An interview: Model Mariina Keskitalo
a.k.a my best friend. She always smells amazing so of course I had to interview her for the newsletter.
I debuted an interview series a few weeks back, which I dedicated to discussions with perfume professionals about the fragrance industry, possibly in a bit of a more serious tone. But behold, we have another interview series! One which is way more laid back, where I talk to the people I love and who are close to me about perfume. I ask them about their life too, regarding fragrance and scented memories.
These interview ”victims” of mine clearly love me too, as they agreed to support my little perfume obsession and nerdy hobby, which I am so happy about. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
The panic I have seen in some of my friends' eyes when I asked to interview them is funny, and I can’t even count anymore the times I’ve heard ”But I don’t know anything about perfume”! My only criterion is that you are interested in talking about scents with me, have some sense of smell and your nose works. I want this series to be more diverse with its stories, which I hope will be inspiring. The photos I used for this interview were taken by me in 2021.
Here we go.
I want to introduce my best friend, Mariina Keskitalo to you. If you know me, you must have already heard me mention her in some context, as she has been my partner in crime (once literally, too) since we were thirteen. Sometimes I can’t shut up about her and I feel like a proud sister when writing all this about her now. We are that close!
After some pretty big ups and downs this year, we finally made the time to meet each other without any hurry. Mariina hopped on the Eurostar from London and had a mini holiday here in Antwerp. Being cozy and laughing at the worst jokes, sleeping and eating well together was the best medicine we both needed. On one of our free days, I took her out for coffee and interviewed her in the now rare Antwerp sun at Andy’s terrace at the end of November.
Mariina is a successful model and has been working in fashion since she was scouted at 17. Quick fun story - We were underage, hanging around outside a local festival in our hometown one summer, maybe 2013? Mariina somehow got a modeling agent’s business card the same evening and heard about her potential to model. Soon after that weekend, she took off to New York and the rest is history.
Nowadays she lives in London and travels around the world frequently for jobs. Not only is she one of the most beautiful people I know, but she is also one of the funniest, wittiest and also the most caring. I wanted to interview Mariina not only for the immense amount of love and admiration I have for her but also because there is now a significant connection between perfume and our friendship, as I found her a new signature scent last summer, just based on how well I know her and what she likes regarding her personal fragrance (and I feel proud that she loved the perfume as much as I did, too)
Our interview would have been an awful podcast as we cracked bad jokes and often went off-topic. Please enjoy my censored version of our conversation below.
So, welcome to this interview finally. How are you?
We both laugh as we look at each other and say that everything is great. Both take sips of our coffees while staring into the distance.
I can’t remember the correct order of my questions so I will just shoot. What did your childhood smell like? Do you remember any specific scent memories?
My childhood.. it for sure smelled of freshly cut grass at our cottage. Also, spruce trees and the forest. Nature scents in general.
Is it the scent of home every time you visit Finland?
Yes. Especially the scent of the mowed grass, as we always played football outside at our summer cottage and I remember the smell of it.
We then get distracted by someone at the café who looks exactly like a boy I kissed in high school and we proceed to talk about him and wonder what he is up to nowadays.
Ok, now. Let’s get back. What scents did Marjo, your mother, use? Did she use any special scent for the linen when you were small? Or do you remember any of her perfumes?
Mum has always used a lot of different perfumes. The ones I remember the best are J’adore by Dior, the golden bottle and its ad had Charlize Theron. Mum had that! Then she also used Flower by Kenzo. She had so many, but these classics I remember.
Ah, so classic and clean and flowery. What was the first perfume you remember using yourself?
I remember I used to wear the Victoria's Secret body sprays a lot at some point, when I was younger. I had one which was pink, but I can't remember the name. (We point out how awful the purple bottle called Love Spell was and both shudder at the same time) Then I also used a pink fragrance from Adidas, which I got for Christmas in a shower gel and deodorant package.
I can remember it, a sporty girl perfume! Do you remember a special moment or a certain perfume that was a clear changing point for you to be more into niche fragrances, later on? Was it through work?
Yes, it was through work for sure. Or maybe through my ex-boyfriend, as we often traveled to the Alps together and shopped at tax-free perfumeries during our holidays there. I remember I liked Penhaligon’s and Byredo. This was around 2018 or 2019, so not that long ago. Before that, I usually bought good perfume at the airport while travelling.
Do any specific perfumes have strong scent memories for you?
Oh yes. For instance, Miu Miu’s perfume reminds me so much of my travels in Australia.
Miu Miu by Miu Miu is a very clean and fresh floral fragrance with top notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, Bergamot and Lemon; middle notes of Green Notes, Rose, Jasmine, Black Currant and Peach; base notes of Akigalawood and White Musk.
I love that! Do you remember what fragrance you used when you first went to work in New York? I remember us having calls via Skype and you telling me that New York smelled awful.
No, not really. I possibly used the Victoria’s Secret ones at that time. And yes, New York in the summer is disgusting with the heat and all the trash.
I remember a pink perfume by Gucci that I used to have, which reminds me of the time before I went to Australia. Then Marc Jacob’s Daisy reminds me of fashion week because after I did their show I was gifted a bottle. Also, Giorgio Armani fragrances remind me of Milan, cause I always got a perfume from them after their shows. I have kept tiny amounts at the bottom of the bottles so I can reminisce.
How would you describe your signature scent?
La Tulipe by Byredo. That, I must say, is my thing, my fragrance. I love that it is my signature scent. Also the one you found for me, Neroli Oranger by Matiere Premiere. Both are very floral and clean. They smell very similar even though they don’t have similar ingredients.
What scents remind you of your work?
L’Oréal’s Elnett hairspray is one very significant scent memory regarding work. Then Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream which smells strong but surprisingly cozy. If someone uses that cream it is a good sign and I know the makeup artist is really good.
OH MY GOODNESS! I nearly forgot! I used to wear a lot of Escada’s summery, limited-edition perfumes. I always got a ton of compliments about those. This was maybe when I was 17, the scents were really sweet. I couldn’t wear anything like that anymore.
I continue to have a monologue about possible women in their sixties or seventies who could still rock a very sweet Escada perfume and what they could be like, while Mariina patiently listens and drinks her cappuccino.
This next question is a nice one. What does love smell like to you?
It smells like the love of my life. Yeah. It smells like the person I really love. I love using a loved one’s t-shirt when I travel so I have their smell close to me. To me, that is what love smells like.
I then proceed to ask what self-love smells like because I am feeling awkward and I try to avoid any sad feelings. We both agree that self-love smells like incense, body oil and face masks. I then continue to talk about the scent of love
When you are attracted to someone you quickly associate a certain smell with the person. For instance, a guy I liked had a very clean apartment and the soap he used to clean his floors was super nice and now it reminds me of him when I smell it.
Yeah, I agree with that and can imagine. Hmm. I also love smelling my boyfriend’s hair. It somehow smells like a baby, the scent is so attractive. So cute…. Anyway. I like having a signature scent myself. So I can break hearts.
Deep sighs and laughter.
What does your home smell like at the moment?
I use this Korean Patchouli incense at the moment which smells like self love too. And I use Byredo’s Cotton Poplin candle. It’s very nice and clean.
If I had to describe your scent it would be a strong punch of clean flowers. Not sweet at all.
No I’m not sweet. I don’t like sweet scents. I don’t like coconut either, it’s just too sweet.
You can hear me squeak ”Yes” at this. But I have to say that every clean and flowery girl needs a best friend that smells of coconuts and sweet bakery goods though, FYI.
Mariina continues about love…
I think love smells like some homemade delicious food, too.
Like bolognese? Or coffee? I think my old love smelt like breakfast—fresh coffee and bread in the oven. A good breakfast was our thing. I think sunscreen too…
Oh my god, yes of course.
But then ultimately…
All that love ultimately smelled like shit?
We get carried off and laugh until we wheeze.
We would have a great podcast you know.
No, don’t add this. Scrap that. Hahaha!
Anyway, back to this interview... you told me you would love to do a perfume commercial someday. I would love that too, for you! Any specific brand you would like to work with, if you could choose? Or, if you could collaborate and make a perfume with a brand, would it be Byredo?
Maybe yes. Something super chic!
I could see you having a candle brand.
Hmm, yes. I am a candle girl.
We get carried away again with terrible business ideas and then go on to talk about Goop and Gwyneth Paltrow’s controversial scented candle from some years back.
Lastly, do you have a beauty tip you could share?
Drink tons of water. Never forget a lip balm. I always have three in my purse. Cream yourself well after taking a shower. That is also self-love and self-soothing. Feel your body and you are more in tune with yourself if you do that every day.
Good tips. Do you want to ask me anything? Haha!
Hahaha! ”What about meee? Alright, so let’s talk about me now!”
Hmm… What will our future smell like, you think?
It will smell of cashmere and red wine. I think I will be in the Alps in the winter. Beach in the summer. I am a season girl. You too?
Hmm. I think so too. Also sunscreen and coconut for me. And all those Finnish green nature scents. I love you, you know.
I love you too!
