Meet the Thickening Foam That Gave My Hair Intense Volume the Moment I Massaged It In

As someone with long, fine, flat hair, I’ll do pretty much anything to bulk up my strands. Use density-boosting shampoo and conditioner? Obviously. Tack a few extra minutes onto my routine to to apply a thickening treatment? Of course. Take the time to blow it out with a round brush? You bet. (Okay, I’ll admit, I make it easy on myself by using the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler.) The point is, if there’s a product or tool that promises thicker hair, I’ll give it a whirl to see the results for myself. Which brings us to today’s topic: the R+Co Rodeo Star Thickening Style Foam ($36)—a styling product I’ve long heard of and finally tried for myself.

R+Co Rodeo Star Thickening Foam — $36.00

Pros:

• Oil-absorbing
• Conditions hair, making it look ultra shiny
• Individual strands legitimately look thicker from the moment you apply

Cons:

• Can be tricky to style
• Some may be put off by the scent

What is R+Co?

If you’ve been following along on my hair journey, then you’re likely well aware that I’m a big fan of R+Co. The brand is the brainchild of three of the most renowned stylists in the industry: Thom Priano, Garren, and Howard McLaren. Since launching the brand in 2014, this trio of hair wizards has blessed beauty lovers with product after product of high-performing formulas, many of which smell fabulous and all of which look like little pieces of kitschy art thanks to truly unique packaging.

My honest review of the R+Co Rodeo Star Thickening Foam

The R+Co Rodeo Star Thickening Foam is not your average mousse. It pumps out in hefty dollops, one or two of which is plenty to primp my entire head of hair. The foam has the same scent as the brand’s Dallas line, which has citrus undertones with what I register as hints of licorice. Is it my favorite scent in the world? No. Is it too overpowering for my sensitive nose? Also, no.

From a formula stance, this thickening foam is infused with a bunch of effective ingredients. Where Moroccan lava clay helps to absorb any excess oil from the strands, aloe vera leaf extract deeply conditions hair to leave it looking shiny and hydrated all day long. Meanwhile, hydrolyzed soy protein helps to strengthen strands for a thicker appearance.

Where some styling products don’t show off their results until the end look, I found that this foam started thickening my strands from the moment I massaged it in. While this might sound like a good thing, it’s not without a downside. Since I applied it to unparted, towel-dried hair, I found that my hair was difficult to comb through post-application while damp. After using my Wet Brush to work it through and situate my hair for drying, I switched to my Dyson and found that the thin bristles of the round volumizing brush also had trouble maneuvering my newly thickened tresses. Eventually, though, once my strands started to dry a bit, the brush passed through with ease and the end results were well worth it. My hair looked and felt thicker, and my blown-out ends held their shape.

With this in mind, I recommend rough drying your strands (ie: without a brush) until your hair is roughly 90 percent dry, then going in with your brush and dryer (or Dyson if you have one).