Gwyneth Paltrow's ‘vagina candle' is still burning bright – at five times the original price
I have a foolproof way to make millions. It's a little tricky to execute, but hear me out, OK? Step one: find a time machine. Step two: travel back to 2020. Step three: quickly, before they all get nabbed, buy the entire stock of the This Smells Like My Vagina candle that Gwyneth Paltrow notoriously sold on Goop for $75 a pop. Then come back to 2025 and sell them on eBay for $400 each. Seriously, that's what they are going for now. We're talking a 433% return!
How do I know this? Not, to be clear, because I am spending my evenings searching for vagina-scented candles. No, I know this because the chatter around Paltrow's candle is impossible to fully extinguish; it keeps popping back up in the news. In 2021, for example, there was a big hoo-hah because a Texas man claimed that the candle exploded on his bedside table. No one was injured but a lawsuit was filed for the Texas man and others who 'through no fault of their own, bought defective and dangerous vagina-scented candles'.
That case was later dropped. The candles are now back in the headlines because Paltrow was speaking at an event called the Mindvalley Manifesting Summit over the weekend and revealed that her famous creation originally started off as a joke. The perfume team were apparently messing around with scents when she said, 'Oh, that smells like … you know.' And, well, you know what happens next. Paltrow also revealed that she thinks her candle was very 'punk rock' and challenged the shame around female sexuality. And if you don't agree, she thinks you should 'go fuck yourself'.
Anyway, back to the details of my get-rich-quick plan. A time machine might seem preposterous but, according to the Mindvalley Manifesting Summit's website, manifesting means 'bending time and reality through intention, intuition and aligned action'. So manifest the damn thing and start getting that vagina candle money!
Perhaps you're wondering if it wouldn't be easier to just manifest a bunch of cash instead? Yes, come to think of it, probably. Although, honestly, you shouldn't take financial advice from me. I started my working life as a corporate lawyer, then went into advertising, and now I am a freelance writer. Instead of climbing the career ladder chasing pay rises I slithered down it chasing pay cuts. Still, here I am living the dream and writing about vaginas for a living. It's very punk rock!
Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist
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CNET
15 hours ago
- CNET
Essential Elden Ring: Nightreign Tips for New Players
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A team should be made up of someone who can tank (Wylder, Raider, Guardian) and a mix of the other characters. One big help is going to have one team member play a ranged character (Ironeye, Recluse) who can act as a reviver to pick up characters who fall in battle, as they need to be attacked in order to heal them (or at least having another player carry a ranged weapon to perform the same). Being able to do this from a distance can be very useful in runs. Another part of team chemistry is having someone to strategize where to go on the fly. A point person to lay out where your team will go instead of everyone chiming in will help move the runs along without having to wait around to figure out where to go next. If possible, go for flasks first, then bosses Every character starts out with three flasks for healing, but there are more available. They can be found in churches scattered on the map, usually in a bright orange color. Having more than three flasks is going to be a tremendous help, so they should be prioritized. Ideally, you'll want to head to the nearest church while clearing out camps on the way. Once you have two additional flasks, then focus on bosses. If a church is too far away, fight through camps full of enemies on the way to the church to level up while heading there. Pick up all the weapons An interesting mechanic in Nightreign is that each weapon found in a run has a passive bonus, and those bonuses stack up as long as you have them in your bag. That's six weapons with six buffs, and that will be a big help for your character. Also, don't worry if you pick up a weapon that's not intended for your character. A melee brute like the Raider could find a magic wand that has a certain buff that works well for them. Shields, for example, offer some good buffs even though you may not want to equip them. Another idea is if a ranged weapon like a bow drops, consider picking it up if you're a melee character as a way to revive teammates from a distance when needed. Look for the best route Routing is so important for a good run. You want to try to clear out the various dungeons, castles, mines and camps available to gain levels and better equipment. Since you have a set amount of time before the storm circle closes in, start on the outer parts first and slowly make your way in. Eventually, you'll get the timing down to clear out camps right before the circle closes to get the last bit of runes to level up your character. Pay attention to your surroundings, you might miss some help Found all throughout the map are tiny patches of glowing flowers, fire butterflies and so on that provide some quick buffs, like finding more runes or getting rid of status ailments or healing you. One thing to definitely keep an eye out for is scarabs. These little critters -- hovering over a glowing ball and emitting a bell-tinkling sound -- will typically drop talismans that can be equipped to provide permanent offensive or defensive buffs to your character equivalent to what you'd get when beating a boss. Use consumables It never fails that players will want to hold onto their consumables, but ignore that feeling. If you're fighting a boss, use all the consumables you have. The consumables you can find in a run are very useful, and there are a lot of them all around the map. If you're full of items, but there's one you can use right away. It will vary depending on whether you're playing with a controller or a mouse and keyboard. To figure out what button combination you need to do this, hold down the button for picking up an item, and it will show you. Don't be afraid to run away While the storm circle doesn't seem to take much damage when you're stuck in it, do not tempt fate. You need to stay out of the storm. 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Realize when to ignore trash mobs and items When you drop onto the map, your team is very likely going to be in a random spot, and you'll see some low-level enemies nearby. You should definitely take down all these weaker enemies to get yourself to level 3. There will also be random items scattered around the map. Feel free to get these early on, but once you get to level 3, it's time to focus. In Nightrein, you need more levels, better equipment and buffs, which won't be found on weak enemies or the items around them. Ignore them completely once you get high enough, as you will not have extra time to take them down in your quest for stronger boss enemies and powerful upgrades. Bandai Namco Shoot for level 12 It can't be stressed enough how important it is to be at the right level when fighting a nightlord. One level could be the difference between an easy win and an utter defeat. A good rule of thumb is to shoot to be at least level 4 by the end of day 1, level 8 by the end of day 2 and level 12 when taking on the Nightlord. While you can beat the bosses at levels lower than those suggested, the fights will go much easier the higher your levels are. Spend a little time exploring and training at Roundtable Hold Roundtable Hold is not just a hub to buy relics, do some training and interact with characters. As you progress, there will be new content to find in the area. New Nightfarers, for example, will unlock once you get certain items and interact with other NPCs. This is especially true after a successful run, as there will be more to learn when exploring Roundtable Hold. Head out on your own To have a successful run, each player on the team needs to understand their character's abilities, how to properly equip themselves and learn the pattern of certain bosses. That's hard to do during a match as your time is limited, and the group you're with wants to keep running. This is why doing a few solo runs on your own can help get your footing with the game. To start a solo run, head to the table at the Roundtable Hold, click on it, and go to options. At the bottom of the options, there's a selection to have a single-player run or a multiplayer run. Make sure that it's single-player and start by yourself. Keep in mind, this is going to be very difficult to do a solo run, but you want to use this time to develop an understanding of the game's mechanics and your character. Expect the unexpected The last bit of advice is to expect the unexpected. There are random events that can happen throughout the game, from a group of enemies teleported right on top of you, additional bosses showing up after a boss battle, or even the nightlords popping up as day 1 bosses. You always need to be prepared because things can change in a split second, and your match could be over. Elden Ring Nightreign launched on May 30 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One consoles for $40. Owning the original Elden Ring is not required to play this game.
CNET
2 days ago
- CNET
Elden Ring Nightreign is a Drag to Play Solo. Here's Why It's Way Better With Friends
I've never been one to bristle at calling in help while playing one of FromSoftware's Souls games. I stalked the night all by myself in Bloodborne, but I played through Elden Ring with my best friend using the Seamless Co-Op mod -- only after I explored the game alone, the way I prefer it. While I don't have any qualms with calling for help or using spirit summons (as far as I'm concerned, these are tools in my arsenal to level the playing field), I do enjoy trying to take on the game all by myself the first time around, slaying massive enemies and making epic discoveries by my lonesome. So I embarked on my first Elden Ring Nightreign expedition alone with steely resolve, readying myself to charge into battle as the defense-oriented Guardian class (called Nightfarers in the game). I collected enough runes to get to level five, survived until nighttime and was promptly kicked straight back to the lobby when a duo of Demi-Human bosses passed through a cloud of miasma and beat the stuffing out of me. This became a bit of a trend while playing solo -- I never reached the end of an expedition by myself. I know I'm afflicted with what is colloquially known as a skill issue, and that's what led me to struggle so much with Nightreign's solo experience. As a matter of fact, I was so soured by my single-player runs that I didn't even think I liked Nightreign until I got a chance to queue into a multiplayer lobby. Though once I got my posse together, I quickly fell in love with the game. Thankfully, players may not suffer quite as much playing solo thanks to a day-one patch that looks to buff players going it alone, according to Eurogamer. But there are still key pieces of the design here that create extra friction for the solo experience, and it takes a lot of extra effort to work around that. If you're extremely good at FromSoftware's usual dark fantasy action RPGs, you'll probably excel here. But if you're an average player, you'll quickly run into these problems. If you wish to stand a fighting chance in Elden Ring Nightreign, you need to work together as a coordinated squad. Bandai Namco/Screenshot by CNET Elden Ring Nightreign revolves heavily around team composition I'm used to having many different tools in my arsenal when I'm approaching an Elden Ring boss. Even when I specialize my character for a strength build, I can depend on the Wondrous Physick and spirit summons to help me power through a tough battle. In Nightreign, each individual player has far fewer tools at their disposal. You have your wits, your weapon, any items and arts of war you stumbled upon and your Nightfarer abilities. Some of these abilities are useful by themselves, like Ironeye's dagger slash that gives him multiple precious invincibility frames (as well as bonus damage on the affected enemy) and Duchess' time rewind that stacks up tons of damage instances at once. But most abilities require a team to capitalize on them in order to feel truly effective. Ironeye's ultimate ability is timely to set up, but it does massive poise damage, staggering an enemy for a melee character to follow up with a critical hit. When I played by myself, I found that each role I committed to floundered without support from other people. The Guardian tanked hits but wouldn't have the stamina to follow-up with big damage. As Ironeye, I was under constant melee pressure, preventing me from consistently peppering my opponents with ranged damage. The Wylder might be the best all-rounder of the Nightfarers, especially with his one-time death-escaping passive, but there were still situations where I wished I had other players to chip away at the boss from far away while I dodged around its feet. Nightreign feels like a smooth and natural experience when you plan ahead and cover other people's weaknesses. I had the most luck when I played the ranged Ironeye and matched up with another CNET reviewer and a Bandai Namco employee who played as a tank and a melee attacker respectively, allowing me to stagger bosses by firing arrows at their weak spots from afar. If you're ever rooted in one place, you're frittering your precious time away. Bandai Namco/Screenshot by CNET Speed is key -- and you go slower alone Unlike the leisurely pace you can take in previous FromSoftware games, there's no time to take in the grandeur of Nightreign's version of The Lands Between. From the moment you land on day one to the end of night two, it's speedrunning time. Every round involves an anxiety-inducing calculus of balancing your leveling and your looting: By the time you face the Nightlord (the final boss of an expedition) in night three, you want to be at least level 12 and have a good mix of weapons, passive buffs and extra healing flasks. This is tough enough in multiplayer, where runes are distributed to every nearby member of the team regardless of who struck the final blow on an enemy and bosses are more easily staggered and dealt with between three Nightfarers. Navigating the map's randomized locations requires a lot of game knowledge and team unity. Taking Nightreign's expeditions on alone is a different story entirely. You're in charge of personally farming every rune you need to level up while still making your way to enough churches to stock up on healing flasks. Getting bogged down in boss fights for too long is a delayed death sentence, because you're wasting your most valuable resource: time. Still, you need the valuable weapons and passive buffs that boss enemies drop, so you'll have to beat down some of the tougher enemies you stumble across. The most powerful buffs of all are located in the game's Shifting Earth events that change a portion of the map during each run. These can be volcano-like craters or misty, hidden cities that house some of the hardest bosses and most valuable loot in the game, but you'll almost never be able to take these on by yourself before the circle closes in around you. I'm confident that I could overcome many of the challenges in Elden Ring Nightreign solo, given enough chances and time. But the clock was so against me that I never felt that I had the time to get strong enough. The game simply moves too quickly for me to be playing alone, and I think many other solo players will likely feel the same way. If you want to build a powerful team to take on the epic action RPG challenges that FromSoftware is lauded for, then you'll feel right at home with Elden Ring Nightreign. If you're a casual player looking for a good solo experience, I reckon you'll have to wait for another Souls game entirely (and you'll probably want to skip upcoming Switch 2 exclusive FromSoftware game The Duskbloods, too, which looks like it could inherit a lot of Nightreigns' multiplayer gameplay).
Yahoo
2 days ago
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Sydney Sweeney Teams Up with Dr. Squatch to Release a Bar of Soap Made From Her Bathwater — and the Internet Is Divided
Sydney Sweeney has partnered with Dr. Squatch to create a soap made from her bathwater The soap is titled Sydney's Bathwater Bliss, and is limited to 5,000 bars Fans are divided in their responses to the product Sydney Sweeney is taking men's bath products to the next level. On Thursday, May 29, natural body care line Dr. Squatch revealed that it teamed up with the Euphoria actress to create a soap made from her bathwater. "You kept asking about my bathwater after the @drsquatch ad … so we kept it," a joint Instagram post between Sweeney and the company read. "Introducing Sydney's Bathwater Bliss! A very real, very limited-edition soap made with my actual bathwater. Available on 6/6/25 at Sydney's Bathwater Bliss is a medium grit exfoliating soap made with sand, pine bark extract and "yes, a touch of Sydney's real bathwater." As for what it smells like, the soap bar delivers notes of pine, Douglas fir and earthy moss that brings users to the forest, as well as Sweeney's actual bathtub. 'When your fans start asking for your bathwater, you can either ignore it, or turn it into a bar of Dr. Squatch soap,' the 27-year-old said in an official press release for the product. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. She continued, 'It's weird in the best way, and I love that we created something that's not just unforgettable, it actually smells incredible and delivers like every other Dr. Squatch product I love. Hopefully, this helps guys wake up to the realities of conventional personal care products and pushes them towards natural.' Sweeney's fans had a mixed reaction to the new product, which was inspired by her Dr. Squatch Natural Body Wash ad that featured her promoting the product while sitting in a bathtub filled with bubbles. "We need to look at ourselves in the mirror," one user in the comments section of the Instagram post remarked. Another expressed their appreciation for the actress, but replied, "I love you Sydney but I think this is where I draw the line." A third user criticized the potential customers that were thinking about buying the product. "Imagine being down bad enough to buy this," the person wrote. Others think the product is a brilliant idea. "Gwyneth Paltrow type s—," one user wrote, comparing it to the Goop founder's viral This Smells Like My Vagina candle. "I'm buying one for my friend's birthday present tho[ugh]." The PEOPLE App is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! "Whatever makes men take showers," another user wrote. 5,000 bars of Sydney's Bathwater Bliss will be available for fans — 100 customers have the chance to enter a giveaway to win a bar of the soap before its June 6 release; after it's official sale date, the soap bar will be available on the Dr. Squatch website until supplies last. Read the original article on People
