Since Gwyneth Paltrow launched her Goop lifestyle brand, the actor’s penchant for selling unusual and expensive products has been met with a mixed reception. What's arguably become the most notable item in her line of products is her “vagina-scented” candle, which was released in 2020. But now, a woman claims the candle actually exploded in her home.
Gwyneth Paltrow and her Goop brand have been the subject of media fodder and public jokes for years. The actor has come under fire for the unusual products the brand pushes as well as the pricing of those products. Despite the various responses to products like the "vagina-scented candle," the products are still popular. Media consultant Jody Thompson won the much-talked candle in an online contest, but she recently explained to The Sun that the product did something unexpected:
The candle exploded and emitted huge flames, with bits flying everywhere. I’ve never seen anything like it. The whole thing was ablaze and it was too hot to touch. There was an inferno in the room.
Jody Thompson reported that she and her partner got the fire under control before placing the candle outside their front door. Despite the potential seriousness of the situation, she did find some humor in Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop product:
It could have burned the place down. It was scary at the time, but funny looking back that Gwyneth’s vagina candle exploded in my living room.
Jody Thompson’s sense of humor over the reported incident seems to mirror how people feel about the "vagina" candle and other Goop products in general. Though some have been a bit more critical, such as when the actress made a New Year’s Eve Goop suggestion that led to some blacklash due to the pricing.
Paltrow originally started Goop in 2008 as a weekly newsletter for new-age advice. In recent years, it has transformed into a wellness and lifestyle brand, which includes a print magazine and a Netflix docuseries that has been poorly received thus far.
The exploding "vagina" candle isn't the first time both Goop and Gwyneth Paltrow have experienced negative feedback over a product related to the female anatomy. In 2018, the brand and actor were the subject of a libel suit filed by users of "vaginal eggs." The suit asserted that the website falsely advertised that vaginal eggs help with hormones, menstrual cycles and bladder control. In the end, the suit was settled and Goop paid $145,000 in civil penalties and offered refunds to customers.
After the lawsuit, Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop continued to make headlines for the unhealthy side effects that were reported to be associated with many of its products. The brand and its TV show have also been criticized for the medical practices it advertises, which some could be dangerous. Paltrow has previously admitted that she doesn't always know the ins and outs of the lifestyle brand she founded. With the brand's modern-day take on wellness, she even finds herself wondering about the exact marketing approach of the company.
Given the reception of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop, Thompson’s ordeal with the “vagina” candle may give naysayers more room to criticize the brand. With that said, accidents happen and products malfunction, so people shouldn’t be too hard on the actor or her brand.
