Gwyneth Paltrow has revealed the wild truth about her infamous “It Smells Like My Vagina” candle, revealing that the provocative product started out as a cheeky joke that her perfumer took seriously before it suddenly became one of Goop’s most recognizable products.
The actress and Goop founder revisited the candle’s unlikely origins during the Sept. 8 episode. Friends keep secrets podcast, which tells hosts Benny Blanco, Lil Dicky and Christine Bataluchko how an off-hand remark turned into a viral sensation.
The Origin of Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘Vagina Candle’
Paltrow said she was working with perfumer Douglas Little on an earthy scent for Goop when they began experimenting with unusual scents, including tomato leaf and seaweed.
“I like things that smell different,” Paltrow said. “I like woody, leathery tones. Our first fragrance is called Church; this is incense.
Describing herself as having a “very physical sense of humor,” she recalled jokingly telling Little that one of the scents “smells like my vagina.”
Little apparently didn’t realize she was joking and thought it was a “brilliant” idea. He went on to create a candle with a provocative name, which was eventually purchased by Paltrow’s team.
“So he thought I was serious and made a candle called ‘This Smells Like My Vagina,’ and my team bought the candle,” she explained.
“I thought I was kidding and the rest is history,” Paltrow added.
She also made it clear that the candle was not supposed to literally smell like her vagina.
“It definitely didn’t smell like my vagina,” Paltrow said, describing the scent as including citrusy notes of bergamot, geranium, damask rose, cedar absolute and ambrette seed.
‘Vagina Candle’ Becomes a Viral Hit
Goop first released the candle in January 2020, priced at $75 (£55), and it quickly became a best-seller and sold out, attracting widespread attention and mixed reactions.
Screenshot of the Heretic Parfum website
The product’s provocative branding turned it into a viral talking point, and its unusual name attracted attention far beyond Goop’s usual audience.
Paltrow said the candle eventually became so prominent that Goop stopped selling it because the attention was distracting people from the company’s broader work. However, the product continues to attract interest.
During the podcast, Blanco revealed he paid $600 (£442) to get it, prompting Paltrow to joke: “We should do this again.”
Paltrow defends provocative name
Iron Man The star has previously defended the deliberately provocative candle brand, saying it challenges the shame surrounding female sexuality.
During an interview at the 2025 Mindvalley Manifesting Summit, she said, “I kept it on the site because there’s an aspect of female sexuality that I think we’re conditioned to feel a lot of shame about.”
She added that she loved the “punk rock idea” behind the product and said: “We’re beautiful and amazing, go to hell.”
In 2023, Paltrow also called the name “a really strong feminist statement.”.
Goop later expanded the collection with other candles, including “This Smells Like My Orgasm” and “This Smells Like My Prenup.”
The original candle also drew criticism, with Martha Stewart previously saying she wouldn’t buy it. Although Goop has stopped selling the original candle, the product has remained a pop culture curiosity, and Paltrow’s latest revelation has brought renewed attention to a joke that has become a surprise viral hit.