There was a time when the facialist Melanie Grant would sneak off with ingredients from her mother’s kitchen—egg whites, lemon, honey—to make DIY face masks for all willing passersbys. “[Skin care] is all I’ve ever done,” Grant says with a laugh. And now, some 25 years later, her at-home concoctions have given way to chemist-compounded peels doled out in her spacious Sydney spa to fashion’s favorite Australians. “I think we’re known for a signature result, not so much a signature treatment,” says Grant who combines different modalities—ultra-fine microdermabrasion with a firm massage, say, or radio frequency skin tightening with collagen-inducing light therapy—specially suited to each client’s complexion.

The proof is on her celebrity-filled Instagram page, where fresh-faced selfies of Georgia Fowler, Phoebe Tonkin, and Jessica Gomes reign supreme. (A thrice-yearly residency in Paris’ 8th Arrondissement has also made her a go-to for in-the-know Parisians, such as Chanel’s global creative makeup and color designer Lucia Pica.)

The nearly blinding glow that’s become her calling card isn’t only due to the treatments, which emphasize novel if not tried-and-tested technologies, but also stem from her inside-out approach to complexion care. “I’m very big on educating clients on how to take care of their own skin. It’s a necessary skill,” says Grant, who examines patients’ daily supplement intake, diets, and lifestyle once in her chair.

No matter what type of skin she sees—stressed out, dry and dull, mature—Grant always prescribes two “preventative” treatments: an antioxidant serum to protect against free radical damage and pollution, and a sunscreen. “We still find women who think [sunscreen] is too greasy, or makes them break out,” says Grant, adding that Australia’s harsh climate makes it a non-negotiable. “You can always find something that should be suitable for skin.”

But if her exacting clients are still unsatisfied with the options before them, they need only wait until October, when Grant launches her very first product, a three-and-a-half-years in the making SPF 50 that provides broad spectrum coverage while simultaneously hydrating and moisturizing the skin. “It’s a really nice multipurpose product,” says Grant. Just the kind of on-the-go essential any jet-setting fashionista can get behind.

Below, Grant sounds off on her favorite products for good skin—anytime, anywhere.