MET GALA SKIN PREP WITH MELANIE GRANT

Written by LENA RAFF
Photography by GRANT LEGAN

Melanie Grant’s schedule in the days leading up to the Met Gala was airtight—the London-based aesthetician was in back-to-back treatments with clients like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Grace Gummer, and Aurora James. Luckily for us, her NYC studio resides just above VIOLET GREY’s Madison Store, so we were able to steal a few very valuable minutes of Grant’s time to avail ourselves of her endless wisdom—and learn how one of the globe’s most sought-after skin experts prepares famous complexions to be photographed (and, let’s face it, scrutinized) on perhaps the most influential red carpet of the year.

VIOLET GREY: There’s really nothing major happening on the Upper East Side this weekend.

MELANIE GRANT: Ha! It's a really big weekend before The Met Gala. And I’m doing facials in collaboration with Eighth Day.

VG: You often work with Eighth Day, is that right?

MG: I do, and what's even more exciting right now is that they are launching their new Revitalizing Mask, which is this really beautiful, decadent cream mask that I'm super excited to use in treatments.

VG: Is there anything that stands out to you about the formula?

MG: It’s infused with their Peptide-Rich Plasma, obviously, but also GABA. It has NAD+ and multimolecular weights of hyaluronic acid. So, it's really plumping, conditioning, and, well, revitalizing.

VG: What draws you to a brand like Eighth Day, or the other brands in your VIOLET GREY Edit?

MG: It's really about getting a return on investment for my clients. For me, with any brand, I'm looking for both the results that it can achieve and also the experience—that it feels nice to use.

VG: What are other old faithful products that are always with you in treatment?

MG: Always, always with me are my Victoria Beckham Beauty cleansers that Victoria and I created to really give a thorough, comprehensive cleanse. This is a great way to prep the skin. I always have Augustinus Bader’s Rich Cream and The Cream—they really are firm favorites. I always infuse Eighth Day’s Regenerative Serum into the skin via ultrasound, it’s reparative, plumping, and deeply moisturizing. The results are incredible. For masking, I always have lots of Biologique Recherche on hand, Masque Vivant and Biomagic are on high rotation. I love the Definitive Optimising Mask by Auteur as well. For the body massage incorporated into all my treatments, I always use CHANEL Sublimage Crème Corps et Décolleté to leave the limbs deeply hydrated, conditioned and supple whilst also creating a sensorial moment for my clients.

VG: Is there one thing you’re focused on for a pre-event facial?

MG: I think the number one goal for a Met Gala facial—or for any event—is that the skin looks healthy, resilient, and radiant. So really focusing on hydration, conditioning the skin, and really gentle polishing. I like to use enzymes and LED light therapy for that really incredible glow.

VG: What are your general dos and don’ts before an event?

MG: I always say don't try anything new. Now is not the time to try a new product or a new treatment. Avoiding alcohol and salty food, so you can have that sculpted, lifted effect, lots of sleep—eight hours at least— and water. The most important thing is don't stress, don't overdo it. It's really, really about just keeping it simple and not doing anything new.

VG: What are your clients doing too much or too little of at home?

MG: I think with skincare, you can definitely have too much of a good thing, and more is not the merrier when it comes to actives. So, it's really about being discerning and selecting the right active ingredients, the right formulas—just a handful of products that are going to work hard on your behalf for your specific concerns and for your specific skin condition. Don’t layer too many products, just keep the skin clean, hydrated, and protected from the sun. You'd be really surprised at the results you can yield.