Looking back on personal care stocks’ Q3 earnings, we examine this quarter’s best and worst performers, including Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) and its peers.

While personal care products 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. 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 11 personal care stocks we track reported a mixed Q3. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 16.1% below.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 4% on average since the latest earnings results.

Slowest Q3: Herbalife (NYSE:HLF)

With the first products sold out of the trunk of the founder’s car, Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) today offers a portfolio of shakes, supplements, personal care products, and weight management programs to help customers reach their nutritional and fitness goals.

Herbalife reported revenues of $1.24 billion, down 3.2% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 1%, but it was still a strong quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ earnings and EBITDA estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 22.4% since reporting and currently trades at $8.37.

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

Best Q3: e.l.f. (NYSE:ELF)

e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE:ELF), which stands for ‘eyes, lips, face’, offers high-quality beauty products at accessible price points.

e.l.f. reported revenues of $301.1 million, up 39.7% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 4%. The business had a very strong quarter with an impressive beat of analysts’ earnings and EBITDA estimates.

e.l.f. achieved the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 13.3% since reporting. It currently trades at $118.10.

Is now the time to buy e.l.f.? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Nature's Sunshine (NASDAQ:NATR)

Started on a kitchen table in Utah, Nature’s Sunshine Products (NASDAQ:NATR) manufactures and sells nutritional and personal care products.