The £7 skin secret celebs are devoted to

BeaUty fans are flocking to their local chemists after television presenter amanda holden last month revealed the product to which she owes her glowing skin. no, it’s not a luxury brand whose products come with three-figure price tags, but a pharmacy range that includes a £7 cleanser and similarly priced moisturiser.

‘I swear by Cetaphil,’ says the 44-year- old mother- of-two. ‘ It isn’t fancy or expensive, but it does what I need it to do.’

and she’s not the only a-lister to proclaim her love for the line — available from pharmacies nationwide — with stars from actresses Olivia Wilde to Charlize theron r evealing themselves as fans, too.

So, what exactly is Cetaphil (pronounced see-ta-fil), where do the products come from and what makes them so good?

the budget skincare range is produced by Galderma, an american pharmaceutical company now owned by nestle, which also makes restylane dermal fillers, a botulinum toxin called azzalure, and differin, an acne drug.

the Cetaphil line started off with just one product — a cleansing lotion invented by a pharmacist in 1947. the Gentle Skin Cleanser is soap and fragrance-free, and can be used as a cream, wiped off with a cloth or cotton wool, or a rinseoff cleanser, removed with just water.

It still uses the same formula of eight ingredients: water, cetyl alcohol, propylene glycol and stearyl alcohol ( which all help to moisturise the skin), sodium lauryl sulfate (a surfactant, or ingredient that helps trap and lift off dirt) and three preservatives — methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben.

It’s one of those products experts invariably recommend, and harley Street cosmetic dermatologist dr Sam Bunting explains why. ‘Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser is well tolerated by most patients,’ she says.

‘even those with reactive or irritated skin can usually use it as it doesn’t deplete skin’s barrier function, has a ph t hat doesn’t disturb the skin’s acid- alkali balance and doesn’t clog the pores.’

although fans of ‘natural’ skin products may take issue with the presence of sodium lauryl sulphate, which can cause irritation in some people, in reality, most dermatologists report, like dr Bunting, that even patients who have sensitive skin don’t tend to have problems with it — possibly because of the high level of moisturising ingredients also present.

Some also object to the use of parabens as preservatives but, despite c ontroversy t he substances are widely regarded as safe, and don’t irritate skin.

dr Bunting adds: ‘ Parabens are effective preservatives and, given how widespread their use is, in practice they are an uncommon cause of allergy. this is especially true in the context of a cleanser that stays in contact with skin for, at most, a minute.’ I’ve been a Cetaphil fan for years, and there’s a very simple reason for that: the products are cheap, non-irritant — and effective.

I want my cleanser to do just that — cleanse my skin, r emoving make-up and excess oil, without damaging the barrier function of my skin or irritating. and, as dr Bunting points out, when a product is so fleetingly in contact with your face, is it really worth spending more than the bare minimum on it? Paying £70, £80 or £90 — Selfridges stock more than 20 cleansers over the £60 mark — for something that you wash down the drain makes no sense.

I rate Cetaphil’s moisturisers for similar reasons: they’re simple, effective and don’t irritate my skin. a tub of the £15 Moisturising Cream does exactly what I need it to do — it hydrates without being greasy.

It’s great for my normal skin, but those with very dry skin, even eczema, also swear by it.

WhILe lots of us look to pricey moisturisers for their anti-ageing benefits, many skin experts believe that serums, which contain higher concentrations of ingredients and tend to be more easily absorbed, are the best way of tackling skin problems.

So by not splurging on the basics, I can invest in the bits that count.

For me, that’s serums with active ingredients that address pigmentation, as well as prescription creams with high levels of vitamin a to tackle fine lines.

I let them do the heavy duty stuff, while Cetaphil keeps the basics in order.

It’s a bit like a restaurant; while the celebrity chef might get the money and the kudos, he needs the lowly pot-washer — or the whole thing would fall apart.

So, although the l i kes of amanda holden and Charlize theron are making millions and can afford the priciest brands out there, they’re right to keep this £7 essential as part of their beauty regime.