Goop Products Editor Experiment
I Lived the Goop Lifestyle For a Week and Didn't Hate It as Much as I Thought I Would
As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work.
Gwyneth Paltrow is the kind of person who swears by quartz stones and "breath work" and thinks pricking your face with a bee stinger is the secret to great skin. I, on the other hand, am about as holistic as a loaf of Wonder Bread. (We can probably all agree there's room for growth on both ends.)
Still, there's something wildly appealing about Paltrow's intentional approach to beauty and self-care — an area I could stand to widen. Could there be a method behind the madness of floating around in a pod-shaped tank of salt water? Or spiking your coffee with powder supplements? I was determined to find out.
In an effort to live my best Goop-inspired life, last week I searched the depths of my bedroom for a years-old gift card to Lift, downloaded her extensive 5-Day Detox, and stocked up on products from her nontoxic beauty line. What came next was a surprise to me: I, too, discovered the balance between cigarettes and tofu . . . and I liked it.
Lift Flotation Therapy
While Goop's recommendation was actually to purchase a $16,500 floating tub, the idea of being trapped in a pitch-black pod while completely submerged in water sounds like a special kind of hell for me. I decided on the next best thing: a floatation tank at Brooklyn's Lift with higher ceilings and a little more legroom.
It was still dark and terrifying at first, but after 20 minutes (of the one-hour session), I nearly fell asleep from relaxation. Would I say the 1000 pounds of Epsom salt leave my hair and skin silky soft? Not really, but it was nice as hell giving my feet (and mind) a break for a fraction of the day.
Goop Eau de Parfum: Edition 01 — Church
Hello, have you ever tried a fragrance intended to smell like snow and "sensual quiet?" Me neither. That's what made spritzing on the Goop Eau de Parfum: Edition 01 – Church ($55) before emerging outside to NYC's blistering winds every day a true delight. . . even if people still talked to me (and sensual, it was not).
Goop Luminous Melting Cleanser
The concept of a cleansing balm has always seemed nice in theory — massage onto face, watch makeup melt away, rinse, and then rinse two more times to get off the residue — but the truth remains: I am lazy, and that's about five more steps I've never been willing to take. During my Goop heyday, however, I made an exception and slathered on the Goop Luminous Melting Cleanser ($80) every night as the first step in my skincare routine.
It took a few extra minutes, as expected, and — even though it felt great to give myself a DIY face massage — I found myself dreading the step. . . until I realised my skin after cleansing felt so damn soft.
Goop Exfoliating Instant Facial
I had tried the Goop Exfoliating Instant Facial ($125) once before, and loved how the gentle blend of AHAs and BHAs acted like a light switch for my skin, making it look infinitely brighter in just three minutes.
I've never needed the treatment more than I did after hibernating for four days straight from a projected snowstorm during this challenge. I started out looking like a true vampire (if vampires had dull, grey, practically translucent skin) but after using it twice, I looked more like a pre-Edward Bella when I stepped outside.
Goop Goopglow
The hardest part of my entire week was the diet part, hands down. Paltrow's 5-Day Detox involves cutting out the essentials in my primary food groups: gluten, dairy, corn, refined sugar, caffeine, alcohol, white rice, eggs. . . my head nearly exploded at the thought. Here's an example of one day's meal:
- First thing: Warm water with lemon
- Breakfast: Blueberry Coconut Chia Smoothie
- Lunch: Leftover Salmon Patties and Toum over arugula with lemon and olive oil
- Snack: Apple and almond butter
- Dinner: Beans and Greens Soup with Harissa and Saffron
Once I decided to do the Detox Lite (as I like to call it), which involves a slightly more lenient approach should a mozzarella stick or glass of wine present itself to me but generally sticks to the rules, I decided to shop for the ingredients — which is just as expensive as you imagined. When I was too rushed to make a breakfast smoothie (so, every day) I swapped it with the Goop Goopglow ($60), which is a powder supplement that tastes like Gatorade and contains antioxidants meant to revive from the inside out. Seeing as how I only used it for a week, I didn't notice any changes in my skin. . . unless you count what comes from getting a few extra Zzz's in the morning.
Goop G.Tox Ultimate Dry Brush
The wellness practice of boosting circulation via dry brush is not new, but it is the first time I used one in the shower on a consistent basis. I used the Goop G.Tox Ultimate Dry Brush ($20), which felt like any other dry brush, really, but it does have a nice slanted wooden handle that makes it easy to get every curve of your body.
Goop G.Tox Glacial Marine Clay Body Cleanser
Now, a clay cleanser is something I can get behind. We already know the natural ingredient can balance the skin and dislodge any impurities on the skin, but I never expected the Goop G.Tox Glacial Marine Clay Body Cleanser ($30) to smell so good. Within seconds of applying it, my shower was clouded with a calming rosemary and peppermint scent that made me feel instantly more zen.
Goop G.DAY Black Pepper + Rose Hip Energy Body Oil
Lazy as I am, there is one thing I will always do after a shower: moisturise. I usually stick to a hydrating lotion so I'm not waddling off with that dry, tight-skin feeling, but there was a certain level of luxury in using the Goop G.DAY Black Pepper + Rose Hip Energy Body Oil ($60) instead. Not only does it smell delicious (fresh ginger! Pink peppercorn!) but the formula also sunk into skin within seconds, so I never felt greasy — just a little like Gwyneth Paltrow.
