The return of Goop's famous "This Smells Like My Vagina" candle

"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. In honor 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."

With these words shared on her Instagram profile, Gwyneth Paltrow introduces Goop's new must-have item. Following the success of the controversial "This Smells Like My Vagina" candle, the actress is launching her own limited edition variant called "Hands off my vagina", a punchy name that references the ongoing abortion restrictions in the US (and many other parts of the world). Paltrow has decided to go public by supporting the ACLU Foundation, joining Uma Thurman, Billie Eilish, Jennifer Lawrence and millions of others concerned and outraged by this dangerous step backward that undermines the freedom of choice for all women. For this reason, and to put the spotlight on the Texas proposal (currently before the Supreme Court) to prevent abortion after the sixth week, the debut date of the new product coincides with the 49th anniversary of the historic Roe v. Wade ruling which, by legitimizing the termination of pregnancy throughout the federal territory, represents one of the main precedents for abortion legislation. 

Despite the important cause for which "Hands Off My Vagina2 was created, its release inevitably brought to mind the popular "This Smells Like My Vagina". First appearing in 2020 and immediately selling out, the candle has become not only one of Goop's best sellers, but also a viral sensation, generating all manner of comments, ironic tweets and memes. Gwyneth has always described it as "a sort of feminist rock-punk manifesto", a "fun, gorgeous, sexy and wonderfully unexpected" product that smells of geranium, citrusy bergamot and cedar with a touch of damask rose and amber. The provocative name? It comes from an exchange of jokes between the actress and perfumer Douglas Little, as she said:

"I work with this amazing nose, Douglas Little, who has a company called Heretic. He does all nontoxic fragrance. One day, we were smelling different fragrances, and I was like, "Oh! This one smells like my vagina!" But I was joking. And then I thought, "Wouldn't it be nice if someone actually had the courage to do this?"".

"Hands off my vagina" mixes the fragrances of hinoki cypress and damask rose with roasted cocoa and coriander. It's on sale (USA only) on Goop's website and costs $75, $25 of which will be donated to the Aclu Foundation.