Sydney Sweeney responds to bathwater criticism: “It was mainly the girls making comments”
Sydney Sweeney has hit back at the criticism she received for a recent advertisement, in which she promoted soap made from her own bathwater.
The product was announced in May. The White Lotus actor took to Instagram for the reveal, writing, “You kept asking about my bathwater after the Dr Squatch ad… so we kept it. Introducing Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss! A very real, very limited-edition soap made with my actual bathwater.”
Only 5,000 units of the soap were available. Those who purchase the soap will reportedly receive a certificate confirming that it’s been made with Sweeney’s bathwater. It sold out in seconds.
After the campaign received initial backlash, Sweeney has now told The Wall Street Journal in a new interview, “It was mainly the girls making comments about it, which I thought was really interesting. They all loved the idea of Jacob Elordi’s bathwater.”
She also said to the publication that she closely tracks her own public perception, sharing, “It’s important to have a finger on the pulse of what people are saying, because everything is a conversation with the audience.”
Sweeney’s finger must have found a very animated pulse, as this is not her only campaign to receive intense backlash. In late July, American Eagle teamed up with Sweeney for a new campaign, Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans, which plays on “jeans” and “genes”. The advert faced criticism for promoting eugenics, suggesting her white heritage and natural thinness were more desirable than other genes.
Donald Trump even came to her defence. Reacting to reports that she had officially registered as a Republican in 2024, Trump said, “She’s a registered Republican? Now I love her ad. You’d be surprised how many people are Republicans. That’s one I wouldn’t have known, but I’m glad you told me that.”
Amid the backlash to the American Eagle advert, the company has seen its stock prices soar, and it has defended the campaign, stating, “Great jeans look good on everyone.”
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