Culture: Italian Pharmacies

Italian culture is vastly different from the US culture, in many ways, and I have had a great time learning how the way Italians live differs from the ways I have learned. In the US, CVS is a mecca of anything you could need in a rush—prescriptions (obviously), makeup, limited groeries, amazing road trip snacks, and cleaning supplies. My first trip to an Italian Farmacia (pharmacy) was an overwhelming one to say the least, which is ironic given that a Farmacia is usually quite small. (Note: all Farmacias are marked by a lit green cross…) Everything is written in Italian, but the most glaring difference is that the selection is limited. Farmacias only sell prescriptions, skincare, and body care. One cannot go in there looking for an eyeliner or a new lipstick. There isn’t a huge variety in the brands and they are usually of a higher quality. The pharmacists are also highly knowledgeable about the various products. Most of the products also have stricter restrictions on what ingredients they are allowed to use compared to the US, so I feel a bit more comfortable about what I am putting on my body. One of my favorite finds has been micellar water, which serves a double purpose as toner and makeup remover.