Valobra Primula Facial Soap

This classic, primrose-scented soap produces a rich, skin-softening lather that is perfect for sensitive (even baby) skin. Master soap makers use handpicked natural ingredients and a centuries-old manufacturing method to produce a delicate soap that’s enriched with skin-softening lecithin and vitamin E.

The House of Valobra has maintained the original formulas and methods valued in Italy since the 1800s. For a longer-lasting bar, the company seasons pure soap base for six months, then mills the soap six times with hydrating oils and vitamins. Each bar is hand wrapped in crinkly tissue and a vintage-print band.

Primula is one of Valobra’s signature products. The unique fatting process for Primula enriches the soap with the antioxidant vitamin E and lecithin, an additive that helps lower cholesterol in diets and softens the soap for delicate skin. The vegetable sources used for the fatty acids in Primula soap produce a slightly creamier lather for a more comfortable cleaning.

Ordinary soap can strip the skin and alter its pH balance. Skin is normally acidic, creating a barrier against bacteria, but cleansing can strip this layer and make skin more susceptible to dryness. The mineral oil in Primula, however, forms a layer on the skin to prevent it from drying out as much as regular soap.

Wet skin thoroughly with warm water. Then lather up the bar and gently massage onto your face, hands, body or washcloth.

Primula is delicate enough to use daily — no chemicals or detergents and the long milling process means this soap won’t strip skin of its natural oils. The soap is calming and scented with primrose, the first springtime bloom in European gardens. 

Virgilio Valobra manufactured his first soap in Genoa in 1903. A seaport city along the Italian Riviera, Genoa was home to some of the best soap makers of the 18th century. In the innovative spirit that made his predecessors soap making masters, Valobra experimented with exotic ingredients from across the world. The finest, rich, emollient fats, like virgin coconut oil from faraway islands in Indian Ocean, are still found in the family soaps today.

After Valobra founded the family business, soap makers discovered more affordable methods to meld basic fatty acids with sodium or potassium and soap soon became a heavily commercialized industry. Yet the House of Valobra continues to create high-quality soap in the meticulous way of the ancient Italian soap masters. 

Body Soap, Kaufmann Mercantile Blog

“Soap Making,” Chemistry in Daily Life (1905) by Dr. Lassar-Cohn, Google Books

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