– Hm, I think salt water carried by the wind, preferably at my family’s summer house on the west coast of Sweden.

– I grew up in a home without perfumes. My mum, or dad for that matter, spent no time or money on make up, skin care or anything like that. So I really had no reference when I started getting curious about these things as a teenager. I remember accidentally buying a room scent spray to use as a perfume and getting laughed at by my class mates in high school. As an adult, I’m pretty happy about my upbringing being relatively free from these things; partly because it didn’t bare importance for me as an individual as I grew up, but also because I think it’s a good thing for your skin to not overtreat it with products. Once you start you quickly become reliant on adding things to your skin and your hair… I believe in keeping it simple. I don’t blow dry my hair, I don’t wear a lot of make up and I don’t wear perfume on a daily basis.

– I’m a little conflicted about the last part though, I do like the idea of finding a signature scent and sticking to it, and I love how some of my closest friends really do smell in an identifiable way.

Tell us about a scent related memory that is precious to you.
– This is not a precious one, but the latest one I thought of. I visited a hospital for a lecture and sat around in the reception area. There’s a certain smell in hospitals and it threw my right back to when I was three and a half years old, fighting meningitis and living at a hospital for a few months. I remember the daily highlight of going to the reception area and buy a special vanilla ice cream. But it’s also associated with anxiety, it’s definitely not a smell I miss having in my daily life.

What does wearing a special scent mean to you today?
– As I don’t use perfume on a daily basis, wearing one makes for a special occasion for me. It makes me feel somewhat more “ready” as in having gotten ready for a special occasion, which is a concept that is otherwise quite rare for me.

 – I love the fact that CLEAN has made a Reserve version of Warm Cotton as I’ve worn the regular one before. It’s a fresh and bright smell, one that is actually so popular in Stockholm where I live that I can sometimes smell it on the bus or on the train.

What does the CLEAN Reserve fragrance make you feel?
– Nothing but myself, but in a slightly fresher version. Hehe. Which I think is a good review for a fragrance.

Read more about CLEAN Reserve here.
In collaboration with CLEAN Reserve.