In the ever-expanding catalog of peculiar celebrity merchandise, Sydney Sweeney’s latest collaboration might just soap up the top spot—literally. As reported by The Independent, the Euphoria star has teamed up with men’s personal care brand Dr. Squatch to offer a bar of soap—“Bathwater Bliss”—made with a not-so-secret ingredient: Sweeney’s own used bathwater.
Lather, Rinse, Repeat: When Memes Become Merch
It all started with a phenomenon familiar to anyone who’s spent time in the messier corners of the internet. Sweeney, who’s found herself the focus of intense online commentary, has frequently encountered fans who, let’s say, get creative in expressing their admiration. In a bit of viral full-circle, she described the product launch with signature deadpan: “When your fans start asking for your bathwater, you can either ignore it, or turn it into a bar of Dr. Squatch soap,” according to a press release referenced by The Independent.
Dr. Squatch’s approach here seems to walk the fine line between tongue-in-cheek and genuinely committed. Their own product page is quoted by The Economic Times as describing the soap as “a perfect combination of the two best places on the planet: The outdoors and Sydney Sweeney’s bathtub.” If the ingredient lineup wasn’t unexpected enough—exfoliating sand, pine bark extract, and, yes, the famous bathwater—production is limited to just 5,000 bars, to be released June 6 for $8 apiece.
A Recipe for Viral Suds
The process, as Sweeney explained to GQ (as highlighted in The Independent’s coverage), began during a Dr. Squatch ad shoot. “They had a tub for me. And I actually got in there and I took some soap, and we had a nice little bath and they took the water. So it’s my real bath water.” She added that the fragrance leans toward her “home roots” with outdoorsy notes—pine, earthy moss, fir—tempered by what she humorously called “city bath water.” The Economic Times adds that this combination was meant to capture, quite literally, a blend of outdoor serenity and Sweeney’s own signature.
For those who find themselves drawn to the unique (or perhaps just looking for the world’s oddest collectible), there’s even an official certification, as described in The Jasmine Brand, verifying the celebrity origin of the water in each bar. It’s an eyebrow-raising detail, but apparently a non-negotiable one for those determined to own a “real” piece of celebrity merch.
Dr. Squatch isn’t just selling the soap, either—they’re leaning into scarcity and spectacle. The Economic Times also notes that, leading up to the release, the company is holding a giveaway: 100 lucky entrants on Instagram will win a free bar, fueling anticipation (and perhaps a bit of FOMO) ahead of the public sale.
Parasocial Product Placement or Playful Trolling?
You have to wonder how far we are from the point where celebrity product launches begin with a meme and end with a manufacturing run. Sweeney, reflecting on the response with GQ as cited in The Independent, candidly frames the soap as an unexpected way to interact with fans—giving them what they want, but with a nudge and wink. “I honestly think it’s a really fun, full-circle moment, because fans always joke about wanting my bath water…I was like, This is just such a cool way to have a conversation with the audience and give them what they want. But then also hopefully encourage them to take care of themselves in a healthy way.”
Of course, there’s a layer of irony at play. Sweeney has publicly expressed discomfort with how her public persona is handled online, describing in past interviews her feeling of having “no control” over the conversation about her body—as previously reported by The Independent. Perhaps this soap is both a savvy commercial move and a way to reclaim the narrative, gently mocking the surreal aspects of internet fame while selling a bar of soap with genuine outdoorsy intentions.
Liminal Lather: Where Do We Go From Here?
From a distance, it’s easy to see why this launch is grabbing attention. Is it genuine engagement, creative parody, or marketing so meta that it loops back around to sincerity? In a detail highlighted by The Jasmine Brand, each bar’s authenticity comes with its own certificate. Only 5,000 people will ever suds up with a sliver of Sydney’s bathwater—or keep it unopened as an ultimate oddity on the shelf.
Does this signal peak celebrity merch, or is it simply the latest in a long line of internet-infused, tongue-in-cheek product launches destined to be more talked about than actually used? Either way, Bathwater Bliss seems to capture something ineffable about online culture in 2025: a blend of fascination, irony, and a willingness to buy into the spectacle, one limited-edition soap at a time.
