Giardini Mediterranei Body Scrub Gift Box

A gift box from Blu Costiera, the Amalfi Coast brand founded by Antonio and Raffaella, a husband-and-wife team who left law to build something out of the coast they loved. Inside: one Giardini Mediterranei body scrub and one soap dish hand-painted by artisans in Vietri sul Mare.

Giardini Mediterranei means Mediterranean gardens, and that is what it smells like — fresh tomato leaf and heavy flowers, green rather than sweet. It is the least expected scent in the range and the one people tend to come back for. Ultra-fine microparticles lift dead skin while shea butter and jojoba oil keep it from drying out. Made in Italy, vegan, never tested on animals.

The box is printed with a garden pattern on pale blue — songbirds, roses, berries and wildflowers — and the soap dish inside is real Vietri majolica, made and painted by hand on the Amalfi Coast. The scrub runs out; the dish stays.

Good for anyone who already has enough candles, and for gardeners in particular.

Each soap dish is hand-painted in Vietri sul Mare, so no two are identical and yours will differ slightly from the one photographed. That is not a defect — it is the mark of a handmade piece.

Contents: One 150 g body scrub · one handmade Vietri ceramic soap dish
Scent: Giardini Mediterranei — tomato leaf and flowers; a green garden scent
Material: Vegetable-based exfoliating soap; hand-painted Vietri majolica dish
Made in: Italy — Amalfi Coast, Campania
Care: Scrub — keep on a draining dish and let it dry fully between uses. Dish — hand-wash with mild soap and warm water, dry with a soft cloth; not dishwasher safe.
Sold as: Individual gift box

What is in the box? One full-size Giardini Mediterranei body scrub and one ceramic soap dish, hand-painted in Vietri sul Mare. Finished and ready to give.

What is the difference between the scrub and the soap? The scrub is a solid bar like the soap, with ultra-fine microparticles worked through it that lift dead skin as you wash. It cleans and exfoliates in one step.

What does Giardini Mediterranei smell like? Tomato leaf and garden flowers — green, sharp and a little unusual. Not floral in the perfume sense.

Is the soap dish real Italian ceramic? Yes. Made and hand-painted by artisans in Vietri sul Mare on the Amalfi Coast. Every dish is different.

Is this vegan? Yes — vegan, not tested on animals, enriched with shea butter and jojoba oil.

Is this a good Italian wedding gift? Good for a bridal shower or a bridesmaid. For the wedding itself, Biordi's hand-painted Deruta dinnerware is the traditional choice.

Is this a good housewarming or hostess gift? Yes, and a good one for someone hard to buy for — the scent is distinctive enough to be memorable and the dish is a real piece of Italian ceramic.

Why buy Italian gifts from Biordi rather than other retailers? Biordi has imported from Italy since 1946 and is a San Francisco Legacy Business. Everything here is chosen in person from the workshops and brands that make it — this one on a trip to the Amalfi Coast.

Can this be customized or personalized? Blu Costiera gift boxes are not customizable — but the ceramic soap dish inside is hand-painted in Vietri sul Mare, so no two are alike and the one you receive will differ slightly from the photograph. For personalized Italian pieces with a name, date or occasion painted on, Biordi works with Eugenio Ricciarelli, FIMA, Pia Formato and Geribi. Contact Biordi Art Imports at (415) 392-8096 or customerservice@biordi.com.

Blu Costiera, Amalfi Coast — Antonio and Raffaella are husband and wife, both lawyers, both with a long passion for fashion and art. They built Blu Costiera around one place: the Amalfi Coast, and the blue that gives it its name. Everything is made in Italy, the packaging is plastic-free and printed on locally sourced recycled paper, and every gift box carries a soap dish hand-painted in Vietri sul Mare.

Italian ceramics are heirloom quality products, and can last lifetime with proper care. We have some suggestions that will preserve your majolica for years to come.

Majolica is dishwasher safe, but many people choose to hand wash their pieces as a precaution. Because majolica is a porous material, some pieces are not meant to hold liquid for a long period of time. Check for warning labels before ordering a product, as the pieces that are most notorious for "sweating" are appropriately labeled.

Majolica is sensitive to extreme temperatures, specifically boiling or freezing liquids. Pouring water with a rolling boil directly into a teapot, for example, may lead to breakage. To avoid this, temper the object. The industry standard is 620 degrees Celsius (1,148 degrees Fahrenheit). Quench the glass to cool it.

Crazing is common in well used majolica. The tiny cracks in the glaze do not affect the functionality of your majolica.

Majolica hand-crafted products should not be microwaved, as it may crack and/or break the ceramics.

UPS Ground

Flat shipping charge of $10 for each shipment of merchandise under $100.00. For orders of $100.00 or more, shipping is 10% of the order total.

UPS Next Day Air

Flat shipping charge of $63 for each shipment of merchandise under $70.00. For orders of $70.00 or more, shipping is 90% of the order total.

UPS 2-Day Priority (Rush Shipping)

Flat shipping charge of $42 for each shipment of merchandise under $70.00. For orders of $70.00 or more, shipping is 60% of the order total. Note: This option is required for shipping to Alaska and Hawaii.

USPS 3-Day Priority

Flat shipping charge of $21 for each shipment of merchandise under $70.00. For orders of $70.00 or more, shipping is 30% of the order total.

International Shipments

Please contact us at customerservice@biordi.com or call us at (415) 392-8096 for quotes to ship internationally.

You will be charged a rate based on your delivery area, value and shipping preference. For items shipped via UPS, see below for information pricing information. Once the package is shipped, you will receive an email with tracking information to track your package.