Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle company is being sued after a man alleged one of its “vagina-scented” candles “exploded”. 

Colby Watson, from Texas, said he bought the infamous $75 “This Smells Like My Vagina” candle from Goop’s website in January. After burning it for about three hours on his bedside table, he alleged the candle “exploded” and became “engulfed in high flames”, according to a court document. He said the blaze left a “black burn ring” on his bedside table and the candle jar was “charred and black”. However, no injuries were reported.

The Goop website has a warning on its website advising people not to burn the candle for more than two hours.

The complainant is seeking a jury trial and triple compensation as well as punitive damages of more than $5m (£3.5m) for him and others who “through no fault of their own, purchased defective and dangerous vagina-scented candles”, the court document said.

A woman in the UK also alleged that her Goop candle exploded in January. Jody Thompson said the product – which was the same model as the one bought by Mr Watson – exploded “a few minutes after” lighting it. Flames roared half a metre out of the jar and bits of molten wax flew out as it fizzed and spat,” she said. “Luckily, I had placed it on concrete, at the base of what was once a fireplace.”