I was recently in Japan with industry colleagues, many of whom were desperate to get to the shops to pick up Shu Uemura’s Ultime8, arguably the most beloved face cleanser in history among experts. I was delighted to break the news that they needn’t stockpile: Ultime8 is back in the UK this month, having been withdrawn along with the rest of Shu Uemura’s skincare and makeup lines back in 2017.

What can be so great about a 60-year-old cleanser? And why, when innovation is seen as key to a beauty brand’s success in the west, is it still the bestselling cleanser in all of Asia?

My view is that Ultime8 endures because it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The thicker-than-most oil is soft, comforting and extremely gentle while showing no mercy against grime, sunscreen and even heavy makeup (its creator, the Hollywood makeup artist Shu Uemura, used his home-blended cleanser to remove Shirley MacLaine’s thick greasepaint in the politically dubious 1962 film My Geisha).

The cleansing oil somehow removes everything, rinsing clean away while maintaining the skin’s moisture balance. Effectively, it does in one application what otherwise requires two cleansing steps.

I’ve loved using it again, and despite having used three pumps a night for several weeks, I’ve seemingly gallons left in the bottle to get through. For now, buying for this beauty icon in the UK probably means shopping at Amazon (from £17 for 50ml). But there are some credible alternatives elsewhere.

Medik8 Lipid-Balance Cleansing Oil (£35 for 145ml) is one that’s a delight to use. NIOD’s Hydro-Ester Cleansing System (£42) was among my favourite launches of last year. Massaged into dry skin, this fragrance-free, skin-softening oil removes everything before breaking down, lifting dead skin to be rinsed away.

All that said, I stand by my belief that whenever required, economy should begin with products that are flushed down the plughole, rather than sitting on one’s skin for the day. And there are some excellent affordable cleansing oils.

Simple make a great oil for just £6.99 (125ml) and frequently even less with in-store offers at Superdrug or Boots. But if you can stretch to it, I love Madagascar Centella’s Light Cleansing Oil (£20 for a bumper 200ml helping). This is a light blend of good quality oils that turn milky and rinse away quickly and cleanly. It’s suitable for any skin type, including combination types who fear grease, and, like all of the above, lasts for months.