In the face of recent criticism of her Goop lifestyle website, Gwyneth Paltrow has come out swinging against her detractors, telling them they should “bring their A-game” if they’re going to try to bring her down.

The 44 year old actress, who set up her Goop site offering health and lifestyle tips back in 2008, sat down with The Hollywood Reporter earlier this week and discussed the future of her site – and had a strong message for her critics.

“I'm interested in criticism based on fact, not on projections,” Paltrow said garrulously. “If you want to f*** with me, bring your A-game.”

She also spoke about how her celebrity status often acts as a double-edged sword when it comes to promoting Goop.

Gwyneth PaltrowGwyneth Paltrow defended her Goop site

“It makes it much more difficult. For the business I'm creating, it's an obstacle I always have to overcome,” she explained. “For example, Reese [Witherspoon], who is a dear friend, has this quickly growing Draper James business, and she leverages her celebrity in a great way for her brand.”

More: Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle newsletter Goop publishes entire article about taboo sexual act

Goop has consistently been the subject of ridicule over the years, with stories emerging about the site selling bizarre New Age remedies and sex toys, with the occasional outlandish blog post about intimate bedroom matters. However, in recent months, it has been the subject a potential false advertising lawsuit when an independent consumer group filed a complaint with the American watchdog.

“For this model, where I'm trying to make Goop bigger than me and its own brand, you become inextricably linked,” Paltrow continued. “I'm a target in a way most entrepreneurs are not.”

However, her fame also works in her favour at least as often as it becomes a liability.

“When we need to leverage my celebrity, it opens doors,” she admitted, saying that her famous contacts often helped her. “I don't know many young entrepreneurs who can call Bob Iger, Sheryl Sandberg or Brian Chesky, and they are kind enough to waste a little bit of their day to help me. So in that respect, my celebrity has been a huge asset.”

More: Gwyneth Paltrow’s site Goop subject to advertising watchdog claim