I’m Lea-Anne Crawford, founder of Vanilla Mozi. I live in Noosa Heads, QLD, with my husband and four kids. My journey started in 2006, like many beauty entrepreneurs — in my kitchen, with a mission to create natural products safe for my family.

A love of nature and science led me to a Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Movement, but it wasn’t until my second child developed a persistent rash in 2000 that I began experimenting with natural remedies. I turned to books on essential oils and chemical-free living and started formulating at night while my kids slept. Soap-making became my creative outlet, and soon I was crafting everything from toothpaste to bubble bath — long before clean beauty became trendy.

The turning point came after relocating to coastal Ocean Grove, VIC. Evenings outside were impossible, and I refused to use chemical-laden repellents on my family. That’s when I created Vanilla Mozi — a luxe Outdoor Body Cream that smells like flowers and works by masking your scent. It was born out of love, necessity, and lots of home testing (with help from my kids and husband, Dave).

My first "store" was the school drop-off line, then local markets. Vanilla Mozi quickly stood out and developed a loyal following. Today, we’re stocked across Australia and recently launched in the USA. As demand has grown, we’ve scaled up production while staying true to our roots. I’m proud of the conscious community we’ve built — people who care deeply about what goes on their skin.