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The truth behind Gwyneth Paltrow’s infamous ‘vagina candle’: the Goop founder and Marvel actress just explained why she created the controversial candle in 2020 – and admitted it’s been discontinued

Gwyneth Paltrow isn’t shy about promoting female body positivity via her website Goop. Photo: @goop/Instagram
Gwyneth Paltrow isn’t shy about promoting female body positivity via her website Goop. Photo: @goop/Instagram

  • The Shakespeare in Love actress sparked controversy with that skiing trial – but in 2020 she and her lifestyle brand Goop were ridiculed for releasing scented candle ‘This Smells Like My Vagina’
  • The floral scented candle was in fact created to make a ‘really strong feminist statement’, and Paltrow just told her Instagram followers it was a shame ‘people tried to make it about something else’

Gwyneth Paltrow is known for a few things in pop culture: her impressive film career, the recent trial in which she was accused of skiing into an old man, and her wellness company, Goop.

While Paltrow and Goop have been criticised in the past for promoting questionable products and health tips, there was one product that achieved infamy: the “This Smells Like My Vagina” candle.

Gwyneth Paltrow regularly champions cutting edge beauty and lifestyle products. Photo: @gwynethpaltrow/Instagram
Gwyneth Paltrow regularly champions cutting edge beauty and lifestyle products. Photo: @gwynethpaltrow/Instagram
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Yes, back in 2020, Paltrow and Goop really introduced such a candle – along with a roll-on perfume bearing the same name, and a follow-up candle, “This Smells Like My Orgasm”.

The product was instantly ridiculed online, and at least one vagina candle that reportedly exploded even sparked a lawsuit.

On Wednesday, Paltrow opened up about Goop’s best-known product in a Q&A on her Instagram Stories, after being asked about the thought process behind the vagina candle.

The controversially named candle was meant to make a feminist statement, according to Gwyneth Paltrow. Photo: Goop
The controversially named candle was meant to make a feminist statement, according to Gwyneth Paltrow. Photo: Goop

“This is a great question. So the thought process behind the infamous candle, essentially, was that it was a really strong feminist statement,” Paltrow said.

“So many women have been raised, at least in my generation, to think there’s something wrong with themselves, or that the vagina is weird or gross, or something to be ashamed of,” she continued.

The actress added: “And so the candle was supposed to be a very strong, punk rock kinda F-you to anyone who ever made us feel like that. It was not supposed to actually smell like anyone’s vagina. It smelled like roses and all kinds of things, and that was the point.”

The Shakespeare in Love and Iron Man star went on to say that the media’s reaction to the candle is what twisted the narrative into something less in line with her vision.