In a world dominated by mass-produced products and department store chains, there’s something truly enchanting about discovering the beauty of local businesses. Just like how indulging in fresh veggies from a farmers market enhances our culinary experiences, opting for soap from a local soap shop over generic beauty bars from…

Friendly Goods Company, a Chestertown, MD-based skin and body care company founded by Samuel and DeLia Shoge, was awarded a $5,000 grant from the Ratcliffe Foundation’s Shore Hatchery Program at Salisbury University. “Participating in Shore Hatchery was an exhilarating experience,” said Sam Shoge, Friendly Goods Company’s co-founder. “We were part…

“Wait a minute, you’re trying to tell me the “soap” I’m buying at the store isn’t soap?” “Yep.” “That white, slightly curved bar, in white packaging isn’t…soap?” “Nope.” Crazy, right? These are the same questions we asked when we learned this the first time. Turns out, the FDA–yes, that one–regulates…

When we were first experimenting with making soap, like most people when you’re discovering a new hobby, we stuck to the simplest of ingredients. In the case of soap making, it was olive oil, coconut oil, and alkaline. We learned, however, that soap-making can be very forgiving as long as…