The Miss Finland finalists pose for the first time in swimsuit photos

The 2023 Miss Finland finalists are now posing for the first time in swimsuits and bikinis in recent photos.

In the press release published on Thursday, the finalists of the competition also talk about their own relationships with their bodies.

Maisa Alatalo, 21 (Tampere)

“I believe that beauty is a state of being that springs from within. I am very grateful for my healthy and functional body. As a former ballerina, my body has been criticized a lot. When I was younger, I saw a lot of different attitudes towards one’s own body and an unhealthy attitude towards body image in ballet circles. So I don’t take a healthy moving body for granted. I feel that I am at peace with myself and I value my own body, I love exercise and I also do a lot of work for my fitness! Exercise (especially running) resets my mind.”

Sa Myer Oo, 27 (Hanko–Vaasa)

“I’ve always been really insecure about my appearance. The unpleasant experiences of my childhood have contributed to the fact that I have also experienced a great deal of shame. But through restorative experiences I have been able to heal and I can say that today’s San is a very empowered and self-confident beautiful young woman! Fun fact: I can’t swim and I haven’t owned my own bikini.”

Anni Seppänen, 22 (Kajaani)

“I’ve become you with myself over time, as I’ve been kinder to myself. When I was in middle school, I was more insecure about myself because I let social media influence me too much and this created appearance pressure. I love to dress up and with growing up, my relationship with my own appearance is better than ever before!”

Sofia Singh, 27 (Vantaa–Helsinki)

“Since I was a little girl, I’ve had a bad relationship with my body and this had a huge impact, especially in my teenage and adult years. Due to the distorted body image, I developed two eating disorders despite my young age. Even small comments about my body shocked me and I became obsessed with losing weight. I very rarely went swimming or in situations where my body would be on display and my self-confidence was really at zero. Now, at the age of 27, I’m finally at peace with myself and taking full care of my body. I have learned my own triggers with the eating disorder and I am constantly working on it. These bikini shoots showed how far I’ve come and how strong I am.”

Lumi Liikanen, 24 (Heinola)

“Since I was really young, I have struggled with appearance pressure and a distorted body image. As a teenager, I imagined that I would be satisfied with myself if I could drop a few kilos, even though I was underweight. I exercised a lot, watched my eating and was extremely self-critical. As I’ve grown up, I’ve worked a lot on this and realized that beauty isn’t about size or certain features. Now I am confident and I love myself. Beauty comes from within, and satisfaction with appearance comes from how you talk and think about yourself. It’s hard and sometimes I have moments of insecurity too, but I encourage everyone to love themselves as unique and wonderful themselves!”

Scharliina Eräpuro, 23 (Turku)

“When I was 14, I got a really serious eating disorder. For many years I struggled with this spiritual demon. This internal war has been a really difficult time in my life. When I had lost myself completely, I couldn’t enjoy anything in my life and every day only negative thoughts of self-hate would spin. I received professional help in 2020 in Sweden. I was then able to fully accept my body and turn this adversity into my own strength and music with the song: “Maybe”.

Paula Joukanen, 22 (Espoo)

“I am you with my appearance. When I was young, I suffered from bad acne and with it a difficult relationship with no makeup, but nowadays I like myself even more without makeup. Being at peace with my body is still an ongoing process for me. The eating disorder I suffered from in my late teens left permanent marks on my self-esteem, and I still have to struggle from time to time to keep the thoughts characteristic of the eating disorder at bay.”

Serina Suvila, 23 (Turku)

“I have you with my body and always have. I feel that I am very aware of my body and I try to train it to look the way I want. I don’t feel pressure from others. Only I can make my body look the way I want. I am grateful for my appearance and want to be healthy proud of it. However, I was only created with one face and one body, so I also want to respect and appreciate what I have. I’m not perfect, but I strive to love my appearance as it is.”

Rimi Riutta, 25 (Tampere)

“Since a young age, I have struggled with my body image and appearance. I always wanted to look like a girl and now as an adult woman. As a transgender woman, I had to go through male puberty, which was a really tough place for me as a teenager. A few years ago, I couldn’t even have dreamed of bikini photo shoots. In adolescence, I felt that I was developing in the wrong direction and I remember how I resented my feminine features changing to masculine ones. Sex reassignment surgery brought a lot of relief and relief to my life. It took me many years to become you with myself and start to accept the masculine traits in myself as well. I think they cannot be changed and they are part of me and my story. Today, I find strength and self-confidence in healthy lifestyles, both in realizing myself internally and externally. I would say that I am self-confident and mostly satisfied with my appearance, but even in the midst of that, there are sometimes insecurities, which is completely normal and allowed.”

Jenna Rintamäki, 23 (Kangasala)

“I’ve struggled with my appearance more or less since I was a teenager. I am a perfectionist by nature and have dreamed of a perfect appearance since childhood. At one time, I lost weight thinking that when I’m thin, I’ll be prettier. I was shocked that it didn’t make me more satisfied in the final games. The gym hobby has improved my self-image for the better. It’s inspiring to want to be strong and do good to my body by giving it enough healthy food. I see it as love for myself. I no longer see the scale as a measure of beauty, and many mornings I can say that I am beautiful enough just as I am, in training clothes or without getting dressed. As a woman, I’m used to people commenting on my appearance very openly. If I’m heavily made up, it’s too much and if I can’t put on make-up, I don’t take care of myself. In the endgame, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and for me the most beautiful person is the one who feels beautifully confident and lifts others up. I have learned to accept myself as I am. When you can’t possibly please everyone, constantly worrying and stressing about your appearance is a waste of time.”

Photographer: Laura Iikkanen. Stylist: Aleksandra Kantola. Makeup: Aarni Mikkola, Meri Eleni. Hair: Aarni Mikkola. Bikini: Change. Jewelry: Liisa’s Glamor Garage, Glitter. Kimonos: Liisa’s Glamor Garage. Shooting location: Valo Hotel.