It seems like every month now that something Gwyneth Paltrow does with Goop takes over the news cycle for a day. This month it is a very strange candle that smells like a vagina and the Internet at large can't handle it right now. This comes just days after Netflix revealed the first look at their new lifestyle series with Goop. January 24th will undoubtedly bring some more strange wonders as the show launches on the streaming platform and people find out just how much strange stuff is hiding in the company's projects. If you were wondering what the description for the candle in question looks like, you're in luck.
"This candle started as a joke between perfumer Douglas Little and GP (Gwyneth Paltrow)," Goop's description begins. "The two were working on a fragrance, and she blurted out, "Uhhh..this smells like a vagina"—but evolved into a funny, gorgeous, sexy, and beautifully unexpected scent. (That turned out to be perfect as a candle—we did a test run at an In goop Health, and it sold out within hours.) It's a blend of geranium, citrusy bergamot, and cedar absolutes juxtaposed with Damask rose and ambrette seed that puts us in mind of fantasy, seduction, and a sophisticated warmth."
So, other than the obvious end of subtlety in candle-naming conventions, this seems like yet another Goop stunt that would make sense as a publicity stunt. But, it is probably just earnest as well. Although we're under a month removed from the company advertising a vibrator in a television commercial before Christmas. So, yeah, strange times. It will be interesting to see what the company has up its sleeves heading forward.
Goop's description blurb is probably worth seeing, just to know how it exists, "Launched in 2008 out of Gwyneth Paltrow's kitchen as a homespun weekly newsletter, GP created goop to organize her unbiased travel recommendations, health-centric recipes, and shopping discoveries for friends, and also as a place to get her own questions—about health, fitness, and the psyche—answered. It has always been a place for GP to introduce some of the incredible experts who have mentored her throughout her life, and a place where readers can find suggestions about where to shop, eat, and stay from a trusted friend—not from an anonymous, crowd-sourced recommendation engine."
Here are some of the best responses to the candle.