Behind The Brand
Behind The Apawthecary Co.
Comfort you can feel. Formulas you can understand.
I’m Frank Kerrigan, founder of The Apawthecary Co. in Bel Air, Maryland. I started this company because I like helping people, and I’ve always been curious about the plants, herbs and everyday habits that shape how we care for ourselves.
That curiosity led me to herbalist education and hands-on formulation. It also gave me a question I still ask about every product we make: why is each ingredient here?
The name has a family story, too. Kylo, our goldendoodle and unofficial Chief Executive Doodle, inspired the “paw” in Apawthecary. My wife Lauren and our son Liam are the family behind the business—and part of the everyday life our products need to fit.
Why I Started
Products that earn a place in everyday life.
I wanted to make things people would enjoy reaching for: body care that feels good to use, an herbal tea worth slowing down for, a balm with a clear purpose, or a candle for the room you settle into at the end of the day.
For me, the point is the complete product—not the longest ingredient story or one botanical on the front of a label. Sometimes a formula can be simple; sometimes it needs supporting ingredients to do its job well.
Plants, Herbs & Curiosity
A love of herbs, backed by continued learning.
I completed the Advanced Master Herbalist Diploma with Distinction through Centre of Excellence. That education informs my botanical research; it is not medical or veterinary licensure. You can view the credential and its scope.
I’m also committed to continued learning through our business membership in The Herb Society of America. Botanical tradition is a starting point for curiosity, not a reason to promise a cure.
The Apawthecary Difference
Thoughtfulness behind every label.
Here is what that question about ingredients means when I’m developing a product. The full standards explain the details.
Purpose Before Promotion
Ingredients should contribute to function, feel, flavor, aroma, stability, appropriate preservation or the finished experience.
Simplicity Without Shortcuts
A focused formula still needs the emulsifiers, preservatives and supporting ingredients appropriate to its format.
Honest, Responsible Language
I explain what a product is designed for without turning an ingredient story into a cure-all promise.
The Whole Household in Mind
Clear, product-specific directions matter in homes shared by adults, children and pets.
People First. Pets Always in the Picture.
My experience with animals still shapes the way I think about products.
I spent four years working as a veterinary technician. That experience still shapes the care I take around household use, placement and pet exposure.
It does not make every product a pet product, or every fragrance right for every animal. We identify intended use and provide product-specific guidance rather than making a blanket “pet-safe” promise.
My business, with my family behind it.
This is the company I founded and continue to build, with Lauren, Liam and Kylo behind me. Their support keeps the work personal.
Our products need to make sense beyond a studio photograph—in ordinary mornings, busy schedules, quiet evenings and the spaces families actually share.
The Name & The Doodle
Inspired by pets, created for the whole home.
Kylo brings plenty of personality to the brand: Chief Executive Doodle, household supervisor and the inspiration behind our paw details.
The name celebrates the place pets hold in our families. The product’s own directions—not the paw in our name—tell you whether it is intended for an animal.
A Note From Frank
A note from me to you.
I want to make something useful and honest enough that I would feel good giving it to someone I care about. That is the standard I bring back to the work.
Every order supports this Maryland business and the family behind it. Thank you for making our products part of your home and your routines.
Explore The Apawthecary
See the philosophy put into practice.
Start with customer favorites, or see how we choose ingredients and explain the products we make.