I came to write this post and thought to myself, "wait a min, why aren't all beauty brands cruelty-free?". But, unfortunately, not all of the innovative and exciting beauty brands on the market at the moment are kind to animals. If you're concerned about the welfare of animals but don't want to jeopardise your contour addiction then fear not. I have 7 cruelty-free beauty brands that develop the absolute best products out there to share with you today. The best bit? You can save on all of them using your UNiDAYS membership. Hells yes.

1. Urban Decay

Obviously, their Naked Heat palette is absolutely every-whar right now and for good reason. Those deep copper tones, buttery texture and to-die-for packaging. It was bound to be a hit! Did you know you can grab 10% off Urban Decay goodies with your UNiDAYS membership?

2. Illamasqua

Known for its stand out looks, incredible products and cult status, Illamasqua is a makeup artists' brand of choice and after using some of their hard hitting products myself, I can see why. Their makeup makes a serious impact, whatever product you're using. Illamasqua is available from Feelunique and you can save up to 15% with your UNiDAYS membership.

3. 3ina

3ina, pronounced "mina" is available on the shopping haven that is ASOS and you can grab an epic 10% off (sometimes 20% when the mystical double boost arrives!). 3ina are a new kid on the block and with their stunning colours, cute packaging and affordable prices they are right up my straza.

4. The Balm

The Balm is a brand that has blown up over the past couple of years. Their retro-themed products are rivals to Benefit when it comes to cuteness and the performance of their goodies has fast tracked them to become a blogger favourite. Vegan products include the amazing Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter and the Bahama Mama Bronzer. Check out this page on Cruelty Free Kitty for the low down on The Balm's testing. You can grab The Balm from ASOS and Feelunique!

5. Ciaté

Previously just a nail polish brand, Ciaté have recently branched into makeup and it looks pretty damn gorgeous. Grab some of their products to try from HQhair with 15% student discount! They're also certified by PETA for being cruelty-free! Winner.

6. Nudestix

Ran by sister duo Ally and Taylor, Nudestix are all about easy application for every aspect of beauty! Basically, everything is in stick or pencil form which is the dream for clumsy makeup appliers like myself. No more drips! Grab Nudestix from Lookfantastic with 10% discount.

7. BareMinerals

BareMinerals is an absolute gem of a brand. If you've not tried mineral makeup before, I urge you to give BareMinerals a go! Their classic foundation stays on like a dream and is so easy to apply. They have also recently developed some incredible skin care lines such as their 'Skinlongevity' serum which is a dream to apply and leaves skin glowing. BareMinerals is also available at Lookfantastic.

Although all of these brands are 100% cruelty-free, they're not all vegan as some may use extracts like honey and beeswax. If you are vegan and this affects what you buy, make sure you check whether products are 100% vegan as cruelty-free may not necessarily mean this. A lot of these brands do have vegan products so it's definitely worth checking out their whole lines. Happy shopping!