When it comes to Gwyneth Paltrow’s contributions to the scent world, the actress has a penchant for developing fragrances that emulate one of the body’s most intimate areas.
Made to “crumble the patriarchy“—her words, not ours—her latest female reproductive candle may continue to replicate the goings-on down south, but this time, it’s for a good cause.
Joining the ranks of the cult-favourite, incredibly successful ‘This Smells Like My Vagina‘ and ‘This Smells Like My Orgasm’ candles, comes yet another scent made alongside perfumer Heretic for the sex-positive Goop.
Introducing, the limited edition ‘Hands Off My Vagina’ candle.
An iteration of the original intimate fragrance, the scent is in honour of the 49th anniversary of the United States’ revolutionary Roe. v. Wade Supreme Court decision. The legal rule protects a pregnant woman’s choice to terminate the pregnancy without excessive restrictions by the government.
To celebrate the anniversary of the monumental decision for women, Goop is donating AUD $35 from every sale of the limited edition candle to the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation. A non-profit organisation, the foundation raises money to fight for reproductive freedom for women. Recently, the legality has been abandoned in the American state of Texas, after a new restriction was passed to stop abortions from being performed after six weeks of pregnancy.
Sharing a video of the new candle to Instagram, Paltrow explained how its symbolism of the female reproductive organ represents the state of disarray when it comes to women’s rights.
“The word ‘vagina’ holds a lot of power. And yet, there is a recurring need to say: Hands off,” Paltrow wrote. “Hands off our vaginas in any context where they’re not invited. Your reproductive organs; your choice.”
“In honour of the anniversary of Roe v. Wade on January 22, goop will donate $25 from the sale of each limited-edition candle sold on goop.com and in our retail stores to the ACLU Foundation’s Reproductive Freedom Project,” she added.
As for what ‘Hands Off My Vagina’ smells like, well, it features very similar notes to its intimate counterpart. A whiff of the fragrance will bring out notes of Hinoki wood and Damascena roses, paired with hints of toasted cacao and soft coriander.
When Goop first released their genital-scented candle in 2020, Paltrow said that it was initially created as a joke.
“I was with the [perfumer] Douglas Little for his brand Heretic and we were kind of messing around and I smelled this beautiful thing and was like, ‘This smells like my vagina!'” she said while appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
“And I was kidding obviously. And we were on mushrooms—no, no we weren’t on mushrooms.”
You can check out the ‘Hands Off My Vagina’ candle by Gwyneth Paltrow on Goop here.
