This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Clemson chapter.

I love makeup, but I also love animals. So buying a beauty product that tests on animals, no matter how amazing it may be, breaks my heart. That’s why I’ve been slowly replacing my makeup with vegan/cruelty-free products, and here are some reasons why you should, too:

1. They keep animals from suffering unnecessarily

A vegan product means that it doesn’t contain any animal or animal-derived products, and cruelty-free means that the product hasn’t been tested on an animal at any time during production. Instead, these companies use computer models and cell cultures easily grown in labs!

2. You won’t lose quality

Many cruelty-free or vegan brands are even competing with top companies, including Urban Decay* and Benefit Cosmetics! The fact that they’re selling well means that people love them. And both of the companies mentioned before have won awards for some of their products, as well.

3. They might be better for your skin!

Vegan brands tend to have fewer, more natural ingredients than other companies. Everyone is different but people tend to have clearer skin, fewer breakouts, and less redness when making the switch**!

4. They’re not super expensive (anymore)

In fact, some of them you can buy at Ulta, Sephora, and even Walmart! These include NYX, e.l.f., and Wet n Wild, all of which have my personal recommendation.

5. Some of them are even eco-friendly!

Companies like 100% Pure and Juice Beauty work to create beauty products that are high-quality, made with organic ingredients, and still relatively affordable. Click here to see a list of other brands with the same goal!

6. There are SO many to choose from

One list from Cruelty Free Kitty has 101 different brands. Just one list! And if you’re as in love with cosmetics as I am, you will definitely recognize at least some of the names, many of which are sold in stores across the country. Some examples: Dose of Colors, Kat Von D, BH Cosmetics, ColourPop, Physician’s Formula, Milani, and (most of) Marc Jacobs Beauty.

*Urban Decay was bought by L’Oreal but remains 100% cruelty-free

**You should still test it out before wearing it to make sure you don’t have a reaction

Why Vegan/Cruelty-Free Beauty Products Are Worth It