Who says you can't love beauty and animals at the same time? Years ago, it would have been difficult to find decent makeup and skincare brands that do not test on animals, but today many brands are stepping up to the plate and pledging to be cruelty-free. For those of you who don't know, the claim "cruelty-free" means that animals such as rabbits, rats, mice, and guinea pigs are not used for the safety testing of a cosmetic ingredient or product.

According to The Human Society, these tests include:

• Skin and eye irritation tests where chemicals are rubbed onto the shaved skin or dripped into the eyes of restrained rabbits without any pain relief
• Repeated force-feeding studies lasting weeks or months to look for signs of general illness or specific health hazards such as cancer or birth defects
• Widely condemned "lethal dose" tests, in which animals are forced to swallow large amounts of a test chemical to determine the dose that causes death

At the end of a test, the animals are normally killed by asphyxiation, neck-breaking or decapitation with no pain relief. In the U.S., a large percentage of the animals used in such testing (such as laboratory-bred rats and mice) are not counted in official statistics and receive no protection under the Animal Welfare Act. Brands that sell their products in China, however, are not cruelty-free because animal testing is required in China for all foreign cosmetics. On the other hand, animal testing is not required in the U.S. and is avoidable.

Here's my top ten cruelty-free makeup and skincare brands, and some of their best products:

1. NYX Cosmetics

I'm a fan of any affordable and highly pigmented makeup that I can find at Target. NYX has a great shade range for lipstick, eyeshadow, and foundation for all skin tones.

My favorites are their Ultimate Multi-Finish Shadow Palette and Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick.

2. The Body Shop

With tons of natural bath and body products including cleansers, lotions, toners, fragrances, and more, The Body Shop has something for everyone.

I love their amazing tea tree oil collection, especially the Tea Tree Mattifying Lotion and Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash.

3. Glossier

I have an intense love for this brand, which advertises skincare and makeup that requires minimal effort to apply, but leaves you looking dewy and fresh every morning.

My favorites are the Stretch Concealer and Coconut Balm Dot Com.

4. Colourpop

Like NYX, Colourpop is another wallet-friendly but high-quality makeup brand, specializing in lipstick, eyeshadow, and highlighter.

I recommend their creamy Lippie Stix and luminous Super Shock Highlighter.

5. Nip + Fab

This brand carries a line of innovative skincare products to target specific concerns, including acne, dry skin, and aging.

I love their moisturizing Dragon's Blood Fix Plumping Serum and Yoga Blend Body Lotion for my super dry skin.

6. Bare Minerals

This brand slays the no-makeup look and boasts face makeup that is hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and actually improves your skin over time.

Check out their amazing Original Loose Powder Foundation SPF 15.

e.l.f., which I just discovered stands for eyes lips face, is a super cheap makeup brand that actually has some pretty great products.

I love and use their Mineral Infused Face Primer and Instant Lift Brow Pencil (which only costs $2!) every day.

8. Supergoop

I probably wouldn't have tried this brand of sun care products if Birchbox hadn't sent it to me, but I definitely fell in love.

They offer a range of face, body, and lip products with different levels of SPF including their Defense Refresh Setting Mist SPF 50 which smells like rosemary and makes my makeup last all day.

9. Kat Von D

Kat Von D's edgy and bold makeup collection has a little of everything, including eyeshadow, liquid lipstick, eyeliner, foundation and more. Plus, the company is working towards going completely vegan in addition to being cruelty-free.

For cat-eye queens like me, their Tattoo Liner is life-changing

10. Too Faced

This super sweet cult-favorite brand offers tons of makeup in adorable packaging. They're especially well-known for their sweet peach and chocolate bar eyeshadow palettes.

Personally, I love their Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer and Better Than Sex Mascara.

Many beauty companies try to hide their animal testing policies, so it's important to always check the packaging and do your research. There are tons of cruelty-free companies to choose from in addition to these, which you can check out here.

Beauty should never mean pain for innocent fur babies.