Gwyneth Paltrow is finally shedding light on the provocative product that set the internet ablaze: her infamous “This Smells Like My Vagina” candle. Speaking at the 2025 Mindvalley Manifesting Summit in Los Angeles, the Goop founder, 52, shared the tongue-in-cheek origin of the candle that became both a bestseller and a cultural flashpoint.
According to Paltrow, the idea started as a joke during a scent-testing session with perfumer Douglas Little. “I smelled something and I was like, ‘Oh, that smells like… you know,’” she recalled with a grin. “It was funny. Then Douglas said, ‘We should make that a candle.’” Before they knew it, the item had launched on the Goop site — and went viral overnight.
Though initially sarcastic, Paltrow saw deeper meaning in the product’s reception. “There’s an aspect to women’s sexuality we’re taught to feel shame about,” she explained. “This was a punk rock way of saying, ‘We’re beautiful, we’re powerful — and screw the shame.’”
The candle, once sold for $127, is now discontinued but continues to spark conversation — and resells for over $600 online. Paltrow later released follow-ups like “This Smells Like My Orgasm”, continuing her cheeky brand of empowerment with a wink.
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