Goop

Launched in 2008 by Gwyneth Paltrow, Goop was the website that made wellness a luxury item and not just a product of granola-chic. What started as a weekly email with recommendations on holistic health soon became a sprawling empire of overpriced “clean” products, lavish retreats and wellness advice so exclusive it might as well come with a velvet rope. Defining moments in Goop’s history include launching the “This Smells Like My Vagina” candle, a fragrant pièce de résistance that triggered a storm of media frenzy and a lawsuit for a good measure. With a valuation that skyrocketed to a jaw-dropping $250 million, Goop has successfully transformed alternative wellness into a high-end, must-have lifestyle. Paltrow, the face of the brand, has wielded her star power to push everything from jade eggs to $500 supplements, each item promising to deliver enlightenment and detoxification, albeit with a hefty price tag. The controversies have been numerous: allegations of pseudoscience, accusations of misleading health claims and criticism over its snob appeal. Nonetheless, Paltrow and her Goop team have navigated these rough waters with aplomb, proving that in the world of wellness, it pays to be fabulous and a little bit outrageous.