Not all makeup brands are created equal. And I'm not just talking about the quality of their products.

Recently I watched Amanda Faye's updated makeup routine video, where she talked about making the transition to cruelty-free beauty items. I'm currently trying to be more conscious about what I consume, both internally and externally, and her video made me realize that I have no idea what goes into the making of the products I use. It has inspired me to slowly transition my own beauty routine to be more animal-friendly, as well, and it's really not as difficult as you might think!

My first step was going through the beauty products I use on a daily basis. I use a mixture of drugstore and high-end products and I found that most of my high-end makeup was cruelty-free... I wasn't so lucky with my drugstore favorites, however. Rimmel, whose eyeliners and mascaras are always in my favorites posts, unfortunately had to go. So does my Maybelline Brow Drama kit but, full disclosure, I am using these products until they run out so that I am not being wasteful.

Luckily, my must haves such as the Too Faced Born This Way foundation and Urban Decay Naked concealer get to stay in my routine, as do my Real Techniques and ELF brushes. But my favorite powders, both by MAC, will eventually have to go.

While it would seem that the easiest way to go cruelty-free would be to buy high-end, it's not foolproof. According to CrueltyFreeKitty.com, brands such as Benefit, Bobbi Brown and Make Up For Ever do test on animals. And, surprisingly, there are a number of drugstore brands that do not test on animals, such as Milani, ELF and Wet N Wild. Some brands are cruelty-free such but are owned by companies who are not, such as NYX. This is where doing your research and using your own judgement are important.

Sometimes, though, we're ready to start making the switch but don't have time to do a lot of hardcore research. That's why I created this little cheat sheet for you, with some of my favorite cruelty-free brands from high-end to drugstore.