Sydney Sweeney stands by controversial bathwater soap, compares herself to Jacob Elordi
- - Sydney Sweeney stands by controversial bathwater soap, compares herself to Jacob Elordi
Edward Segarra, USA TODAYAugust 21, 2025 at 3:18 AM
As a businesswoman, Sydney Sweeney isn't afraid to push the envelope, even if the fan mail isn't always glowing.
The Emmy-nominated actress, who's stirred controversy with her provocative campaign ads, opened up about the backlash she received for her bathwater-scented soap with Dr. Squatch in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published Aug. 20.
Sweeney, who had teamed up with the men's hygiene brand in 2024 for a suggestive body wash commercial, followed up the collaboration in May with Sydney's Bathwater Bliss, a bar soap that was reportedly infused with her used bathwater.
"When your fans start asking for your bathwater, you can either ignore it or turn it into a bar of Dr. Squatch soap," Sweeney said in a press release at the time. "It's weird in the best way, and I love that we created something that's not just unforgettable, it actually smells incredible."
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The soap's sensual marketing theme sparked mixed reactions on social media, with some users dubbing it a "gimmick" and questioning the item's cleanliness.
"It was mainly the girls making comments about it, which I thought was really interesting," Sweeney reflected in her Wall Street Journal interview. "They all loved the idea of Jacob Elordi's bathwater."
Sweeney's "Euphoria" costar Jacob Elordi, who also starred in the 2023 dark comedy "Saltburn," achieved an eccentric sex symbol status after a scene from the film depicted Barry Keoghan's character drinking Elordi's bodily fluid-filled bathwater.
The racy sequence even inspired the creation of Elordi bathwater-scented candles, although the actor was not involved in the manufacturing or sale of the products.
Sydney Sweeney is everywhere: A look at her viral ad campaigns, from soap to jeans.
Why Sydney Sweeney pays attention to controversial campaigns
Sweeney's bathwater soap isn't the only business move of hers that's raised eyebrows.
In July, the "Anything But You" star became the face of denim retailer American Eagle's newest campaign, which featured biology-inspired wordplay praising Sweeney's "great jeans."
The campaign quickly ignited a cultural firestorm, with some accusing Sweeney and American Eagle of subtly endorsing eugenics, the discredited belief that the human population can be improved through selective breeding. Even President Donald Trump weighed in on the sartorial scandal, defending the actress's "hot" ad.
Sydney Sweeney attends a special screening of "Americana" at Desert 5 Spot in Los Angeles on Aug. 3, 2025.
Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle: Actress sparks controversy with jeans ad
While Sweeney has yet to comment on the backlash, American Eagle defended the campaign in an Aug. 1 statement: "'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story."
Although Sweeney doesn't take the controversy to heart, she told The Wall Street Journal that she keeps tabs on her brand's public reception.
"I think it's important to have a finger on the pulse of what people are saying," Sweeney said. "Because everything is a conversation with the audience."
Contributing: Melina Khan, Nicole Fallert, Joey Garrison, Jay Stahl and Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sydney Sweeney calls out double standard in bathwater soap controversy
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