Celtic Apothecary opens in Port Jefferson
Dawn McCarthy, owner of Celtic Apothecary in Port Jefferson. The shop sells natural cleaning and skin care products. Credit: Dawn McCarthy
A Miller Place mother who created her own line of natural cleaning and skin care products has opened an apothecary in Port Jefferson.
“When my children were young, they were very sensitive to commercial products,” says Dawn McCarthy, adding that her children, now 17 and 20, had eczema. Seeing products using parabens, phthalates and formaldehydes led her to begin making the natural products she now markets.
The new Celtic Apothecary sells handcrafted organic candles, cleaning and laundry products and body products. The shop also specializes in creating natural remedies like a vapor rub made with eucalyptus, rosemary, cinnamon, peppermint, coconut oil and beeswax. Items like handmade signs and wreaths created by local artisans are also on the shelves, and a fourth-generation farm in Miller Place provides honey and herbal products.
The name of the shop and some its products are reminiscent of one of McCarthy's favorite places: Ireland. "My husband's family is from County Mayo and from the time of our honeymoon it became our favorite place to visit," she says. "All of our products hint at those visits by their names. Cliffs of Moher, Celtic Mist and Irish Tweed are three of our signature scents and the most popular even today."
The apothecary uses very few ingredients in its products. The laundry powder contains four ingredients: Castile soap, borax, washing soda and baking soda. The laundry booster, a scent booster and sanitizer, contains three: essential oils, baking soda and Epsom salts.
McCarthy has previous experience in the retail field; she ran her own store called Santa's Busy Helper at Smith Haven Mall during the holiday season for several years, providing gift-wrapping services and running Celtic Apothecary during the rest of the year online. During the pandemic, McCarthy moved Celtic Apothecary to Etsy, and later, to Devoshion at Walt Whitman Shops, which relocated to the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove.
Items like candles, cleaning and body products for men and women run $10 to $40.
Celtic Apothecary, 128 Main St., Port Jefferson, 631-403-4202, celticcandleworks.com
