Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Sued After ‘This Smells Like… ‘ Candle Explodes
This smells like a lawsuit. A man who says he bought a “This Smells Like My Vagina” candle from Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop company claims it could have killed him when it exploded and he’s now filed a class-action lawsuit about it.
According to legal documents obtained by gossip web site TMZ, the man suing Goop is a Texas resident named Colby Watson, who says he purchased the 10.5-ounce “This Smells Like My Vagina Candle” candle online in January.
Watson claims he lit the candle for the first time in February and placed it on his leveled nightstand and insists there was nothing near the candle and no open windows or drafts in his bedroom. After burning the candle for “an estimated three hours or less,” Watson alleges the candle became engulfed in high flames and exploded soon afterward, filling his room with smoke. Watson says the candle also left a black burn ring on his nightstand and says the jar is charred and black.
According to the lawsuit, Watson acknowledges the candle comes with a “limited warning” on Goop.com which reads in all caps: “WARNING: BURN CANDLE WITHIN SIGHT. KEEP AWAY FROM THINGS THAT CATCH FIRE. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN AND PETS. TRIM WICK TO 1/8” BEFORE EVERY LIGHTING. PLACE ON A STABLE, HEAT RESISTANT SURFACE. KEEP WAX POOL FREE OF DEBRIS. DO NOT BURN FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS AT A TIME. ALLOW GLASS TO COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE HANDLING.”
However, Watson says that warning is insufficient. He claims Goop fails to warn that the candle could cause significant injuries when it explodes, and he calls the “This Smells Like My Vagina Candle” candles “inherently dangerous.” He’s suing Paltrow’s wellness company for damages exceeding $5 million. A representative for Goop told TMZ, “We’re 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. Here, Heretic—the brand that supplies the candle— has substantiated the product’s performance and safety through industry standard testing.”
The candle’s scent description reads, “With a funny, gorgeous, sexy, and beautifully unexpected scent, this candle is made with geranium, citrusy bergamot, and cedar absolutes juxtaposed with Damask rose and ambrette seed to put us in mind of fantasy, seduction, and a sophisticated warmth.”
