In an Amazon Live this afternoon, actress, singer and author, Hilary Duff, sat down with the owners of some of her favorite small businesses to promote Amazon Prime Day. The stream combined discussion about Duff’s favorite wellness products with brief Q&A sessions with each brand’s founder, giving viewers an inside look into all things Duff and small biz.
After sitting down to talk condiments with the founders of Zach and Zoe Sweet Bee Farm and Fly by Jing Hot Sauce and discussing all things honey and hot sauce, Duff switched gears to talk about her “absolute favorite” yoga mat and let viewers in on her journey to inner peace. Duff’s beloved Mandala Cork Yoga Mat ($95) comes from Livity Yoga, a small, female-owned and operated business aimed that creates sustainable yoga products that not only preserve, but even give back to the environment.
During the stream, Duff sat down with Livity Yoga founder and CEO Renee Manzari, who gave viewers a more intimate look into the brand’s history. Manzari told Duff that she started Livity for “a very personal reason”, explaining that after falling ill she “started to live a healthier lifestyle, which included yoga.” However, the more Manzari delved into the world of yoga, the more she realized that “plastic products, such as yoga mats were really not made in a sustainable way and only contributing to the on-going plastic pollution crisis.” The understanding that her love from yoga was leading her into purchasing in unethical ways is what launched Manzari into the world of creating yoga products.
The sustainable aspect of Manzari’s brand is part of what drew Duff to buying. In addition to the fact that she “absolutely loves how the cork feels” and appreciates how the rubbery material prevents slippage, Duff says she can shop with comfort knowing that Livify products are “made consciously and keep the environment in mind.” The celeb also got honest about the fact that she’s “not a huge yoga person” but she’s trying, especially as she gets older, to get more involved in mindfulness practices.
For all of us who have been looking up to Hilary for style and beauty inspo since the days of Lizzy McGuire, her Amazon Live insight into wellness must-haves and sustainable shopping is the latest way we can count of Duff to show us all the best stuff.
