Erin Schwartz after several months of using Kirkland Signature Minoxidil. Photo illustration: The Strategist, Photo: Retailer, Erin Schwartz
This story first appeared in The Strategist Beauty Brief on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. It’s a weekly newsletter where our beauty writers share what you should try, what you can skip, and what you can’t live without. But we loved this article so much we wanted to share it with all our readers. For more first impressions of hot new products, a quick rundown of what’s trending on TikTok and Instagram, and details on the best new beauty products of the week, sign up here. The Strategist Beauty Brief is delivered to you every Wednesday.
The fear of growing to be the same age as your parents can also extend to your hairline, especially for those under the influence of testosterone. I noticed a receding hairline a few years ago after I started taking testosterone at age 28. At first there wasn’t anything dramatic, just that my hair felt thinner and less bouncy than normal, then I noticed receding hairline around my temples and thinning hairline in the front.
When I finally started to seek help, I went to Hims (nice looking, DTC minoxidil and finasteride treatment) and took their hair loss quiz. I decided to quit, but then I got spammed so relentlessly that I started to think what they were selling must be a quack. Overall I was sick of the medical route so I started looking at more natural solutions: scalp scrubs, oils (rosemary and castor oil), supplements like biotin and vitamin B12. I even tried a red light therapy hat disguised as a baseball cap. But when I finally got an appointment with a dermatologist in February of this year, my scalp was inflamed and my hair was still thinning. The dermatologist examined me and confirmed what I had already noticed, but added that the top of my head was also thinning. He sent me back to the first place he recommended: minoxidil. In the 90s it was about $35 for a one month supply. My dermatologist kindly informed me that Costco’s house brand, Kirkland Signature, is the cheapest, with a six-month supply costing just $18 (cost-saving tip: the best value formula is the men’s brand, but it works for all genders).
Photo illustration: The Strategist; Photo: Retailer
It takes a few months to see results, but since I started using it in February, I noticed hair growing around my temples in June and thicker and stronger overall by August. I could even tell the difference between the long, sparse hair I had before I started using minoxidil and the thick, healthy, shiny, short hairs. In early summer, I noticed a few thin hairs growing at the front of my scalp, and by August, I could see a difference in the thickness of my scalp and ends. Fewer thin hairs were getting caught in my hairbrush, and it was easier to style my hair into consistent, full waves. I no longer wear a baseball cap with every outfit. Sure, Kirkland Signature minoxidil is not sexy, but its “beautiful” DTC packaging costs almost four times as much. I’d be happy to spend the money I saved at the barber instead.
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