Del Brown is a blogger with a difference. He describes himself as an 'ingredient-scrutiniser' with a passion for natural and organic, chemical-free skincare. So we were delighted when he gave a big thumbs-up for our organic 'Botanicals radiance serum' in a recent online review.

Here's an extract from Del's post; ( Click here to read the post in full. And click here to view the Radiance serum on our website.)

I’m going to start this review by declaring my absolute love for it! As you know with me, it’s ALL about the ingredients, so let's start with that. The biggest ingredient in the bottle is organic apricot oil. Most of the big brands use olive oil as their carrier, as its cheap and widely available. Apricot oil is a natural anti-inflammatory when applied topically, so if you’re face is looking red, irritated or inflamed, this oil is perfect.

I’ve been using this for over a month and have found it help heal spots quickly, calm red irritated skin and rehydrate dry skin. There are several ways of using a face oil in your routine. You can use it on its own, replacing a cream moisturiser. Apply a couple of drops onto your fingers and smooth it into the skin. If your skin is feeling particularly dry or you’ve got some skin issues you want to tackle, apply one drop in with your moisturiser, combine, then apply. Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive and even oily.

Botanicals for men?

Del's review reignited the debate here at Botanicals about whether we should create a range specifically aimed at men. There's no doubt that the market for male grooming products has really taken off over recent years. But the trends seems to have dropped off, with men in the 25-34 age group now buying three products fewer than they were in 2012. Men are also said to spend a paltry average of £67 a year on toiletries, compared with the £170 spent by women.

The trend for beards has been blamed for much of the 10% fall in the male-grooming market. After all, they don't leave much face left for pampering! All of which leaves us as undecided as ever here at Botanicals. Shall we, shan't we? That is the question.

There's no doubt that most of our customers are women. But we also have some dedicated male customers who rave about our products. So rather than creating a completely new range, maybe it's just a case of spreading the message that natural and organic skincare products are great for all types of skin - dry or oily, young or mature, female... or male!

If you have any views, we'd be delighted to hear them. Especially if you feel there's a gap in the market for a particular product for men. Leave a comment below, or send a message via our contact form.