MacKenzie’s coastal products are making waves on the South Shore and beyond.
By Maria Allen
Sometimes, necessity is the mother of invention. As the story goes, when longtime Norwell resident Michael Ayles and Hank DeWolf of Rhode Island came home one day after a long day of fishing, they found themselves faced with a dilemma: how to clean a day’s worth of bait, scales and fish odors off their hands. Unable to find a cleanser that worked well, the duo set out to create a new product that would solve their problem.
Last year, the pair launched MacKenzie’s Fisherman Hand Scrub, a product made with ingredients like walnut husk and lemon essential oils, designed to effectively clean and deodorize hands leaving them feeling fresh and smooth. Fast forward to today, and MacKenzie’s now offers an assortment of personal care products, from hand scrubs and salves to shower bars, sunscreen and after-sun cooling lotion.
What began as a product line designed for fishermen, has evolved into a must-have item for people from all walks of life. MacKenzie’s products have attracted the attention of celebrity chefs seeking to eliminate strong odors from foods like onions and garlic off their hands and cutting boards, and they have developed a cult following in the gardening community thanks to their ability to remove stubborn dirt and stains.
Handcrafted for life by the sea and manufactured in small batches at a facility near the coast of New Hampshire, MacKenzie’s personal care products are popping up in coastal boutiques across the South Shore, and beyond. Local retailers that carry the MacKenzie’s line include: Welch Co. in Scituate, Three Buoys and a Mermaid in Duxbury, Oropa in Duxbury, Acquire Good in Hingham, Locally, Yours in Plymouth, and Wish Gift Co. in Sandwich.
To learn more, visit fishermanhandscrub.com.