Recently I had my hair transformed once again by Tara Siani of Cranston’s Magnolia Salon. Yours truly went from long and overgrown to a shorter, much easier to care for, and polished lob. It was also my first time back in an actual salon since last March and I’m soooooo glad I went in for an overhaul. (My hair was outta control length and volume wise.)

As always I was quite impressed with her process (for starters she cuts when the hair is wet and then goes back after it’s dry to refine further) and the end result, so thought I’d share some of her best cold weather hair care tips along with a few of Tara’s local loves in terms of coffee, food, shopping, and historic spots.

I’ve been a hairstylist for 22 years, specializing in cutting, with a focus on bridal and editorial.

I’ve done hair for New York Fashion Week many times and styled the hair of models Karolina Korkova and Gemma Ward among others. Over the years I’ve also worked with iconic clothing lines like Ralph Lauren, Diesel, Ellen Tracy, and Betsey Johnson.

Rhode Island Faves And Raves

Iced coffee year-round and (my forever favorite) the ginger biscuit from Seven Stars.

The Margarita Pizza at Al Forno, I also love their secret menu!

My go-to for the best gifts is Simple Pleasures on the East Side of Providence.

Another place I’m obsessed with is the “Wedding Cake House” on Broadway in Providence. (Note: The new owners — The Dirt Palace, a feminist, non-profit artist collective — have been restoring the 3 story historic home with an eye towards eventually utilizing the space as artist residences and more.)

My Hair Philosophy

For me, it’s all about working with your face shape and hair texture to give you the most flattering look. My goal is always to craft the most flattering cut for a person’s true self and style, as opposed to chasing trends. As far as products go, since the beginning of my career, I’ve tended to gravitate to lines that are more natural. (I have trained with AVEDA in both New York and London.)

Winterizing Your Hair

This time of year I like to focus on hair health: The fall and winter (and the dry indoor heat) can really do a number on your hair. Brittle ends and tons of static from hoods and scarfs also don’t help. My product obsessions for keeping hair looking its best are Aveda Dry Remedy Hair Mask (which puts moisture back into your hair and gives a soft silky blowout), the classic Mason Pearson brush (for hair and scalp health), and of course, a slip pillow case.

For styling, it’s Oribe Texture Spray all day long. 

For more from Tara, be sure to follow her on Instagram @TaraSianiHair. Also check out her newly revamped site TaraSiani.com.