Vogue Germany's July/August 2023 beauty pages followed writer Philipp Wehsack through a facial with Melanie Grant during a visit to Munich, using the treatment as the frame for a feature on the part of skincare he argues is most neglected: the body.
The piece introduces her as the Australian who runs studios in London, Paris, Los Angeles, Sydney and Melbourne, with clients including Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett who rely on her facial massage before red-carpet events.
Her central argument is that the face does not stop at the jaw. "Many people spend a lot of time caring for the face and neck, but forget that the skin is a living, breathing organ that needs attention from head to toe," she says. "With the skin of the body it isn't only about how it looks, but also how it feels and above all how it functions. An intact skin barrier is essential." The pull quote the magazine chose puts it more bluntly: "Das Gesicht hört an der Brust auf" — the face ends at the chest. "You should apply all your serums and creams down to here — and cleanse that area thoroughly too."
She is equally clear that body care should not become elaborate. "We don't have to over-complicate our body care. It isn't about using a thousand products, it's much more about consistency," she says. "If we pay a little attention every single day to how we cleanse our skin, how we keep the cells moving and how we supply them with nutrients, it stays not only healthy, supple and well cared for, but also becomes more resilient over time."
Her own routine turns out to be simple. "I love dry brushing. I really do it every single day before I jump in the shower. It's an effective and affordable way to remove dead skin flakes and stimulate circulation and lymph flow — and it only takes a few minutes." Moisturiser varies by season: a body oil in winter, something lighter in warmer months.
On ingredients she counsels restraint. Unless someone is actively treating acne or pigmentation, she recommends classic formulations built on essential fatty acids, hyaluronic acid, squalane, ceramides and peptides, adding that she personally likes vitamin C for brightness and collagen synthesis, and calendula to calm inflammation in cooler months. For body breakouts she suggests seeing a dermatologist first, since hormonal imbalance can drive acne on both face and body, and warns against coarse scrubs: "They can be irritating and carry the risk of transferring bacteria to other areas of the body." Loofahs and exfoliating mitts get shorter shrift — "bacteria slingshots" that can infect ingrown hairs.
She applies body products in the evening, both so she does not talk herself out of it and so they have time to absorb: "I always let my products sink in for a few minutes before I get dressed, so everything ends up in the skin and not in my clothes or bedlinen."
Her closing point is the one she returns to most often. "I'm always amazed when people tell me everything they do for their skin and all the actives they use — and then don't apply sunscreen daily. Honestly: it doesn't take much for good skin. But sunscreen really is indispensable. And that goes for the body just as much as the face."
Vogue Deutsch, July/August 2023. Words by Philipp Wehsack.
