The end of an earnings season can be a great time to assess how companies are handling the current business environment and discover new stocks. Let’s take a look at how BeautyHealth (NASDAQ:SKIN) and the rest of the personal care stocks fared in Q3.

Personal care products include lotions, fragrances, shampoos, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements, among others. While these products may seem more discretionary than food, consumers tend to maintain or even boost their spending on the category during tough times. This phenomenon is known as "the lipstick effect" by economists, which states that consumers still want some semblance of affordable luxuries like beauty and wellness when the economy is sputtering. As with other consumer staples categories, personal care brands must exude quality and be priced optimally given the crowded competitive landscape. Consumer tastes are constantly changing, and personal care companies are currently responding to the public’s increased desire for ethically produced goods by featuring natural ingredients in their products.

The 14 personal care stocks we track reported a mixed Q3; on average, revenues beat analyst consensus estimates by 0.8% while next quarter's revenue guidance was 15.7% below consensus. Stocks have been under pressure as inflation (despite slowing) makes their long-dated profits less valuable, but personal care stocks held their ground better than others, with the share prices up 20.1% on average since the previous earnings results.

BeautyHealth (NASDAQ:SKIN)

Operating in the emerging beauty health category, the appropriately named BeautyHealth (NASDAQ:SKIN) is a skincare company best known for its Hydrafacial product that cleanses and hydrates skin.

BeautyHealth reported revenues of $97.4 million, up 9.7% year on year, falling short of analyst expectations by 17%. It was a weak quarter for the company, with full-year revenue guidance missing analysts' expectations.

BeautyHealth delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and weakest full-year guidance update of the whole group. The stock is down 31.2% since the results and currently trades at $2.69.

Read our full report on BeautyHealth here, it's free.

Best Q3: Olaplex (NASDAQ:OLPX)

A pioneer in the “bond building’ segment of hair care, Olaplex (NASDAQ:OLPX) offers products and treatments that focus on repairing the damage caused by traditional heat and chemical-based styling processes.

Olaplex reported revenues of $123.6 million, down 30% year on year, outperforming analyst expectations by 6.8%. It was an exceptional quarter for the company, with an impressive beat of analysts' earnings estimates.

The stock is up 56.5% since the results and currently trades at $2.16.

Is now the time to buy Olaplex? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free.

Nu Skin (NYSE:NUS)

With person-to-person marketing and sales rather than selling through retail stores, Nu Skin (NYSE:NUS) is a personal care and dietary supplements company that engages in direct selling.

Nu Skin reported revenues of $498.8 million, down 7.3% year on year, falling short of analyst expectations by 4.1%. It was a weak quarter for the company, with full-year revenue guidance missing analysts' expectations.

The stock is up 0.7% since the results and currently trades at $18.77.

Read our full analysis of Nu Skin's results here.

Inter Parfums (NASDAQ:IPAR)

With licenses to produce colognes and perfumes under brands such as Kate Spade, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Abercrombie & Fitch, Inter Parfums (NASDAQ:IPAR) manufactures and distributes fragrances worldwide.

Inter Parfums reported revenues of $368 million, up 31.2% year on year, surpassing analyst expectations by 3.8%. It was a solid quarter for the company, with an impressive beat of analysts' operating margin and earnings estimates.

The stock is up 8.5% since the results and currently trades at $138.34.

Read our full, actionable report on Inter Parfums here, it's free.

USANA (NYSE:USNA)

Going to market with a direct selling model rather than through traditional retailers, USANA Health Sciences (NYSE:USNA) manufactures and sells nutritional, personal care, and skincare products.

USANA reported revenues of $213.4 million, down 8.5% year on year, falling short of analyst expectations by 3.2%. It was a weak quarter for the company, with a miss of analysts' revenue and earnings estimates.

The stock is down 7.9% since the results and currently trades at $51.05.

Read our full, actionable report on USANA here, it's free.

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The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned