After moving to the United States, Henri couldn’t help but be lured back for visits. During one fateful trip in 1994, he ventured to Marseille, the heart of Provence, where he purchased a bar of soap called “Savon de Marseille.” His grandmother had once touted this type of bar as the perfect soap for every use. It cleansed thoroughly yet gently, soothing and moisturizing the skin (even the hair!), keeping it youthful. Henri soon learned that this soap, made with 85% pure Olive Oil, was steeped in the culture and history of France.

Knowing more people could benefit from this “miracle soap,” Henri decided in 1996 to manufacture and distribute his own special version, adding pure essential oils to give the bars subtle, French fragrances. He and his wife, named the company Olivia Care—a play on the soap’s main ingredient, oil from olives, and the idea of how the ingredient cares for the skin.