Chloe Adams
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 instantly. According to Goop, the candle was a joke between perfumer Douglas Little and Paltrow, who said, Uhhh… this smells like a vagina, while developing a fragrance. The candle was described as a mix of geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar, Damask rose, and ambrette seed. Despite the name, Paltrow later clarified that the candle was not supposed to smell like anyone's vagina and was instead intended to be a strong feminist statement.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | This Smells Like My Vagina |
| Cost | $75 |
| Scent | Geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar, damask rose, and ambrette seed |
| Intention | Feminist statement |
| Inspired | By a joke |
| Sold out | Yes |
| Follow-up candle | This Smells Like My Orgasm |
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What You'll Learn
The candle's name is This Smells Like My Vagina
The candle, named "This Smells Like My Vagina", was created by Gwyneth Paltrow for her lifestyle brand Goop. It was launched in 2020 and sold for $75. The candle was described as having a mix of "geranium, citrusy bergamot, and cedar absolutes juxtaposed with damask rose and ambrette seed".
Paltrow has stated that the candle was never meant to smell like anyone's vagina. Instead, it was intended to be a strong feminist statement and a punk rock idea to empower women and challenge the stigma surrounding female sexuality. She has also mentioned that the product started as a joke between her and perfumer Douglas Little, with whom she was developing a fragrance.
The candle sold out instantly and received a mix of positive and negative reactions. Some people found the concept intriguing and praised Paltrow for her unconventional approach. However, others ridiculed the product online, and there was even a lawsuit filed by an unsatisfied customer who claimed that the candle exploded when lit.
Following the success of "This Smells Like My Vagina", Paltrow expanded her line of candles inspired by women's health. She launched "Hands Off My Vagina Bougie Parfumee" in January 2022, donating $25 from the sale of each candle to the ACLU Foundation's Reproductive Freedom Project. Paltrow also released a follow-up candle called "This Smells Like My Orgasm", which was priced at $75 as well.
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It was created in collaboration with Heretic Parfum
Gwyneth Paltrow's candle, "This Smells Like My Vagina", was created in collaboration with Heretic Parfum founder Douglas Little. The candle was launched under Paltrow's Goop brand in 2020. The product was instantly ridiculed online, and at least one lawsuit was filed against Paltrow by an unsatisfied customer, who claimed that the candle exploded.
The candle was priced at $75 and sold out in a matter of hours. It was described by the brand as a "beautifully unexpected scent" with notes of geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar, Damask rose, and ambrette seed. Paltrow has clarified that the candle was not supposed to smell like anyone's vagina, but rather, it was meant to be a strong feminist statement. She explained that many women in her generation were made to feel ashamed of their vaginas, and the candle was meant to be a punk rock way of flipping that idea on its head.
Paltrow also released a follow-up candle called "This Smells Like My Orgasm", which she also created in collaboration with Heretic Parfum. This candle was priced at the same point of $75 and was described as smelling "sexy, surprising, and wildly addictive".
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The candle sold out instantly
The candle's scent was described as a funny, gorgeous, sexy and beautifully unexpected scent, with notes of geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar, damask rose, and ambrette seed. Despite the candle's success, it also received criticism and ridicule online, with some questioning whether Paltrow's vagina could smell like the listed fragrance notes.
Adding to the controversy, one customer sued Paltrow over the candle, alleging that it exploded and covered the room with smoke after burning it for less than three hours. This incident sparked a lawsuit, with the customer claiming that Paltrow failed to warn customers about the potential dangers of burning the candle for longer than the recommended time.
Paltrow has since reflected on the candle, stating that it was not supposed to smell like anyone's vagina and that the media twisted the narrative of her original vision. She has also expanded her line of candles inspired by women's health, such as "Hands Off My Vagina Bougie Parfumee", with proceeds going towards protecting women's rights and freedoms.
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It costs $75
Gwyneth Paltrow's candle, "This Smells Like My Vagina", costs $75. The candle was created in collaboration with Heretic Parfum founder Douglas Little and was meant to be a strong feminist statement. The scent is described as a funny, gorgeous, sexy and beautifully unexpected scent, with notes of geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar, Damask rose, and ambrette seed.
The candle caused quite a stir online and sold out instantly, despite its high price tag. Paltrow has since clarified that the candle was not supposed to smell like anyone's vagina, but rather, to challenge the stigma and shame surrounding women's sexuality.
Following the success of "This Smells Like My Vagina", Paltrow launched a follow-up candle called "This Smells Like My Orgasm", which also retailed for $75. This candle is described as smelling like "tart grapefruit, neroli, and ripe cassis berries blended with gunpowder tea and Turkish rose absolutes for a scent that’s sexy, surprising, and wildly addictive."
Paltrow's company, Goop, has come under fire in the past for promoting questionable products and health tips, such as vaginal steaming and jade eggs. Despite the criticism, Goop is worth more than a quarter of a billion dollars, with Paltrow's vagina-themed products contributing to its success.
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Paltrow says it was a feminist statement
Gwyneth Paltrow's candle, "This Smells Like My Vagina", has been described as a "funny, gorgeous, sexy and beautifully unexpected scent". The candle, which sold for $75, was a mix of geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar, damask rose, and ambrette seed.
Paltrow has stated that the candle was never meant to smell like anyone's vagina. In fact, it was meant to be a "strong feminist statement". Paltrow explained that many women in her generation were made to feel that there was something "weird or gross" about their vaginas, and the candle was meant to be a punk rock kinda F-you to anyone who perpetuated such ideas.
The idea for the candle came about during a fragrance development session with perfumer Douglas Little. Paltrow joked that a particular scent "smells like a vagina", and Little suggested they make a candle with that name. Paltrow gave her approval, and the product was launched on her website. Despite the candle starting as a joke, Paltrow refused to take it down, stating that there is an aspect of women's sexuality that is often shamed, and she loved the idea of celebrating it.
The candle was part of a line of products inspired by women's health, with proceeds from some sales being donated to the ACLU Foundation's Reproductive Freedom Project to protect women's rights and freedoms. Paltrow has also stated that the word 'vagina' holds a lot of power, and her vagina-themed products were aimed at giving women back their power.
The media attention surrounding the candle was not what Paltrow had envisioned, with the narrative being twisted into something less in line with her original vision. However, the candle sold out instantly, and Paltrow followed up with another candle called "This Smells Like My Orgasm".
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Frequently asked questions
Gwyneth Paltrow's candle, "This Smells Like My Vagina", is a blend of geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar, Damask rose, and ambrette seed.
Paltrow teamed up with Heretic Parfum founder Douglas Little to create the candle. The name was inspired by a joke between the two while developing a fragrance together. Paltrow commented that the scent "smells like a vagina", and the idea for the candle was born.
The candle received mixed reactions from the public. While it sold out instantly, it was also ridiculed online. Some people questioned the scent, saying it did not smell like a vagina. The candle also faced legal issues, with one customer suing Paltrow over an alleged explosion.
