The month you were born determines a lot of things: June and July babies will have a decade of pool parties to look back on, September babies will always be the oldest in their class, and December babies can always look forward to a year-end gift giving bonanza in which they get twice the gifts as everyone else. Another thing your birth month determines? Your birthstone.

If you've landed on a month with a relatively cheap stone that's easy to find (like pearl), it's likely that you've been given a birthstone-related gift a time or two. If your stone falls on the expensive (like diamond) or hard-to-find (like peridot) end of the spectrum, birthstone-encrusted presents are harder to come by (unless you have really, really nice relatives).

That's why we came up with this handy guide to birthstone gifts that don't cost an arm and a leg. These birthstone-colored beauty products boast all of the thoughtfulness of a personal gift, without the four- or five-digit price tag.

Stone: Garnet

Meaning: Eternal friendship & trust

Healing properties: Garnet is said to protect the wearer from nightmares and keep travelers out of harm's way.

Products: Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Garnet, $22, is a highly pigmented anti-aging gloss, made with nourishing coconut, avocado and mango oil.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion, $10.50. Polish skin till it gleams with this face scrub, infused with tiny exfoliating particles of garnet.

Bvlgari Omnia Indian Garnet Fragrance, $65. The Italian jeweler interprets the qualities of garnet in a fragrance that is as fiery and mystifying as the rare gem itself.

Stone: Amethyst

Meaning: Meditation, peace, balance, inner strength and courage

Healing properties: Based on the premise "like cures like," ancient Greeks thought the wine-colored stone cured drunkenness and promoted clear-headed thinking.

Products: Bvlgari Omnia Amethyste Body Lotion, $35. A delicate floral fragrance inspired by the sensual spirit of the amethyst stone.

Lancôme Color Design 5 Shadow & Liner Palette in Amethyst Glam, $50. A five-color palette full of silky, vibrant shadows to create a glamorous look.

Dolce & Gabana Nail Lacquer in Amethyst, $25. A rich, deep lavender that is both vibrant and alluring.

Stone: Aquamarine

Meaning: Health, hope and protection for those at sea

Healing properties: It was once thought that aquamarine-infused water could cure heart, liver and stomach diseases. One would soak the gem in water, and then drink the water for the palliative properties.

Products: Sephora Formula X Nail Polish in Celestial, $12.50. A bright aquamarine color that fuses a rich matte polish with highly concentrated glitter.

Skin An Apothecary Aquamarine Soy Body Whip in Aquamarine, $27. A rich blend of Vitamin C, soy and coconut oil in an addictive, refreshing scent.

Nars Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Metallic Aquamarine, $24. This shockingly bright liner adds a sliver of bright blue to brighten any look.

Stone: Diamond

Meaning: Love, eternity and strength

Healing properties: The diamond is the symbol of everlasting love. The hardest of all the stones, diamonds were once thought to be formed when lightening struck rock, making it the symbol of invincibility and courage. Today, you can find it in high-end spas, where diamond-tipped microdermabrasion wands are used to exfoliate old skin cells.

Products: La Prairie Skin Caviar Crystalline Concentrate, $420. A luxurious skin serum that contains actual diamond dust and caviar extract to illuminate and regenerate skin.

La Mer The Refining Facial, $90. Made of pure diamond dust and sea mud, this exfoliating polish refines and rejuvenates the face.

Azature Black Diamond Nail Polish, $25. The glittery sheen of this polish doesn't just mimic the sparkle of a diamond -- each bottle actually contains one real black diamond.