Fans of Gwyneth Paltrow have expressed mixed feelings over Goop’s promotion of a high-priced sex toy advent calendar. Some have criticized both the product and the brand’s holiday gift guide, calling it ‘disrespectful’ and ‘repulsive’.
With Christmas fast approaching, the festive season is in full swing. Mariah Carey is getting ready for her annual spotlight, Starbucks has introduced its seasonal offerings, and the Rockefeller Center is preparing for its famous Christmas Tree lighting ceremony.
In anticipation of the 2025 holiday season, 53-year-old Paltrow’s brand, Goop, has released a series of gift guides catering to enthusiasts of fashion, wellness, and those seeking pleasure.
This particular guide features everything from a Finding Ferdinand Black Lip Balm to a $2,700 signet ring by Real Fine Studio, along with opulent bath soaks, Goop’s own Sex Oil, and an extravagant dice set priced at $780.
Among the more costly items is a provocative advent calendar by Kiki De Montparnasse.
This nine-drawer set, costing $1,285, is designed to introduce new experiences with items like a bullet vibrator, gold-plated handcuff wristlets, soft nonstick PVC restraint tape, and other enticing goodies.
The advent calendar has garnered attention and criticism on social media, with one user noting, “Goop never fails to surprise. Gwyneth Paltrow’s holiday guide has once again turned gift-giving into an art form of extravagance. It’s less about shopping and more about pure curiosity at what counts as a ‘holiday essential’.”
Another commented, “Advent is a religious holiday that Paltrow has now disrespected. How Hollywoodish of her. How about a Hanukkah one?? Yeah thought so.”
A third comment read, “At this point, I hear Goop and/or Gwynbo’s name associated with schmex toys and things like that and I’m instantly repulsed and have zero interest in that product.”
If the advent calendar doesn’t appeal, there’s also a $70 pasta water candle or a $1,400 ashtray to consider.
This isn’t the first time a product promoted by Goop has stirred controversy.
Previously, the brand drew attention for selling a candle labeled ‘This Smells Like My Vagina’.
Discussing the uproar, Paltrow, a mother of two, explained: “You know that product is so fascinating because we were messing around with different scents one day, and I smelled something and I was like, ‘Oh, that smells like… You know.’”
Even though the initial comment was made in jest, Heretic perfumer Douglas Little took the idea seriously.
Paltrow recalled: “He [Douglas] was like, ‘Oh, we should make that a candle and put it on the site.’ And I thought he was kidding, and I was like, ‘Yeah, definitely. That sounds like a winner right there’.”
Despite seeming sarcasm, the candle appeared on Goop’s website in 2020.
Paltrow defended the product, saying, “I kept it on the site because there is an aspect to women’s sexuality that I think we’re socialized to feel a lot of shame and I sort of loved this kind of punk rock idea.”
“We are beautiful and we are awesome”, she stated, and addressed critics with: “Go f*** yourself.”