Whether it’s a quick run to the Gap or a full-on “mall crawl,” there never seems to be enough time to get exactly the right holiday gifts for everyone on your list. And now that you have kids, you probably tend to buy less for yourself – and your husband – in an effort to make things merrier for your little “angels.”

This year, don’t forget to reward yourself and your partner for all of the hard work you’ve done over the past year. We’re not talking a new Mercedes Benz with a red ribbon around it, but rather something a little smaller, but no less fun. Try these easy and affordable beauty buys for you and your man to help you feel and look better this holiday season.

Beauty Buys for Her

Get Primal
You've probably seen Primal Elements soaps in specialty shops and gift stores, and if so, you know how amazing they look – and smell! These individually-wrapped vegetable glycerin soaps come in 6.8-ounce bars and make the perfect holiday gift. Or buy a few to accent your home and impress holiday party guests. Primal Elements also makes unique Color Bowl Candles that feature a patented “paragel” mixture of high-quality wax and translucent gel pieces glowing through clear glass bowls. Truly unique! For more information and store locations, log on to www.primalelements.com.

beCome Beautiful
beComing (an Avon subsidiary) offers a limited edition collection of fun makeup options that make great party favors, stocking stuffers or treats for the moms in your playgroup. Some items include:

• Special Holiday Lip Gloss Pots – These adorable lip gloss pots are just $7.50, and they come with cute festive sayings like “Ho Ho Ho,” “Peace on Earth” or a snowflake image laser-sprayed on top of a shiny gloss.
• Holiday Nails – Both Cyber (Opalescent Gold) and Festive (Rich, Sparkle Red) nail colors are the perfect match for your best holiday dress.
• Shimmer Color – This powder shimmer goes a long way, so you just need a little. Dust it anywhere you want a little attention in Soleil, Gold Dust and Starlight.

For all beComing products, go to www.ibecome.com.

Make Someone a Star!
From LORAC this holiday season is Starlet, a two-piece gift set in a groovy mini film canister. The kit contains the LORAC sheer wash, a liquid sheer color that adds a pretty flush to cheeks, while the lip polish in Starlet adds a sexy gloss to lips for a star-studded look. Just $25 at www.sephora.com.

Give Friends the Gift of Philosophy!
Philosophy offers a limited edition pack of head-to-toe treatments in a festive, reusable makeup kit. Everyday is a Holiday features a body scrub with a light, lime fragrance, a gentle sugar scrub with jojoba to ease dry skin, an exfoliating hand cream, Footnotes foot scrub with lavender oil, a pumice bar and nail brush and a luxurious cream to moisturize.

And while you’re relaxing with your at-home spa products, Philosophy’s Grace candle sets a calming mood with a light floral/musk scent. Another great gift from Philosophy is The Gingerbread Man body scrub, which is a salt scrub for the bath or shower designed to exfoliate and polish rough, dry skin with the refreshing, delicious scent of ginger. The self-warming formula heats up as you rub it into your skin, and it's oil-free. It's available at department stores and online at www.philosophy.com.

Bond Beauty From Revlon
For a great stocking stuffer, go to the drugstore and pick up the new 007 Color Collection from Revlon, a limited edition color set that “captures the ambience and sexiness of James Bond and fits the festive mood of the holiday season perfectly.” You’ll find rich, sparkling colors and select gift sets to celebrate 40 years of 007 style. Hey, it can’t help to try and be as beautiful as Halle Berry or her Bond character “Jinx” in the new James Bond movie, Die Another Day.

Classy and Affordable
Beauty Mecca Sephora offers two skin care collections that won’t break the bank but look very exotic. The Brown Collection, which is described as “sensual,” uses palm milk to moisturize and has an Oriental fragrance. The Body Balm is decadent and smooth and comes in a good-size tub for just $18. The White collection is “soft and tender” and is enriched with cotton milk and has a light, floral scent. Try the White Body Scrub with enriched hazel oil, sweet almond oil and aloe vera for $15.

Warm Fragrances
beComing Sensational is a warm scent with hints of musk and fig nectar that’s really unique. It smells clean and hearty, but it’s not heavy in the least. It makes a great gift for you, your mom or your best friend. And it’s only $30 as opposed to some of those other very expensive and trendy department store fragrances. It's available at www.ibecome.com.

For real warmth, San Francisco-based Bare Escentuals has created a fragrance that’s called, believe it or not, Warmth. It’s a unique scent that’s not heavy, but it’s definitely unmistakable in a deep, exotic, floral sort of way. Warmth can be used alone or under your favorite fragrance to give it a long-lasting boost.

On the lighter side, Bare Escentuals’ Perfect Black Dress is a sheer scent that smells out-of-the-tub fresh. Hints of vanilla, citrus and ylang ylang make this scent a great gift for someone who’s hard to buy for. For more information call 1-800-227-3990.

Beauty and the Beach
Leslie Blodgett, president of Bare Escentuals has created a series of sea-based skin care products called Cush that make unique and therapeutic gifts. “I grew up near the ocean on the Long Island shore," says Blodgett. "I saw what the ocean did for me, how soothed it made me feel. CUSH represents the way I’ve grown up to feel – comfortable in my own skin.” For more information, call 1-800-227-3990. CUSH products include:

• Deep Sea Foaming Seaweed Cleanser – a deep-cleaning gel for pH-balanced skin
• “Equilibrium” Sea Facial Tonic – to help remove dirt and makeup
• “Sea Life" Nutritious Marine Moisturizer – to help lock in moisture
• “Life Force” Time Peeling Serum – for smoother skin
• “Total Immersion” Plush All Over Cream – for morning and night

Party Queen
BeneFit Cosmetics has holiday makeup “in the bag” with the new Glamourette makeup line, which was inspired by the luxury cosmetics of the 1940s. This holiday makeup treat includes a black organdy wrist bag with a lipstick color of your choice and Fancy Lady Highlighting crème (for cheekbones and anywhere you want a little glow). For the most glamorous pout, try Vain (a rich red) or Prim (a classic mauve).

BeneFit also has a holiday limited edition collection of icy lip crèmes and frosty eye powders called Frostings, all in one festive set. Colors include (for lips) Icy Orchid and Icy Petal and (for eyes) Frosty Amethyst and Frosty Tourmaline.

Lastly, if you really want to treat yourself like a queen, try BeneFit’s Bathina Touch Me Then Try to Leave Me body cream. It will keep your skin soft for days and has an amazing light fragrance. It's available at www.benefitcosmetics.com.

A Sophisticated Stocking Stuffer
Your best friend, sister or sister-in-law will jump for joy when she gets a T. LeClerc Matte Liquid Lipstick in her sock. This yummy-smelling liquid goes on smooth and dries to a classy, matte finish and lasts for hours. The packaging is equally elegant. Favorite holiday shades include Captivant (a warm purple), Secret (a soft rose) and Charmant (a pretty mauve). For store information call 1-800-788-4731.

Gifts for Him

Skin care manufacturers are quoting staggering statistics for the number of men who use specialized skin care lines. And why not? I highly doubt you will hear a woman complain about the fact that her man’s face is too smooth or smells too good.

Nivea for Men
Nivea has launched a line of skin care products for men that make great little gifts or stocking stuffers. From face wash to exfoliating scrub to a full line of shaving items, such as shaving gel and aftershave balm, your guy can now appreciate the wonders of skin care from a company that’s been doing it a long time!

Clinique for Men
My husband likes the Clinique line for men because as he puts it, “It doesn’t smell perfume-y and is good skin care for guys.” Whatever the reason, men go to Clinique for the Facial Soap, Scruffing Lotion (which is a toner) and Post-Shave Healer. The trick is for you to buy them when it’s Clinique Bonus Time, so you can get some fun makeup and skin care treats for yourself!

Aveda for Men
Women who are fanatical about everything Aveda can now share the wealth (and the aromatherapy) with their guys. Plant-derived ingredients soothe skin and combat odor, and, of course, the packaging is awesome. Aveda’s men care line includes Shave Cream, a Shampoo Body Bar, Deodorant, After-shave Balm and Aveda Men Pure-Fume Tonic, which is designed for spritzing on both body and hair and includes lemon, bergamot and lavender.

Kenneth Cole Fragrance for Men
If your guy is into fragrance, Kenneth Cole’s new signature fragrance for men is perfect. And if he’s wary of wearing “perfume,” it comes in an aftershave balm, too, which smells great and works as a post-shave healer.

Want to see more?

• Holiday Gifts of Beauty: Pampering Presents for the Mom-to-be
• 60-Second Beauty Tips: For New Moms, and Anyone!
• You Can Afford to Have Great Skin! Low-Cost Products for All Skin Types
• A Really, Really Big Christmas
• Talk about it!