Goop’s ‘Vagina’ Candle Can Explode Due to ‘Defect,’ Class Action Alleges

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An interestingly named candle sold by actor Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Inc. can explode during normal use as a result of a “design defect and/or manufacturing flaw,” a proposed class action alleges.

The Texas resident behind the 30-page lawsuit claims Goop has continued to sell the $75 candle, named “This Smells Like My Vagina,” despite knowing of the product’s apparent tendency to “explode and possibly cause injuries and/or property damage.” The suit alleges the candles are “inherently dangerous” and capable of exploding with enough force to cause serious injury and property damage. 

“As of the filing of this Complaint, Defendant has not warned customers of the defect or instructed purchasers on how to handle situations in which the candles become engulfed in flames and/or explode,” the complaint says.

The man claims the 10.5-ounce candle, which Goop advertises as having a “beautifully unexpected scent” and made with “geranium, citrusy bergamot, and cedar absolutes juxtaposed with Damask rose and ambrette seed to put us in a mind of fantasy seduction, and a sophisticated warmth,” became “engulfed in flames” after burning on his nightstand for an estimated three hours. According to the complaint, the candle was not touching or adjacent to anything aside from the nightstand on which it sat, and no loose objects or materials were above or in close proximity to the product as it burned.

“Shortly thereafter, Plaintiff discovered the candle had exploded and that the room in his home where the candle was located was filled with smoke,” the lawsuit claims. “The jar in which the candle sits is now charred and black. The candle left a black burn ring on the nightstand where it was sitting when it became engulfed in flames.” 

Per the suit, consumers are likely to buy the same type of candle from Goop, which Paltrow founded in 2008, in the future and are likely to be “similarly misled” by the company’s claims about the product unless it is recalled and the apparent design defects are fixed.

According to the lawsuit, Goop has grown into a major company that boasts estimated annual revenues of around $60 million, thanks in part to a sizable online presence and focus on “healthy living” and “clean” products. The product’s name apparently stems from a tongue-in-cheek remark Paltrow made the first time she smelled the candle. 

The case notes the U.K.-based publication The Sun was the first to publish a story detailing an instance of a Goop “vagina” candle reportedly exploding. The London woman who claims her Goop candle combusted said the product “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.” 

On May 18, 2021, Vanity Fair published Goop’s response to the proposed class action, which the company called “frivolous.” A representative for Goop said the company is “confident this claim is frivolous and an attempt to secure an outsized payout from a press-heavy product.” 

“We stand behind the brands we carry and the safety of the products we sell,” the spokesperson said. “Here, Heretic—the brand that supplies the candle—has substantiated the product’s performance and safety through industry standard testing.” 

The suit asks the court for an injunction against Goop to prevent the company from continuing to sell the candle, among other relief. The lawsuit contends Goop was “on notice” that its candles were not fit for use within a reasonable time after the apparent defect manifested for the plaintiff and proposed class members.

The case looks to represent anyone in the United States who bought a “This Smells Like My Vagina” candle from Goop Inc. between 2020 and 2021. 

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