Love It or Hate It, These Goop Beauty Products Are Actually Really Great

Chances are, you’ve heard of Gwyneth Paltrow’s controversial lifestyle brandGoop. In fact, it’s become quite difficult to scroll through social media without coming across a story about the brand’s quirky approach to wellness. For those who aren’t familiar, Goop is essentially a lifestyle brand founded by the actress that embraces a non-conventional approach to health and wellness. From selling risqué candles (you know the one I’m talking about) to preaching a strong nontoxic beauty message, Goop’s ethos is frequently scrutinised and picked apart on social media and in the press.

I’m also on the fence about where I stand. There’s no doubt that some of the messaging can be a little off. In fact, regulators have had to put their foot down on a few occasions as a result of misleading claims (Goop was actually fined for making unjust claims about the benefits of vaginal eggs), and at the time, I was also quite mad about it. As a beauty editor, I found myself riled over Goop’s negative stance on toxicity levels of suncream and its anti-SPF messaging. I remained that way for a while, not wanting to try any product that the brand put out, no matter how much everyone raved about them. But then, a close friend advised that I try some of Goop's famous bath salts, and I caved.

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(Image credit: @GWYNETHPALTROW)

They were good. Like, seriously good. I started questioning whether or not it was okay for me to love the products and disagree with the brand’s overall message. As I found myself growing more and more fond of the products, I considered the idea that maybe I’d got the wrong end of the stick. Then, just a few weeks ago, Netflix dropped the series The Goop Lab, a docuseries that follows the staff at Goop (including Gwyneth herself) and delves into the world of alternative wellness treatments, and I found myself hooked.

Maybe Goop wasn’t the demonising lifestyle brand I had originally thought it to be. Throughout the series, I felt as though it offered a non-biased, open insight into an array of beauty and wellness treatments that I might not have previously considered. That’s not to say that I don’t still feel as though many of the methods that Goop promote lack sound scientific backing, but it would seem I’m not alone, with almost everyone that’s watched the series wanting to share some sort of opinion.

Truthfully, though, when it comes to the brand’s beauty products, I genuinely struggle to fault them. Wherever you stand on the matter (from bath soaks to scrubs), some of my favourite beauty products come courtesy of Goop. Here’s my edit of the best…

Next up, the six affordable skincare brands that actually work.

Freelance Beauty Editor

Shannon Lawlor is a renowned beauty journalist and has contributed to Who What Wear’s beauty content since 2020. As a leading beauty editor, expert and brand consultant, she has over eight years of experience working for some of the industry’s most esteemed titles, including Who What Wear (of course), Glamour UK, Stylist, Refinery29 and Fabulous.

Having also worked behind the scenes with some of the industry’s biggest brands and retailers, Shannon has a unique insight into what people really want from their beauty routines. Understanding that beauty lovers seek honest, open and responsible advice, she has it made her mission to demystify the intimidating world of beauty, taking a no-frills approach to the most relatable topics.

While Shannon is the first to admit she doesn’t hold the answer to every beauty question out there, she is dedicated to sharing her expert insights in a bid to help. As a self-proclaimed lazy girl, Shannon has an affinity for easy-to-use, foolproof beauty products and has made it her mission to scope out the best of the best.

When she’s not working, Shannon is likely soaking in the bath or giving no-holds-barred beauty reviews on Instagram from her bathroom floor.