Alicia Silverstone’s decision to live a vegan and cruelty-free lifestyle first came from her love for animals and desire to be kinder and gentler to the planet. But in the years since she’s gone full vegan, the activist and Clueless and Miss Match actress tells SheKnows that it’s “truly transformed [her] health” and informed her world-view.
She says she first noticed this transformation in changes to her body — weight loss, less need for her asthma inhaler and allergy shots and the “glow” she saw radiating from her skin and hair. And then she felt it in the ways it balanced out her moods and gave her more energy. Add on the emotional and environmental benefits of doing right by the earth and all its inhabitants, and her passion for shifting hearts and minds toward all things plant-based and cruelty free makes a whole lot of sense.
“In addition to reducing immense animal cruelty, this diet helps heal the earth. Plant-based eating is one of the most effective ways to help save our planet,” Silverstone tells SheKnows. “Animal agriculture is responsible for 51 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and is the leading cause of deforestation, biodiversity loss, and water pollution. It’s as if you have two meals of equal yumminess side by side — but one plate’s adverse for the earth, your health and furthers world hunger. The other plate is harmless, healthy and healing. It’s a choice that’s a no-brainer to me!”
Silverstone previously wrote a book — The Kind Diet — that unpacks the ethical implications of this important decision while offering up some recipes to kick-start your vegan cooking journey. But she understands that, especially in the realm of wellness, there’s a a need for education about how to eat and consume responsibly. And she wants to help more and more people be able to make informed and ethical lifestyle changes: “Overall, the goal isn’t to be perfect but to be resolved. You do your best — but you’re flexible and compassionate with yourself if you fall off the path!”
“First off, prioritize food and eat your greens! Glowing skin starts from the inside out,” Silverstone says. “… Secondly, there are a seriously overwhelming amount of personal-care products in the world. These two tiers, vegan and cruelty-free, help reduce the overload of products out there so you can navigate brands that produce products responsibly. These responsible products are healthier for you to consume while being compassionate to animals and the planet!”
“Start off by asking yourself if you truly need the item, there is too much material stuff produced on this planet and it all requires our earth’s precious resources. For this reason, I first remind myself less is more. If I do need to purchase a new product, I make sure it meets the criteria of being vegan, cruelty-free, non-toxic, utilizing earth-friendly packaging, and most importantly, is effective,” Silverstone says. “… My blog shares information on natural products I love, and information on scary ingredients to stay away from. But overall, read labels! If there are ingredients listed on a label you can’t pronounce, research or skip it. If you are really intrigued by a product, do a quick easy search on the Environmental Working Group’s consumer guide database. There are so many organizations and bloggers that do all this homework for us! In addition to reading ingredients, assess what certifications (USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Fair Trade, etc.) it has, if any.”
Since Alicia has, for years, cultivated a mindful lifestyle where literally everything she puts on or in her body is vegan, we had to ask her about a few of her favorite wellness products that satisfied her kind and green standards while helping her live her best life. Here are a few of her picks:
mykind organics vitamins and herbals
When she was pregnant with her son, Silverstone says that she’d gone on a “quest” to find the perfect prenatal vitamin that would ideally match up with her lifestyle: Something “organic, non-GMO, completely plant-based, and free of funky processed junk — I didn’t want a bottle of chemical isolates dressed up with organic fluff.” One small problem? “The vitamin I wanted to take didn’t exist.”
So she co-founded mykind Organics with Garden of Life to create a vegan, certified organic, non-GMO verified, food-based vitamin with no fillers or binders. And she’s really into all of them: “I have a lot of mykind favorites so here it goes, I especially love the Vitamin C Cherry Tangerine spray, it’s so tasty! The B12 spray is downright delicious. I can’t help but mention our Gummies, not just the Multis but also Elderberry and Turmeric Gummy, none of these have added sugar, just pure sweetness from organic apples and peaches. I also love the chewable Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12 Spray, Sleep Well, and Ashwagandha!”
CRYSTAL deodorant
Silverstone’s deodorant of choice for more than 20 years, she loves that it’s safe, vegan “and most importantly effective.” Because, obviously.
“CRYSTAL is mineral-based, made from non-toxic, cruelty-free ingredients and the packaging is eco-friendly,” Silverstone says. “Their ingredients are free of aluminum, parabens, silicones, phthalates, artificial fragrances and colors. For years I used their mineral stone, which I loved, but now I am obsessed with their roll-on.”
Yatay sneakers
“They’re eco, vegan, and chic,” Silverstone says. We have to agree.
Giovanni 50:50 Balanced Shampoo & Conditioner
Ever wanted to try to have Alicia Silverstone-level hair? Giovanni is another brand she’s been into for two decades, it’s vegan-friendly and Leaping Bunny Certified.
“They don’t use any funky chemicals found in most conventional personal care products that are not healthy for your largest organ AKA the skin (parabens, phthalates, DEA, propylene glycol, or artificial colors),” she says. “The ingredient base is biodegradable and mostly USDA Certified Organic!”
Miyoko’s Cultured Vegan Butter
Silverstone says it best: “Yum!” (They also have a vegan mozzarella that this editor is obsessed with.)
Beyond Burger
Or visit their site to find it in stores near you.
Silverstone recommends the Beyond Burger for folks looking for a plant-based meat substitute in their own kitchens.
“But, if you’re dining out somewhere nice, opt for an Impossible Burger, also very good!”
Our mission at SheKnows is to empower and inspire women, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.
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