When I think back, I can’t remember a time I wasn’t drawn to natural remedies. I was always that “crunchy” person reading labels; not always understanding them, but knowing enough to feel I had to be proactive. The major shift came when my husband and I decided to grow our family. I stopped colouring my hair, took a deep dive into cleansing our food and skincare, and suddenly became hyper-aware of the products I was putting on my skin. At the time, I had no idea how hidden “fragrances” and synthetics could affect pregnancy, or how much microplastic was building up in everyday products.
Unable to find what I needed, I turned to Pinterest and began experimenting with simple DIY blends from my own pantry. My first was a face and body oil made with olive oil and lavender essential oil. It was far too heavy for daily use. Travis, my husband, joked about the greasy mess it left on his pillow, but it was the beginning of something bigger. The first product I was confident enough to share with others was a simple mint lip balm: beeswax, coconut oil, peppermint and a touch of lavender. It wasn’t perfect, but it sparked a journey.
Not long after, I made an eye pillow at the request of my mother-in-law, and soaps soon followed. Over the years, I kept refining, with friends and co-workers repeatedly asking when I’d make another batch of lip balm. That’s when I realised people weren’t just being kind; they’d come to rely on it as part of their daily routine.
The lip balm quickly became my breakthrough product. Over time, I refined my formulas, discovering that almond oil was a game-changer: deeply nourishing yet fast-absorbing – perfect for sensitive skin.
The official launch of Mantra Bee didn’t happen until November 2023, when we joined Brisbane’s Milton Markets: a 15-year span from those humble concoctions. Since our launch, we’ve been steadily growing through markets, a pop-up store at a major shopping centre, and an ever-expanding community of loyal online customers. I look back over the years and smile: so many experiments, plenty of speed bumps, many failures and a few glorious victories. I think the best businesses are the ones that weren’t created to be businesses, but rather born from passion.
