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Wait … WHAT??

It’s “Corona” time. Everyone is concerned. About everything. Including one’s health. Everywhere health tips and advice pops up. And then I came across one that caught my attention.

In Goop Health sessions.

I had heard of Gwyneth Paltrow and her somewhat “unusual” ideas before but now was defintely the time to look deeper into the offered products and services.

Goop’s message is very clear: everyone can live the perfect life! You just have to access it! With such promises, no wonder this business is highly successful. And to live the perfect life you need money.

There was the “In Good Health Summit” in London last year where “renowned” speakers and workshop leaders were invited. It must have been a somewhat exclusive event with tickets costing little under $6000 (granted, including a hotel suite) for a two-day event.

Browsing through the Goop online shop, I was surprised to find that there is very little you cannot buy: from skincare to clothing to candles and other lifestyle products. There was the item I had heard about so much and according to Goop itself, was sold out within a few hours at the Health Summit: the “This Smells Like My Vagina” candle. Definitely a unique, rare and utterly extraordinary fragrance but who wants to have Gwyneth’s vagina smell in their home?

The second highly controversial item I searched for was the jade egg, which a woman has to insert into her vagina to feel the connection with her body. Hm. There is also a rose quartz option. If you know anything about stones, then you know that both stones are not only brittle but bacteria could collect in the stone and cause vaginal infections.

Sure enough I came across my “favourite” topic: DETOX. I’ve said it again and again, our body is very capable of “detoxing” itself and there is certainly no need to spend $135 on a coffee enema (the thought alone of inserting coffee rectally).

Finally, I logged into Netflix and watched a little. I couldn’t bear to watch much of it, let alone all episodes. After learning that I “need a skin cleanser that’s going to pull off all the crap on my face before I put a serum on,” I had learnt enough.

Medical effectiveness, or scientific proof, doesn’t play a role in Goop’s health and well-being recommendations. I don’t care if Gwyneth Paltrow shares that her sex life isn’t doing so great at the moment and that she recommends the best vibrators available (all for sale on her website, of course). I do care that she recommends and sells ineffective and in some cases dangerous products and practices.

I had many WAIT … WHAT??? moments reading about Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop. And I came to the same conclusion as always when reading about detox and similar treatments: they are useless, often dangerous and the only people that benefit from them are the businesses behind them.

Posted on May 12, 2020 by Luitgard Holzleg

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