Archive copy by Jenni Baden Howard

Among those who have put their million dollar complexions in Henriksen’s hands are Minnie Driver, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Catherine Zeta-Douglas, Courtney Love and Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden (his press cuttings file is Yellow Pages-thick).

Inbetween facials, devotees use Henriksen’s signature range of skincare products, which will make their British debut within Harvey Nichols’ new “Beyond Beauty” department next week. Dubbed “Hollywood’s hottest facialist” by W magazine, Henriksen is Danish (his first name is pronounced ooh-la) and opened his small “Skin Care Center” 25 years ago. The low-key location, which suits Henriksen's unstarry attitude, remains unchanged.

In addition to his charming, chatty skincare couch-side manner, Henriksen is renowned for his scrupulous approach to pore purification. This involves lots of Scandinavian-style steaming, scrubbing, massage using natural oils (sunflower, sesame, avocado, apricot and wheatgerm) and fruit acid peels.

‘I love skin that glows and looks naturally healthy,’ says Henriksen. ‘If it is well cared for, skin will look good at twenty, thirty, forty, fifty and beyond. Each decade adds character to a face - I firmly believe that attractive doesn’t have to mean artificial.’

Henriksen’s product line is founded on the same principles of deep-cleansing, nourishing and nurturing with natural oils, and rejuvenation with fruit acid-based formulae. These are designed to accelerate the skin’s process of cellular renewal, with the aim of creating a smoother, brighter complexion. ‘The products provide a mild form of continuous “peeling”,’ explains Henriksen. ‘Professional peels are more intense.’

For the British launch of the range, Henriksen has put together a special “7-day skincare transformation” kit, which will set you back £87.50 but should keep you going (and, hopefully, glowing) for up to five weeks. It contains five key products, including the amber-coloured On The Go - Exhilarating Cleanser, a foaming wash suitable for normal to oily skin (including acne-prone complexions).

‘I had to put a lot of seaweed into it, to make it soothing and calming - it cleanses thoroughly without drying the skin,’ says Henriksen.

The deliciously fruity-smelling Firm Action - Pore Refining Mask, concocted as “an instant lift, for all lovers of firm skin”, looks like raspberry fool and does not dry and crack up on the face, despite the fact that it contains clay (it’s also effective for breakouts, says Henriksen).

Then there is the bestselling Truth Serum - with Vitamin C, green tea and orange extracts. ‘It’s amazingly calming and a great “pick-me-up”,’ says Henriksen. ‘It repairs and hydrates. When you treat skin on a daily basis as I do, you get a clear idea about where the emphasis should be and what works.’

Judging by the buzz which Henriksen’s range is already creating among those in the know, it promises to prove just as popular on this side of the Pond. In fact, during Henriksen’s brief visit to London last week, most British beauty editors couldn’t resist sneaking in an on-the-spot skincare consultation with the man himself. Not that Henriksen is complaining. ‘It’s fabulous,’ he laughs. ‘I feel the same enthusiasm for what I do today as when I started out.’

FOR FABULOUS SKIN, OLE SAYS ...

• Keep it simple: ‘Don’t be tempted to “over-treat” your skin,’ advises Henriksen. ‘Stick to a very simple routine.’

• Inside-out: what you eat and drink is reflected in the state of your skin, maintains Henriksen. ‘Sugary foods and drinks can over-stimulate the sebaceous glands and cause breakouts. As the body can’t differentiate between sugar sources, even drinking a lot of fruit juice (containing sucrose) often results in eruptions. It’s all about balance. Drink lots of water, too.’

• Steam-clean: To draw out grime and get skin glowing, do a facial sauna at home.

‘Always cleanse first, and apply a protective layer of natural oil - almond or sesame, for example - to keep the skin supple and prevent broken capillaries,’ explains Henriksen. ‘Add herbs to a bowl of cooling boiled water. Use tea bags, or - even better - wrap fresh herbs in gauze. Sit cross-legged on the floor, drape a towel over your head and lean over the steam. Relax under your “tent” for a maximum of ten minutes. For an incredible at-home treatment, follow with a deep-cleansing face mask, rinse off and moisturise as normal.’

• Scrub up: zap dulling dead skin cells by using a facial scrub once or twice-weekly. If you find them too harsh, Henriksen suggests massaging skin with a natural oil beforehand.

• Bright eyes: to help deflate puffy eyes, splash your face with cold water. Feeling brave? Empty an ice cube tray into a sink of water, and saturate a flannel to make a cooling eye compress (press against the eyes for a minute at a time, for about five minutes).

• Safer sun: ‘The sun uplifts our spirits and makes us feel amazing,’ says Henriksen. ‘I believe in moderation: limit your exposure, apply sunscreen from top to toe and lay a towel over your face, or a hat. That way, you can feel the sun on your body, but your face will be protected.’

• Get moving: as well as stimulating the skin with sloughing and buffing, regular exercise will boost the circulation, and encourage the flow of oxygen to the skin, says Henriksen.

• Ole Henriksen’s products will be available from from 23 April exclusively at Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge. Inquiries, tel: 020- 7235 5000.