Highlights:
- Sydney Sweeney defended her controversial bathwater soap, Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss, in a new interview.
- The Euphoria star compared criticism she faced to the praise Jacob Elordi’s bathwater candle received.
- The limited-edition soap sold out in seconds despite online backlash.
- Sweeney also addressed the outrage over her American Eagle “great jeans” campaign.
Sydney Sweeney has spoken out about the backlash she faced for her bathwater soap, saying that criticism mostly came from women. The Euphoria actor launched Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss in collaboration with men’s grooming brand Dr. Squatch earlier this year, but the product sparked a wave of online debate. In a new interview, she said it was “really interesting” that while her soap was mocked, fans had loved the idea of Jacob Elordi’s bathwater candle inspired by his Saltburn role.
Sydney Sweeney says her bathwater soap faced harsher criticism than Jacob Elordi’s Saltburn candle Instagram/ SydneySweeney/ Getty Images
What was Sydney Sweeney’s bathwater soap?
In May, Sydney Sweeney released a limited-edition bar soap called Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss. The quirky product was marketed as being made with water she had bathed in, along with ingredients such as pine bark and sand extracts. Each bar retailed at £6.30 (₹660) and sold out almost instantly, with just 5,000 units available.
The campaign followed her earlier partnership with Dr. Squatch on a suggestive men’s body wash advert. While some fans saw the bathwater soap as a playful stunt, others labelled it unhygienic and gimmicky.
Why did Sydney Sweeney compare it to Jacob Elordi’s bathwater?
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Sweeney revealed she had noticed a gender divide in the reactions. “It was mainly the girls making comments about it, which I thought was really interesting,” she said. “They all loved the idea of Jacob Elordi’s bathwater.”
Elordi, her Euphoria co-star, became a social media obsession after the release of Saltburn in 2023. A now infamous scene showed Barry Keoghan’s character drinking his bathwater, sparking countless memes and inspiring novelty products like a “Jacob Elordi’s Bathwater” candle. Unlike Sweeney’s soap, the candle was celebrated online as a cult pop culture joke.
How did fans react to Sydney Sweeney’s soap?
Reactions on social media were divided. Some joked that the bar might at least “get men to shower,” while others questioned whether marketing real bathwater crossed a line. Despite the debate, the soap’s limited stock selling out in seconds proved its commercial appeal.
In her interview, Sweeney said she does not regret the idea, calling it “weird in the best way.” She explained, “When your fans start asking for your bathwater, you can either ignore it or turn it into a bar of soap. It’s unforgettable, and it actually smells incredible.”
Sydney Sweeney calls out women for mocking her controversial Bathwater Bliss product.Getty Images
What about Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ‘great jeans’ ad?
The soap was not Sweeney’s only controversial campaign this year. In July, she became the face of American Eagle’s new ad slogan, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.” The wordplay on “genes” sparked outrage online, with some critics accusing the brand of promoting eugenics and unrealistic beauty ideals.
American Eagle defended the campaign, insisting the message was simply about denim and individual style. Donald Trump’s team also weighed in, with his communications manager calling the backlash “cancel culture run amok.”
Sweeney herself has avoided directly commenting on the jeans controversy but said she closely monitors public response to her projects: “Everything is a conversation with the audience.”
