By Lisa Carolin
Downtown Chelsea’s newest soap and skin care products business, FarmSudz, opened at 104 S. Main Street in July, and recently received permission from the Chelsea Planning Commission to manufacture its natural skincare products on the premises.
The store is located in the lower level beneath Chelsea Print & Graphics, and is owned by Julie Konkle, who started the business in 2013, after retiring from a 35-year nursing career at the University of Michigan.
Her niece, Erin Valkuchak, a pharmacy technician, is her business partner.
“I make the very best goat milk soap around,” said Konkle. “It’s made the old fashioned way, with lye, lard, and other natural oils that make it super creamy and moisturizing. I get my goat milk from the happy, healthy goats at Firesign Family Farm in Whitmore Lake.”
Her soap is based on a centuries-old recipe and uses shea tree bark, cocoa pods, ash from plantain skins, palm tree leaves, raw organic shea butter, sustainably sourced palm oil, and organic coconut oil.
“It helps to heal skin problems such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis, fades skin discolorations, relieves dry and irritated skin, and evens skin texture and tone,” said Konkle. “When used as a shaving cream on the face or legs it alleviates razor burn. It can be used on the entire body including the hair.”
FarmSudz also sells balms made from local beeswax and herbs, all natural insect repellent, rich body and hand creams made with aloe and shea butter, and face cream made with carrot seed oil and sea buckthorn oil.
In addition, Konkle sells PupSudz, a dog soap bar for “itchy pooches” as well as poison ivy relief soap.
“My interest in alternative medicine combined with experience in clinical research both play a big role in my product formulation,” said Konkle. “It feels wonderful when I hear back from customers that the FarmSudz products they are using are helping.”
Konkle is a resident of Chelsea and says that she loves the city. Her products are also sold at Vintage Barn Boutique in Chelsea, the Dexter Mill, and more and on Etsy. FarmSudz is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Konkle says, “Our open sign will be out on the sidewalk anytime we are there.”
