Kristen Bell Interview - Vegan Diet, Water Conservation

Photo: Starworks Photo.

We'd say that, at this point, it's not hyperbole to say that Kristen Bell is one of the world's most favorite people. With every interview, and every drop-dead hilarious movie, Bell just seems to capture the world's hearts even more, to the point where we now measure love by how much it compares to Kristen Bell's love of sloths.

For all her heart-warming hilarity, Bell is also an eco-lifestyle superstar, and a longtime supporter of The Nature Conservancy. For the third year, the Neutrogena Naturals spokeswoman has collaborated with the non-profit for Every Drop Counts, a campaign to help raise awareness surrounding water conservation.

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We caught up with Kristen on everything from taking care of the planet to being a mom — and don't miss the surprising secret to her perfect skin.

Congratulations on embarking on the third year of Every Drop Counts! Can you tell us a little bit more about the campaign?

"The campaign is essentially about raising awareness that water is not an unending resource. By pledging on the Facebook page to cut down on daily water usage, we can save millions of gallons of water. Last year, we saved two million gallons in one month!

"This campaign really isn't about denying yourself anything — it's just about getting into the mindset of being conscientious when it comes to using the planet's resources. It can be about something as simple as using the water that you wash your fruits and veggies in to water your garden. Shutting off the water, waiting to run the dishwasher until there's a full load — there are a ton of easy ways to save water. Plus, if you buy one of the Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleansers this month, ten percent of sales goes towards water conservation efforts."

Sounds great. So, your skin. It's so ridiculously glowy. Are you one of those women with a super-honed routine?

"I've learned that less is more. It's interesting, because my skin has never been as good as it was when I was pregnant. The minute I found out I was pregnant, I had, like a 10-year-old's skin! So, really, all I do is cleanse and moisturize, with a little bit of exfoliation in there.

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"I use some kind of SPF every day, and I stayed out of the sun starting at a very young age. I remember laying out when I was an adolescent, and I remember going to tanning salons because I thought it was cool. Then I got my head on straight, because I realized that I did not want to look like the women who worked in that tanning salon when I got older! And, of course, for medical reasons, as well as aesthetic ones. So, I reapply as much as possible. I apply sunscreen repeatedly to my hands and arms, especially when I'm driving. When I'm working on a set and can't reapply the sunscreen over my makeup, I just try to stay out of the sun as much as possible."

Now that you're a mom, have you put any thought into what lessons you might teach your daughter about beauty?

"You know, I don't think I'd share beauty advice with my daughter unless she asked, because I don't want her narrative about beauty to be only about how she looks. I'd want her interest in beauty to come from an artistic, creative perspective, and not from a place of feeling bad about herself. I love makeup, and I think that it can be a really fun way for mothers and daughters to bond, I don't think that makeup should ever be treated as a mask. It should be fun!"

We know that in the past you've identified as a vegan, but have you adjusted your diet at all since experiencing pregnancy and motherhood?

"I'm actually eating vegetarian now, instead of vegan. Because I'm breast-feeding, I'd literally have to be eating all day long to get in enough calories if I was vegan, so I've added in a little bit of dairy and eggs. I do have to watch my diet in terms of my skin, though — If I have large amounts of sugar or dairy, I'm prone to getting eczema. So, watching what I eat really pays off in more ways than one."

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