Our Chamomile & mandarin anti-ageing serum came a frustratingly close second in this year's Natural & Organic Awards which were announced last Sunday at the Natural & Organics Show in London's Olympia. We were told that there was just half of one percent between the two finalists!

Sponsored by the Soil Association, the awards are the UK's most important and prestigious competition for natural and organic skin care products. They've become a benchmark for excellence, setting the standard for innovation, quality and commitment in the natural and organic sector. And Botanicals has an unrivalled record.

Back in 2010, we were the first company to win the two major awards, with our Rose & camellia cleansing melt taking best organic skin care product, and our Natural foot balm winning best organic body care product. In 2011 our ever-popular foot balm was finalist in the best organic body care section. But last year we missed out because we hadn't realised that the rules had changed, and submitted the wrong-size products :-(.

Three of our products short-listed

This year, the organisers combined the two categories into one; the 'Best organic beauty product'. More than 60 products from all over the UK were submitted, and just 13 shortlisted for extensive testing by a panel of independent experts. Three of our products came through this stage; our Rose & camellia facial balm, the Chamomile & mandarin facial polish, and our Anti-ageing serum.

The competition judges were Janey Lee Grace and Rebecca Goodyear. Janey is a well-known broadcaster on Radio 2, and Rebecca a respected blogger with her site Biteable Beauty. We knew that our anti-ageing serum had been chosen as one of the two finalists. But unfortunately it came a very close second.

Oh well. Coming second to over 60 other products - many of them from big-name brands - isn't bad. And we hope to have have better luck next year. We've only entered two competitions this year. The other is the 'Free from awards'. And we've already heard that three of the four products we submitted have been shortlisted. So fingers crossed!