Back in May, Sydney Sweeney surprised fans by announcing a controversial new product: soap infused with her bathwater. The Euphoria star collaborated with men’s grooming brand Dr. Squatch to release “Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss.” In a press release, she pitched it as “every guy’s fantasy,” noting that she wanted to make fans rethink “conventional personal care products.”
Featured VideoAt the time, the announcement was met with widespread criticism. Many accused the actress of profiting from misogyny by literally turning herself into the product. Social media quickly lit up with commentary, with one tweet calling the entire concept “so dystopian.”
The American Eagle “great jeans” ad controversy that followed
Initially, Sweeney brushed off the outrage. She even admitted that she pitched the idea herself. Later, when asked about the controversy surrounding the soap at an Apple TV+ premiere, she joked that she thought it was “fun to see everyone else talk about it.”
AdvertisementBut the discourse never really died down. Public perception worsened after her American Eagle jeans campaign drew fresh criticism. That ad highlighted her blonde hair and blue eyes under the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” playing off the word “genes,” sparking accusations of eugenics and glorifying whiteness. The brand doubled down despite outrage, and even the White House stepped in to defend her after The Guardian reported that she registered as a Republican in 2024.
Why Sweeney’s Jacob Elordi comparison doesn’t work
Sweeney revisited her bathwater soap, aiming the blame for the backlash towards women, in a new interview with the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.
“It was mainly the girls making comments about it, which I thought was really interesting,” she said. She then compared the reaction to the reaction around Jacob Elordi’s infamous Saltburn bathwater scene, claiming women embraced that joke far more.
AdvertisementNevertheless, her comparison quickly fell apart. The so-called Elordi bathwater products were novelty items created without his involvement and also had a negative reaction from fans. Meanwhile, Sweeney actively promoted and profited from her soap. Fans pointed out the major difference, stressing that Elordi never marketed his own body in the same way.
Social media reacts to Sweeney blaming women
Sweeney’s decision to blame women was instantly called out online. Folks posted their thoughts on X, with one user writing, “capitalising off of patriarchy by making yourself the product is so dystopian.. like i feel bad for her.”
AdvertisementAnother person tweeted about her comparison with co-star Eldori, saying that there is no similarity between the two.
“Bcoz Jacob Elordi was not selling his bath water in any way shape or form. It was a part of movie, people had fun with it, fans made bathwater candles, but he didn’t go out endorsing it, and making money off of being disgusting. This ain’t the feminist gotcha you think it is,” they wrote.
Advertisement“yess girl throw women under the bus that’ll really help you beat those allegations,” one critic said sarcastically.
Others accused her of centering her brand around male approval, particularly among conservative fans.
Advertisement@meowkiiiz pointed out, “trying to play the misogyny card while implying all her critics are horny women who only hate her cuz they’re jealous of all the attention she gets from men is definitely…a choice.”
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