From Finnish Top Model to Co-Founder – Kirsi’s Journey to Fresh Skincare

Niki Newd co-founder Kirsi working as a successful Finnish topmodel in the 90s, showcasing timeless Finnish beauty.

Some ideas take years to grow into what they were always meant to be. Niki Newd is one of them.

Kirsi — a former topmodel, and the co-founder and driving force behind Niki Newd — has spent nearly two decades caring for her skin with the very products she helped create. Her path here wasn't linear, and that's exactly what makes it real.

Before pioneering a completely new era in natural beauty, Kirsi financed her Master’s degree in engineering (MSc) through modeling in the 90s, becoming one of Finland’s most successful models. During her career, her skin was constantly exposed to heavy makeup, travel, and stress.
Already back then, her skin was sensitive and surface-dry, reacting very easily — and finding products gentle enough for her skin was so difficult.
It was during this time that Kirsi truly understood the importance of treating the skin with ultimate gentleness. She realized that true skincare is an extension of nutrition and a mindful lifestyle—a philosophy that would later redefine natural beauty.

"We believe your skin deserves the same freshness as the food on your plate. No compromises, no heavy preservatives—just pure, nutrient-dense luxury."

The Birth of Fresh Skincare

Driven by a desire for pure, active ingredients, Kirsi and her friend Nina, a PhD in biochemistry, began crafting bespoke products for themselves. By combining scientific precision with nutritional thinking, they created something revolutionary: a completely new product category known as fresh skincare.

While Nina retired in 2018 to become Niki Newd’s cherished "godmother," Kirsi officially launched the brand to the world. As a pioneer who has nourished her own skin with these fresh formulations for nearly twenty years, Kirsi remains the heart and soul of Niki Newd.

Niki Newd® co-founder and Finnish beauty Kirsi Kaukonen as guest judge on Finland's Next Top Model.

Full-Circle Moments

Niki Newd was invited to be part of the iconic Finnish Next Top Model TV programme, and Kirsi joined as a guest judge — a full-circle moment for a co-founder who began her own journey in front of the camera, now showcasing how fashion aesthetics and clean, fresh beauty go hand in hand.

Niki Newd founder Kirsi featured in Radiant Life magazine US — recognized as a pioneer in the fresh skincare movement.

A New Era of Luxury and Nutritional Density

Since the launch in 2018, Kirsi has been on a mission to spread the message and lifestyle of fresh skincare. Her vision enables an entirely new skincare experience where the customer can enjoy the absolute freshness and nutritional richness of 100% natural ingredients.
Along the way, customers with sensitive skin — many struggling with surface-dryness and other sensitive skin concerns, just as Kirsi once did — have found their own skincare home in Niki Newd.

The praised effectiveness of Niki Newd is based on unique, carefully selected ingredients and, above all, the freshness of the products. Because Niki Newd formulations are freshly made, they retain their active nutrients and antioxidants, delivering unparalleled effectiveness and a touch of Nordic luxury directly to the skin.

Deep Roots

Behind the public moments, however, Kirsi’s deepest inspiration always comes from home. Niki Newd has always been a family story. Today, four generations of Kirsi's family are part of it — as testers, as inspiration, as the kind of honest feedback that only the people who love you can give.

With Niki Newd, Kirsi invites you to experience skincare in its truest, freshest, and most luxurious form.

As Seen In

Life, Love & Legacy

The original formula. This is Kirsi's great-great-grandmother — the keeper of a face mask recipe passed down through generations, long before skincare had a name. Her wisdom lives on in every Niki Newd® product.

Niki Newd founder Kirsi Kaukonen with top model Sara Sihvonen. A milestone moment as an official partner of Finnish Next Top Model.

Full circle. The former top model, now co-founder, takes her seat at the judge's table on Finland's Next Top Model — where fresh, natural beauty meets high fashion, exactly as it should.

Three generations, one forest, and a bucket of wild blueberries. This is where Niki Newd's values were born — rooted in nature, nourished by family, and rich in the kind of goodness you can't manufacture.

Niki Newd co-founder Kirsi Kaukonen with her beloved Scottish Deerhounds – a glimpse into the values that inspire Niki Newd's handcrafted, nature-rooted fresh skincare philosophy.

Some bonds go beyond words. Kirsi's Scottish Deerhounds are her daily reminder that the most grounding luxury in life is presence — theirs, and nature's.

Wild at heart. Kirsi gathering wildflowers at her summer cottage — because the finest ingredients have always started in nature.

Still in front of the lens. A behind-the-scenes moment from Kirsi's 2025 photoshoot.