I travel quite a bit, and as a self-diagnosed skincare junkie, I spend an embarrassing amount of my life hunting for my next high in pharmacies across the globe. While 98% of the internet’s skincare discourse centers on the allure of the French pharmacy, I am here to tell you that other EU neighbors more than hold their own.
In particular, the Italian farmacia. Ma certo! There is something inherently soul-soothing about stepping into a small, family-run pharmacy in Italy. Whether you’re navigating the colorful, cobblestoned chaos of Rome or the sleek backdrop of Milan (not to mention my favorite hidden gem I pop into while visiting Porto Ercole), the experience is unmatched.
I’d humbly say I have more mileage in European pharmacies than most. Between my day job consulting for luxury skincare brands and hotels to curate their spa offerings and authoring my skincare Substack, Skin Sanctuary, I’ve amassed a mental database of what to hoard and what to leave on the shelf. It’s where I publish exhaustive beauty deep dives, hyper-clinical product breakdowns, and unfiltered reviews of everything from at-home laser devices to complex in-office technologies. I spend my days auditing formulations and testing protocols, I don’t look at a pharmacy shelf like a tourist—I look at it like a clinical editor.
The “why” behind my obsession is simple: the regulatory chasm between the US and the EU is vast. In the States, the FDA classifies sunscreens as over-the-counter drugs, meaning new UV filters are subject to a glacial approval process that hasn’t seen a significant update in decades. Meanwhile, the EU treats these products as cosmetics, allowing for a much more nimble and sophisticated playground of ingredients. This regulatory freedom means EU pharmacies carry advanced molecular filters that are more stable, more effective, and—crucially—far more elegant on the skin. While US shelves are often stuck with thick, chalky minerals or outdated chemical filters that sting the eyes, the Italian farmacia offers formulations that feel like high-end serums. It is a world where clinical rigor meets aesthetic pleasure, and once you’ve experienced the difference, it’s impossible to go back to the basic drugstore aisles of Manhattan.
SPF!
Growing up between Ireland and the US, I’ve seen firsthand the depressing gap between EU and US cosmetic formulations. Because the EU allows for a much more sophisticated playground of UV filters—and limits a laundry list of irritating ingredients—their sun protection comes in textures that feel like bottled silk rather than thick paste. I load up on SPF during my annual trip to Milan for Salone del Mobile to ensure I’m stocked through the summer before returning to Italy. These are the formulas I buy in multiples:
Vichy Capital Soleil SPF 50 Cell Protect Oil: This is a dry oil that absorbs instantly. It provides a “just-stepped-off-a-yacht” glow that makes your limbs look toned, hydrated, and—let’s be honest—significantly sexier.
Riemann P20 (The “Boat Sunscreen”): I discovered this while hiding under a bimini off the coast of Italy. It is one of the only truly long-wear SPFs on the market. Warning: it is not a friend to white linen—it stains—but it is a godsend for the fair-skinned. As someone with Irish DNA, I turn pink if I even think about the sun. P20 claims 10 hours of protection; I’d peg it closer to 5 or 6, but for those of us who routinely forget to reapply, it’s a miracle.
ISDIN Fotoprotector Hydro Lotion SPF 50: This is a brilliant biphase formula—part oil, part water—that you shake up before applying. It has a clever double action: while it protects you from radiation, it also oxygenates the cells to help the skin recover from UV exposure. It’s amazing for the body because it absorbs nearly instantly, leaving behind a glow that makes you look toned and, quite frankly, very sexy. Dual purpose and completely chic.
ISDIN Fotoprotector Gel Cream Wet Skin SPF 50: This is an amazing gel that feels light and breathable, yet it offers powerful SPF 50 protection. It spreads effortlessly across dry or damp skin, making it great for kids and adults alike.
SKINCARE
While the US skincare market often feels like it’s saturated with the same five mass-produced active ingredients, the Italian pharmaceutical landscape is built on a foundation of clinical precision and intergenerational heritage. I have come to find out that Italians take skincare very seriously. These are brands founded by chemists and pharmacists who treat skincare as a medical discipline rather than just a lifestyle choice. They excel at “functional cosmetics”—products that marry the sensory elegance of luxury brands with the high-octane efficacy of medical-grade treatments.
Miamo: Based in Milan, Miamo is the “if you know, you know” brand of the Italian elite. They go to great lengths to prove results with clinical trials, which appeals to my inner nerd. Their 20% Vitamin C Serum is potent and stable, while their Multi Peptide Lifting Serum acts like a liquid corset for travel-weary skin.
ISDIN: Yes, you can find ISDIN in the States, but the formulations are often quite different. The EU versions are pure, high-octane performance. I never leave without their Vitamin C ampoules and the Rejuvenate Age Contour moisturizer.
Hino Natural Skincare: If Miamo is the sleek Milanese penthouse, Hino is the organic villa in Tuscany. It’s slightly more accessible but equally rigorous about fusing naturally derived ingredients with clinical results. I’ve been religious about their TELO-C Radiance Booster. It’s packed with antioxidants and gallic acid, which works to inhibit melanin synthesis and calm redness—perfect for neutralizing that “I spent all day in the Piazza” inflammation.
Rilastil: Another pillar of Italian dermatology that is absolutely worth your attention. They make fabulous cleansers that respect the skin’s barrier while actually getting the job done. My favorite is their Acqua Cleansing Gel—it is purifying and rebalancing, perfect for managing the grime of travel without over-stripping. They also offer the Intense C Gel Serum, a strong, effective Vitamin C that doesn’t cost a fortune but brightens and protects beautifully for an amazing glow. To lock it all in, I love their Aqua Intense Gel Cream—it’s the perfect medium-weight moisturizer that leaves skin super plump without feeling heavy.
DEODORANT
We need to talk about the category most people completely neglect until they find themselves sweating through a linen shirt in the middle of a July afternoon. Italian deodorants are in a league of their own. While American drugstores tend to lean toward heavy, synthetic laundry-fresh scents or overly clinical formulas, the Italian approach is entirely different. They focus on subtle, sophisticated fragrance profiles that manage to be incredibly effective without shouting over your actual cologne. In Italy, personal care is never treated as an afterthought.
Breeze: This is a cult-classic Italian deodorant that I find myself hoarding every time I’m in the country. It focuses on a subtle, sophisticated fragrance profile that smells like an elevated version of classic powder. It’s light, incredibly reasonable, and chicly packaged in those iconic squeeze bottles. Best of all, it actually stands up to a 20,000-step day in the peak of the Roman heat without flinching, keeping you feeling completely civilized even when the temperature hits 90 degrees.
OTHER HOLY GRAILS: THE FARMACIA FIRST AID
While skincare is undeniably the main event, the Italian farmacia also excels at the unglamorous essentials. You shouldn’t leave the counter without checking out their superior over-the-counter wellness fixes.
Oki Task: This is hands-down my favorite pain reliever and an absolute travel requirement. Think of it as a far more refined, rapid-acting, and powerful cousin to Advil (ibuprofen). Formulated with ketoprofen lysine salt, it comes in genius individual-dose granules that dissolve directly on the tongue without needing water. It brings almost instantaneous relief to sudden headaches, jet-lagged neck strain, or tooth pain. I buy them in bulk and scatter them through the pockets of every travel bag I own.
Amuchina Gel: I spent a little over a month in Italy during the height of Covid—a time that was both utterly spectacular and deeply eerie. Imagine walking through the Vatican with literally no one else in sight, or seeing the cliffside verticality of Positano completely stripped of crowds. During those weeks, I was practically bathing in Amuchina. It is essentially Italy’s response to Purell, but far more refined. While it serves its practical purpose flawlessly, I confess I still buy it largely for sentimental reasons—and honestly, the typography and distinct Italian branding just look infinitely better sitting on a café table than any American hand sanitizer ever could.
THE VERDICT
Ultimately, the Italian farmacia represents a standard of personal care that simply doesn’t exist in the US drugstore landscape. It is a world where clinical precision is accessible on every street corner, and where the products are backed by rigorous science rather than just brilliant marketing. Whether you are hunting for advanced UV filters, medical-grade stability in your vitamins, or just a dependable, beautifully scented deodorant, it is entirely worth treating the local green neon cross as a mandatory travel destination. In my professional opinion, the formulations are so vastly superior that it’s worth checking a bag just to haul home a year’s supply—though if you are strictly team carry-on like me, you will always find a way to make it fit. Your skin will thank you somewhere over the Atlantic.
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