4 Ways To Identify A Fake Kirkland Minoxidil & The Original One

Fake Kirkland Minoxidil
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Hmmmmm, let me guess, you bought a Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment and you’re in doubt on the authenticity of the product and want to know if you actually bought the real deal, or the fake one. Well, if that is your intention, heaven has smiled upon you today, because you’re definitely on the right page. In this article, you’ll be sensitized on ways to identify a fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment in order not to waste your time applying crap that won’t work.

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As an OG minoxidil user, I used minoxidil for 5 months and successfully grew my dream beards with it, including my hair corners too. (you can read my review here).

But something happened, something bad actually. I bought the fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment  and I was very devastated upon knowing it. Which inspired me to write this article, with the sole intention to guide people on ways to easily identify between a fake Kirkland minoxidil and the original one. Keep reading to learn more.

But before I go ahead, if you’re new to minoxidil and keen to know what it really is, know that minoxidil is an FDA approved hair growth stimulant with multiple scientifically proven studies backing it up.

It promotes hair growth by increasing blood flow on the topically applied area which stimulates hair growth by causing increased blood flow to the hair and expanding the blood vessels in the scalp which encourages oxygen, blood, and nutrient flow to the hair follicles, making the follicle stronger which in turn encourages hair growth. Also when taken orally, minoxidil widens small arteries to increase blood flow which stimulates hair growth.

Without much ado, let’s dive in straight to the topic of the day.

So what are they four (4) ways to identify a fake Kirkland minoxidil and the original one?

1. Check To See If The Liquid Crystallizes. 

When an original Kirkland minoxidil liquid dries up, it forms a crystallization and has a coarse texture but the fake one doesn’t.

The original Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment crystallizes when it dries up. Same way it does when it dries up on the skin too.

If you’re a long-term Kirkland minoxidil liquid user, you’ll definitely understand that when the Kirkland minoxidil liquid dries up on your skin, you tend to feel some grainy particles on the skin area it was applied to. That grainy particle is called crystallization and this feature authenticates the product.

How To Run The Test. 

To run the authentication test in order to spot the fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment, pour out a little bit (or a drop) of your Kirkland liquid minoxidil on the bottle cap. Then allow it to dry up completely.

The Result.

When the liquid minoxidil treatment dries up and forms a kind of crystallization (just like the one you see in the picture below), then it is original, but If it doesn’t, sorry you’ve bought a fake one.

fake Kirkland Minoxidil

Also when you’re trying to open the cap or cover of the original Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment, you will hear a gritty-sound, this sound results from the friction between the dried and crystallized minoxidil and the lid of the Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment. You won’t hear this sound while trying to open up a fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment, because the fake ones don’t crystallize.

2. Check The Label.

The label is yet another smart way to know the authenticity of your Kirkland minoxidil liquid product. Although the product labeling can easily be fabricated in the fake ones, but there are some pointers to look out for.

How To Run The Test. 

Take a closer look at the labeling on your Kirkland minoxidil liquid product. Take your time to examine the product packaging. The fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment normally has almost the same label as the original one, making it very difficult to spot a difference between the two until you make an actual comparison between them.

The Result.

When you rip off the labeling on the bottle of your Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment, if the colour behind the product label is grey in colour and has either the product expiring date or serial number (or both) written on it, then it’s the original one. But when such features aren’t seen, then know that you’ve bought a fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment.

fake Kirkland Minoxidil
Zoom image for a better view.

Sometimes the product expiring date or serial number (or both) aren’t written behind the label of the original Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment. Sometimes it’s written on the product container behind the product label. Just like the one you see in the picture below:

fake Kirkland Minoxidil
Zoom image for a better view.

Also while trying to rip-off the label of the original Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment, it is supposed to rip-off effortlessly without any struggles. But if you find the label strongly glued to the bottle of your Kirkland liquid minoxidil treatment, thus making it very difficult to easily rip-off the label from the product-container, then chances are you’ve bought the fake.

You can see for yourself from the picture below, I wasn’t able to efficiently rip-off the label of the fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment. But I was able to do that easily with the original Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment.

fake Kirkland Minoxidil

It’s a good thing to note that, sometimes the label of the fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment, can also be ripped-off effortlessly or easily without any struggles (but behind the label takes a white colour instead of grey). Ripping-off the label effortlessly shouldn’t be the main criteria to determine if a Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment is fake or not.

3. Check The Product Expiring Date. 

Another way to identify if your Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment is fake or not is by taking a look at the expiring date. Yes, the expiring date will help you tell the difference.

How To Run The Test.

Take a look at the expiring date of your Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment.

The Result.

If the product expiring date reads on a one (1) year expiring duration, then know you’ve bought the original one, but if you see an expiring date of three (3) years duration, chances are you’ve bought the fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment.

fake Kirkland Minoxidil
Zoom image for a better view.

For example, judging from the picture above, an original Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment should have an expiring date of one (1) year and not three (3) years.

The original Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment you see in the picture above was bought in 2021, to expire in 2023. While the fake was bought in 2022 to expire in 2025.

4. Check For The Scent. 

As you would know, every product has a trademark scent, which is familiar to the users and can also be a means of authenticity-identification.

When I got my fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment, I wasn’t able to detect it was fake until I perceived the scent. It was totally different from what I used to know. This was where curiosity came in. So, you can actually identify a fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment from the scent.

How To Run The Test. 

Open your Kirkland minoxidil liquid product, sniff the product to perceive the scent. Take your time while doing this to enable you to get an accurate result.

The Result. 

An original Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment scents like a mixture of methylated spirit and alcohol. While the fake ones might have a slight close scent to the original ones, but still smell different. Sometimes the fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment smells like a favoured vodka, or something else entirely, because the fakes are being produced from different sources. If you’re an old-time Kirkland minoxidil liquid user, you’ll definitely know the difference when you perceive the scent.

In Conclusion.

If you’ve been using the Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment for a long time without seeing results, chances could be you acquired the fake product.

Due to the popular demand, fake Kirkland minoxidil liquid products are flooded on the market. You have to be careful. Ensure you always purchase for reputable stores or retailers to ensure you’re getting the real deal.

Possible Questions & Answers.

Q: What is the original colour of Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment?

A: A fresh batch of an original Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment appears to be clear with a little hint of yellow, making it slightly yellow in colour. However, as time goes on, this colour becomes more and more yellow.

Disclaimer: The aforementioned Kirkland minoxidil liquid authenticity-identification test doesn’t apply to the foam version, but to the liquid version only. As it’s believed that the liquid version can easily be imitated, making it have more fakes on the market.

Also this authenticity-identification article strictly applies to Kirkland minoxidil liquid treatment only, and doesn’t apply to other brands of minoxidil liquid treatment.

UP NEXT: These Are The Best Essential Oils For Hair Growth.

 

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