Gwyneth Paltrow Reveals The Story Behind Candle That 'Smells Like My Vagina'

Gwyneth Paltrow has finally answered the burning question many had after she launched her vagina-scented candle.

During a Q&A session at the 2025 Mindvalley Manifesting Summit in Los Angeles, the actress addressed the story behind the now-discontinued product. A video of her response was shared by showrunners and Mindvalley founder Vishen Lakhiani in a joint post.

Gwyneth Paltrow teamed up with Heretic Parfum founder Douglas Little to create her Goop brand's controversial "This Smells Like My Vagina" candle in 2020. The product had notes of geranium, citrusy bergamot, cedar absolutes, Damask rose, and ambrette seed.

During her Q&A interview with Lakhiani, Paltrow was asked what motivated her to release a candle that allegedly smelled like her vagina. The Mindvalley CEO playfully wondered why the "Iron Man" actress jumped into something controversial instead of starting small, asking:

"Before you launched a candle called 'This Smells Like My Vagina,' was there a part of you that thought, you know, maybe I should start with lavender room spray?"

The question got Paltrow and the crowd laughing before she explained the infamous candle's origins. "You know, that product is so fascinating because we were messing around with different scents one day, and I smelled something," the entertainer recalled about her collaboration with Little, adding:

"And I was like, 'Oh, that smells like, you know.' I was joking. And then he was like, 'Oh, we should make that a candle and put it on the site.' And I thought he was kidding, and I was like, 'Yeah, definitely. That sounds like a winner right there.'"

Paltrow noted Little launched the product on her website after she jokingly gave him her approval and they broke the internet with "This Smells Like My Vagina." Despite the candle starting as a joke, the TV personality refused to take it down for a unique reason.

"I kept it on the site because there is an aspect to women's sexuality that I think we're socialized to feel a lot of shame. And I sort of loved this kind of punk rock idea.We are beautiful, and we are awesome, and go f-ck yourself," Paltrow explained, earning more cheers from the crowd.

She received more praise in the comment section of the Instagram post, with fans hailing her for standing her ground and launching an unconventional product.

"There's a quiet power in a woman who speaks her truth like that. It resonates deeply, like a reminder of something we've always known," someone wrote.

The love for Paltrow continued with another IG user hailing her bravery with the comment:

"Seeing this beautiful, humble, funny woman on stage, so raw, so real, so herself, despite being an Academy-winning actress and what we literally call a STAR was...so inspiring. It teaches all of us that being aware, real, and humble is one 'price' we have to pay if we want to make an impact."

"When your candle sparks a cultural reset & tells the patriarchy to sit down... iconic. Gwyneth really said 'aromatherapy with an attitude' and dropped the mic," a fan added. A fellow supporter applauded her bravery, writing, "Now I call this as Bold and Beautiful."

The positive responses to Paltrow's since-discontinued candle came three years after her viral Super Bowl commercial. The Blast covered the story in 2022, reporting that Paltrow and other celebrities teamed up with Uber Eats for a hilarious ad.

They all ordered wild products as their meal, with the Goop founder taking a bite out of her "This Smells Like My Vagina" candle and joking about it having a "not bad but funny" taste.

Paltrow expanded her line of candles inspired by women's health in honor of the Roe v. Wade anniversary in January 2022. She launched products like "Hands Off My Vagina Bougie Parfumee" and announced that $25 from the sale of each candle would be donated.

The profits went to the ACLU Foundation's Reproductive Freedom Project to protect women's "rights and basic freedoms." In her statement, Paltrow noted her vagina-themed products were aimed at giving women back their power, stating:

"The word 'vagina' holds a lot of power. And yet, there is a recurring need to say: Hands off. Hands off our vaginas in any context where they're not invited. Your reproductive organs, your choice."

A year before her Super Bowl commercial, The Blast reported that an unsatisfied customer sued Paltrow over her vagina-scented candle. The plaintiff, Colby Watson, filed a class action lawsuit against the Goop founder for endangering him with her product.

According to Watson he purchased the 10.5-ounce version of the "This Smells Like My Vagina" candle in January but didn't use it until February. He stressed that when he finally lit the candle, he did so while following every instruction and taking all necessary precautions to avoid a fire.

Despite his efforts, Watson alleged the candle went up in flames and covered the room with smoke after burning it for "an estimated three hours or less."

He sued Paltrow for failing to warn customers about the significant injuries and disasters that could occur when burning the candle for more than the recommended time.

Are Gwyneth Paltrow's vagina-themed products days over, or will she release another controversial scented candle?