synthetic version.

Mondial 1908 is all about the ritual of shaving, eschewing the idea of the quick routine and instead focusing on the tradition of the most iconic men’s grooming practice. The company has since expanded into razor handles (some of which do fit a Gillette Mach3 cartridge, if that’s your vibe), ultra luxurious shaving creams, after-shaves, and fragrances, all of which invoke the distinct ritual of a barber shave. And speaking of barber shaves, the barbershop in Florence is a destination in itself, offering the most relaxing shaves with a view of the famous Ponte Vecchio.

The Standouts:

If you didn’t know it from the name, you’d never guess these badger bristles are synthetic. They feel and look just like the real thing and work shaving cream into a full lather just as well.

The scent of this richly lathering shaving cream is fresh, but not in the way you think. There is a smokiness from the tobacco that makes it somehow smell both clean and earthy in a totally unique way. Plus, the bowl is refillable.

If there’s a more luxe way to store your shaving brush and razor, we haven’t found it. This set is designed to be seen and looks great on your bathroom counter—almost as great as your face will look after you’ve shaved with the matching brush and razor.

Santa Maria Novella

The story goes like this: In 1533, when Caterina De Medici left Florence for France to marry the future king, among her entourage she brought a personal perfumer named Renato Bianco, who was raised and educated by the Franciscan friars of Santa Maria Novella. Legend says that he created Acqua della Regina to mark the occasion (it’s still available today) and thus brought the art of perfumery to France (which many still mistakenly believe is the birthplace of the practice). Santa Maria Novella’s history actually dates back 300 years before that to a pharmacy created by those same Franciscan friars (one product of which was “scented waters” used to sanitize both rooms and people—hello, perfume).

Today, that same building now houses one of the most iconic fragrance houses in the world. The folks there aren't making pharmaceuticals anymore and are instead focused on fragrances, bath and body products, home scents, and more—all in SMN's extensive catalog of luxurious scents. Using a Santa Maria Novella scent is one of the ultimate IYKYK moves—not ostentatious but attention grabbing nonetheless.

The Standouts:

Miles away from the skunky patchouli you may think of, this deep, earthy concoction of patchouli, musk, and sandalwood is masculine but not aggressive or ostentatious. Instead, it evolves with your skin’s natural scent to create a fragrance that is knee-bucklingly sensual.

This body wash isn’t for other people—it’s for you. It fills your shower with its rich, smokey-sweet scent in a way that makes you never want to turn off the water and then lingers on your skin but doesn’t overpower the other scents you’re going to layer on. We like to think of it as the ultimate special occasion body wash.

We challenge you to find a higher quality bar soap (we’ll wait). The ultra-smooth lather of this plant-based soap is infused with green, herbal vetiver for a fresh scent that is anything but cloying.

Pisterzi

Founder Gian Antonio Pisterzi started learning the barbering trade as a 12-year-old apprentice and has since grown into a master barber with two Pisterzi locations (one in Milan and one in New York City). Taking traditional Italian barbering techniques into the modern era, his philosophy centers around services and products that build on tradition but bring something a little extra (like sustainable ingredients and problem-solving solutions). He views grooming as an art as much as a ritualistic practice and his point of view is reflected not just in the design of his shops but in the products themselves. They’re elegantly formulated and easy to use and understand, even if it’s something you’ve never used before. The products stand out, but trust us when we say a cut and shave from Pisterzi himself is an unparalleled experience.

The Standouts:

This multi-functional balm is packed with Vitamins C and E as well as a cornucopia of botanical extracts. It can be used as a daily moisturizer (or a mask for extra dry skin), a beard balm to smooth and manage whiskers, and a pre- and post-shave treatment to soothe skin.

A few spritzes of this spray on facial hair instantly revitalizes it and adds smoothness, shine, and manageability without the weight or greasiness of oils or balms.

Natural clay in this mask helps to purify and cleanse skin and fruit-derived enzymes help to exfoliate and brighten your mug.

Venezia 1920

It may not be as old as some of the other brands on this list, but what this fragrance house lacks in age, it makes up for in storytelling. Inspired by the storied city of Venice, specifically the Venice of the 1920s, when it was the playground for the international jetset crowd, the luxurious fragrances take inspiration from locations, people, and vibes specific to Venice. You won’t find a touristy “Carnivale” scent though; these are more cerebral and esoteric, but that’s what makes them special.

The Standout:

Inspired by the iconic Harry’s Bar that was a favorite hangout of artists, writers, and aristocrats (characters like Hemingway and Capote were regulars), this smoky, woody fragrance is like nursing a well-aged scotch deep into the night. Notes of cedarwood, frankincense, leather, and coriander lend a masculine but worldly vibe that instantly makes you seem more interesting.

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