Tyler Brooks
In 2020, Gwyneth Paltrow launched a candle called This Smells Like My Vagina for her lifestyle brand, Goop. The candle, priced at $75, was created in collaboration with perfumer Douglas Little and included notes of geranium, bergamot, cedar, Damask rose, and ambrette seed. Paltrow described the candle as provocative, challenging the shame around female sexuality. The product sold out and sparked conversations about Paltrow's brand, Goop, and its focus on vaginal health.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | This Smells Like My Vagina |
| Creator | Gwyneth Paltrow |
| Brand | Goop |
| Weight | 10.5 ounce |
| Wick | Single, thick |
| Wax colour | White |
| Vessel colour | Black |
| Vessel material | Ceramic |
| Scent | Geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar, Damask rose, ambrette seed |
| Price | $75 |
| Year of release | 2020 |
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What You'll Learn
- Gwyneth Paltrow's candle 'This Smells Like My Vagina' retailed at $75 in 2020
- The candle is now being sold for $400 on eBay
- The candle was created in collaboration with Heretic Parfum founder Douglas Little
- Paltrow has been criticised for selling vaginal eggs and a candle that allegedly exploded
- The candle was initially a joke, and Paltrow considers it punk rock
Gwyneth Paltrow's candle 'This Smells Like My Vagina' retailed at $75 in 2020
Gwyneth Paltrow's candle, called 'This Smells Like My Vagina', sparked controversy when it was launched in 2020. The candle, which retailed for $75, was described as having a "funny, gorgeous, sexy and beautifully unexpected scent", a mix of geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar, damask rose, and ambrette seed. The candle was created in collaboration with Douglas Little, the founder of fragrance brand Heretic, known for its 100% natural, plant-based perfumes and soy-based candles.
The idea for the candle came about when Paltrow was messing around with different scents with her perfume team and made a comment about a particular scent, saying, "Oh, that smells like... you know." Despite the joke, the candle was eventually created and sold on her lifestyle brand website, Goop. The candle sold out initially and has since made a comeback, with Paltrow defending the product and its intention to challenge the shame around female sexuality.
The candle's release sparked a range of reactions, with some criticising Paltrow for profiting from discussions around vaginal health and female sexuality. Paltrow's company, Goop, has been valued at over a quarter of a billion dollars, with some attributing its success to Paltrow's willingness to address topics related to vaginal health and female empowerment.
The 'This Smells Like My Vagina' candle also led to the release of other similarly-themed candles by Goop, including 'This Smells Like My Orgasm' and 'This Smells Like My Prenup'. The success of these candles and their ability to spark conversations and generate interest showcases the power of controversial marketing in driving sales and creating a cult following.
Today, the 'This Smells Like My Vagina' candle has become a sought-after item, with resellers asking for $400 on eBay—five times its original price. The candle's infamy has only added to its value, proving that sometimes, even controversial products can turn a significant profit.
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The candle is now being sold for $400 on eBay
In 2020, Gwyneth Paltrow launched a candle called "This Smells Like My Vagina" for her lifestyle brand, Goop. The candle, priced at $75, sold out quickly. Paltrow revealed that the candle was originally a joke. She said that the perfume team was messing around with scents when she remarked, "Oh, that smells like... you know."
Three years later, in 2025, the candle is back in the headlines. Paltrow's "vagina candle" is now being sold for $400 on eBay, five times its original price. This marks a 433% return on investment for those who managed to get their hands on the candle back in 2020.
The candle's scent is described as a "funny, gorgeous, sexy and beautifully unexpected scent," a mix of "geranium, citrusy bergamot, and cedar absolutes juxtaposed with damask rose and ambrette seed." The candle's packaging is also noteworthy, with a flower-y box and a sleek black ceramic vessel containing the candle.
The candle's popularity has sparked discussions about Paltrow's brand, Goop, which has been described as a quasi-religion with a focus on female sexuality and empowerment. Goop has also faced criticism and legal action for some of its controversial product claims and offerings, such as vaginal steaming and jade eggs.
Despite the mixed reactions, the "This Smells Like My Vagina" candle has undoubtedly captured the public's attention and continues to generate buzz years after its initial release.
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The candle was created in collaboration with Heretic Parfum founder Douglas Little
Gwyneth Paltrow's candle, "This Smells Like My Vagina", was created in collaboration with Heretic Parfum founder Douglas Little. The candle was launched in 2020 under Paltrow's lifestyle brand, Goop, and retailed for $75. It featured notes of geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar absolutes, Damask rose, and ambrette seed.
The idea for the candle came about when Paltrow was working with her perfume team. They were messing around with different scents when she remarked, "Oh, that smells like... you know." The candle was initially meant as a joke, but it turned into a serious product that challenged the shame surrounding female sexuality. Paltrow described it as punk rock and said that it was a provocation to celebrate womanhood.
The candle received a lot of attention, both positive and negative. It sold out initially and became a best-seller, with fans praising Paltrow for her bravery and honesty. However, it also sparked controversy and was criticised for being inappropriate. There were also reports of a Texas man filing a lawsuit against Paltrow, claiming that the candle exploded on his bedside table.
Paltrow expanded her line of candles inspired by women's health in honour of the Roe v. Wade anniversary in January 2022. She released "Hands Off My Vagina Bougie Parfumee" and donated $25 from the sale of each candle to the ACLU Foundation's Reproductive Freedom Project.
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Paltrow has been criticised for selling vaginal eggs and a candle that allegedly exploded
Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle brand, Goop, has been criticised for selling vaginal eggs and a candle that allegedly exploded. The candle, called "This Smells Like My Vagina", was priced at $75 and was meant to evoke the scent of Paltrow's vagina. According to Paltrow, the candle had a "funny, gorgeous, sexy and beautifully unexpected scent", a mix of "geranium, citrusy bergamot, and cedar absolute".
In May 2021, Texas resident Colby Watson filed a lawsuit against Goop, seeking damages of $5 million. Watson claimed that the candle exploded on his bedside table after burning for around three hours, becoming "engulfed in high flames". Watson acknowledged a "limited warning" on the website advising users not to burn the candle for more than two hours but alleged that Goop "knew the candles were defective". Goop called the lawsuit "frivolous".
Another person, Jody Thompson of the United Kingdom, reported a similar incident in January 2021. Thompson wrote in an essay in The Guardian that the candle exploded a few minutes after lighting it, with flames roaring half a metre out of the jar and molten wax flying out. Thankfully, no injuries were reported in either incident.
Prior to the legal case, Paltrow's vaginal eggs also attracted criticism and a lawsuit from the California Food, Drug, and Medical Device Task Force over false claims about their health benefits. Goop settled the lawsuit and accepted judgments by the National Advertising Division about other false claims. Despite this, Paltrow's company Goop is worth more than a quarter of a billion dollars, with much of its success attributed to Paltrow's discussions of her vagina.
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The candle was initially a joke, and Paltrow considers it punk rock
Gwyneth Paltrow's candle, "This Smells Like My Vagina", was initially a joke. The idea came about when Paltrow was working with her perfume team, and they were messing around with different scents. She remarked, "Oh, that smells like... you know", and the idea for the candle was born. Despite the joke origin of the candle, Paltrow considers it to be ""punk rock" and a challenge to the shame surrounding female sexuality. She has stated that anyone who disagrees with her can ""go fuck themselves".
The candle was created in collaboration with Heretic Parfum founder Douglas Little and was released under Paltrow's Goop brand. It retailed for $75 and included notes of geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar absolutes, Damask rose, and ambrette seed. The candle was certainly provocative and made headlines, with Paltrow taking pride in her brand and its unconventional product. It also received praise from fans, who hailed Paltrow's bravery and honesty.
The candle has since been discontinued, but it remains in the headlines due to lawsuits filed against Paltrow for endangering customers with her product. Despite the legal troubles, the candle is still in demand, with people reselling it on eBay for five times the original price.
Paltrow has since expanded her line of candles inspired by women's health, releasing "Hands Off My Vagina Bougie Parfumee" in honour of the Roe v. Wade anniversary in January 2022. $25 from the sale of each candle was donated to the ACLU Foundation's Reproductive Freedom Project to protect women's rights and basic freedoms.
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Frequently asked questions
Gwyneth Paltrow candles are a line of candles inspired by women's health and female empowerment.
The most famous Gwyneth Paltrow candle is called "This Smells Like My Vagina". It was created in collaboration with Heretic Parfum founder Douglas Little and includes notes of geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar, Damask rose, and ambrette seed.
Paltrow has stated that the candle was initially a joke and that it challenges the shame around female sexuality. She has also said that the candle is a provocation and a celebration of being a woman.
Gwyneth Paltrow candles can be purchased on her website, Goop.com.
