About
Bella salon exists to inspire more people to choose a career in beauty through providing an outstanding experience, giving to charity and creating excellence with education, so we can elevate the salon industry in our community and create financially free and successful futures for cosmetologists.
Our Vision
At Bella salon our foundation is based on education, exemplary service, and charity. We believe that our education is at the center of improving our skills which in turn allows us to give our patrons above and beyond service that is catered to their individual priorities. Our focus is on becoming a pillar of our surrounding community by donating our time and services to charity on a regular basis because we believe that enriching the community helps all of us thrive. We strive to make everyone that visits our salon feel and look beautiful in a way that suits their lifestyle and personal style.
Our commitment is to provide a space where all patrons, employees and volunteers are accepted and welcome no matter their age, race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation or identity, level of education or disability. As we grow into our new brand and mission, we will provide equal opportunity for all while valuing all diverse life experiences.
In addition, we will continue to make efforts to reduce waste and be environmentally responsible with our product choices by partnering with brands who align with our mission, like AVEDA.
Our Mission
Our salon has served Ocean County for more than 22 years. Four years ago, new ownership brought fresh energy, vision, and a focus on building a welcoming space. You’ll find a friendly, relaxed atmosphere where laughter is part of the routine and hospitality is the foundation.
We stay committed to our craft while celebrating each team member’s unique style. The result is a place that feels both professional and personal.
Over Two Decades of Salon Experience in Ocean County, NJ
Beauty Service for Every Need and Style
We offer a wide mix of talent—hairstylists, nail technicians, and aestheticians of all ages and backgrounds. Because of this, our services fit many styles and preferences. You can choose from timeless options like wash-and-set or go for modern treatments like balayage, extensions, facials, or Japanese Head Spa.
For nail care, you’ll find everything from basic manicures to gel polish, detailed art, and premium upgrades. Whether you want something simple or bold, there’s a stylist here ready to make it happen.
A Supportive and Teaching-Focused Team
Many team members have been with us for 10 to 20 years. Others are just beginning through our apprentice program. This mix creates a strong teaching culture—like a training hospital but for beauty.
We share ideas often and help each other improve. As a result, the salon runs without drama and with real teamwork. Our clients feel that, too—they tell us they feel part of something bigger each time they visit.
Looking ahead, our mission is to grow while staying rooted in Manchester, NJ. We want every guest to enjoy high-quality services that match their budget and style. Thanks to our tiered pricing—from apprentices to artistic directors—you can expect personalized care and fair rates.
Growing Together with Vision and Purpose
Amanda Couldron
AVEDA Salon Ambassador, Salon Manager, Stylist, Makeup Artist
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Amanda is our salon manager and AVEDA salon technical ambassador. She graduated from cosmetology at OCVTS and has been a stylist for 8 years. She is a client favorite with her bubbly personality and ability to connect with clients of any age and gender.
She brings an artistic energy and vibe to our culture. Not only is she amazing at formulating beautiful dimensional color that is wearable every day, but she is also very strong in creating vivid looks (can you tell by her hair?).
Specializing in suiting your lifestyle, Amanda is our go-to for private appointments, silent appointments, and catering to all communities including LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, disabled, veterans and first responders, and accommodations of every kind.
She loves creative perms that are trending like the “K Perm” or what we like to call the “Boy Perm”. She also has a talent for makeup and is great at giving tips and tricks for your own makeup routine. She can book you in our private room for lessons.
On top of all of these talents, Amanda mentors our Junior Stylist staff with her natural ability to lead, and desire to become an educator in the near future.
Dogs (well, all animals really) are her favorite! She has adorable Beagles and wants to see your pets’ pictures. We support any animal supply donations at the salon, and we will take them to Popcorn Park where she adopted her beagles. She also loves coffee and sleep, has a great sense of humor and has bartender superpowers. Who’s a better listener than your hairstylist and bartender? Someone who is both!
Tina Pellicano
Head Nail Technician
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We cant say enough about our one-of-a-kind nail expert and waxing specialist, Tina. She has been a cosmetologist for 30 years. She takes pride in caring for your natural nails while specializing in nail extensions.
She offers a variety of nail services from a classic manicure to full gel sets, gel manicures, and spa pedicures. Her signature is the nail stamping art she creates.Don’t have any idea what color or design you’d like? She is skilled at coming up with custom designs for you, always staying on the latest trends but also respecting the classics. You can expect her to be busy, as she books up very quickly, but you can also expect her to run on time and efficiently without feeling rushed.
Tina’s #1 is her family. Recently becoming a grandmother to her second grandchild, she enjoys taking adventures with her family and getting to the beach as often as she can.
Jill Rizzo
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Jill graduated Beauty Culture Vocational School in Keyport, and also Paul Mitchell Haircutting School in NYC. She worked in the Eatontown and Shrewsbury are for 49 years and recently joined Bella Salon because she moved to the area and needed to start working closer to home.
She has enjoyed the beauty business because of the long- lasting relationships she has built with her clients and loves making them look and feel beautiful. Her favorite services are long layered haircuts, highlights, dimensional gray coverage, short haircuts and men’s scissor cuts and she specializes in updos and formal styling. She loves a happy and colorful work environment.
She has booked up very quickly so make sure to book ahead!
Jill is a cat lover, an interior decorator, loves to laugh at a really funny story, and also lives for a good traditional Italian family meal.
Stylist
Maria Ritchie
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Maria loves to make you feel the best about yourself. You can tell right away with her warm personality that she is going to be attentive to your needs and make you feel beautiful. She has been at Bella Salon for 5 years and specializes in dimensional color, color transformations, haircutting all lengths including men and children and she gives a wonderful facial. Because of her expertise in skincare, her approach to hair is very consultative and prescriptive. She will always recommend a routine and help you to achieve a look that is practical and easy for you to do at home. She loves to perform customized hair treatments that will transform your hair.
Maria’s superpower is how she works with children. She is particularly skilled with haircuts for autistic children. Her pride and joy is her 22 year old son.
Stylist, Senior Aesthetician
Naomi Daley
Apprentice
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Hi! I am Naomi. I am an apprentice here at Bella Salon who loves helping people feel confident and beautiful, My goal is to create a comfortable, welcoming experience where you leave feeling refreshed and love your look.
I am focusing currently on my color and styling skills, and plan to expand into blonding and cutting services. I can’t wait to meet you!
Marissa Cruz
Assistant Salon Manager, AVEDA Ambassador, Junior Stylist, Junior Aesthetician, Braider, Japanese Head Spa Specialist
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Marissa is a 20 year old Junior Stylist, Junior Aesthetician, Braider and Japanese Head Spa specialist. She joined the Bella Salon team while she was still in beauty school with a mission to learn aesthetics, hair cutting, men’s grooming and African hair braiding. One day, she hopes to have her own cosmetic brand. Her ambitions are big, and we couldn’t have asked for a better fit into our salon culture. Bringing braiding into our salon helps us live our mission and vision by celebrating all hair types.
A recent graduate of our apprentice program, Marissa has honed her skincare skills as well as mastering our brand-new Japanese Head Spa. (See our service menu for packages). Her focus on skincare is a holistic approach based in Ayurvedic philosophies instilled by our exclusive brand AVEDA. Book with her for all of your self-care needs.
During her time as an apprentice, Marissa has also grown in her haircutting and coloring skills. Specializing in creating beautiful transformations on darker hair tones. She is hyper focused on caring for her clients in a very calming and holistic approach.
As we continue to renovate and grow services in the salon, Marissa will be a true pioneer for us. We are so here for it! Cheer her on when you see her. And the best way to support her growth is to book a facial, or braiding service to help her build her skills. Her natural talent is obvious to us, and she makes an incredible addition to our team.
Jesica Navarrete
Stylist, Balayage Artist
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Jesica (you may hear us call her Yesi) is a graduate of our salon apprentice program who has graduated through all of the steps to becoming a stylist.
She was born to be behind the chair, delighting whoever sits in it with her contagious smile and enthusiastic attitude. She has quickly adopted the most current and technical highlighting, balayage, dimensional gray coverage techniques. Jesica is focused heavily on all hair types and patterns from fine hair needing the right cut, to tackling frizz and smoothing the unruliest textures.
Yesi has also developed quite a reputation for luxurious and relaxing shampoos, making her our lead for training new apprentices in elevating your experience at the shampoo bowl.
Jesica loves all things cats (and Pandas). She enjoys music, concerts, her friends and has a super cheery personality. You can’t miss that smile when she is in the room.
Camille Spinella
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Camille has been in the beauty industry for 57 years and with Bella Salon for 8. She is our ray of sunshine with an always positive attitude and smiling face! Camille decided to move “down the shore” after living in Vernon Township for 45 years. After being retired for about 6 weeks she missed what she calls “making her dolls pretty” and decided to join the salon team. She comes from a family of beauticians, barbers and Morticians and wound up following the trade.
She specializes in gray coverage, color services, blow dry sets, as well as perms and specialty perms/texture services. She will make you feel like you have known her forever, and always makes sure to pay attention to what your needs are.
Stylist
Bernadette White
Stylist
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Bernadette made a career change and decided to follow the passion she always had in cosmetology. After assisting at Bella Salon, she spent 3 years as a Junior Stylist and has recently been promoted to Stylist. She attended Cosmetology school at Capri Institute and has been in the industry now for 4 years.
You can expect to have meticulous service with Bernadette. She pays close attention to every detail, takes her time and has an eye for what is most flattering for you. She specializes in natural, low maintenance foil highlights, dimensional gray coverage and beautiful blowouts.
Bernadette is a loving mother of 2 and a brand-new grandmother. She is a pizza connoisseur, and she loves dogs too.
Brenna Mentes
Junior Stylist, Bella Lash Extension Specialist, Nail Tech in Training
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Brenna is a Junior Stylist of the first graduating apprentice class at Bella Salon. Graduating from Innovate Salon Academy in Brick in August of 2024, she came to us looking for a place to grow into a junior stylist. Brenna is focused on hair color of all kinds as well as Bella Lash Extensions and all nail services specializing in pedicures.
She particularly loves blonding services like highlights and balayage. As a curly girl herself, she enjoys making an impact by transforming frizz and unruly textures with Brazilian Blowouts. You will also see her full time at the front desk coordinating the salon’s appointments. This is a role she truly loves but won’t be in forever. Once her books start filling up, she will pass the torch onto the next up and coming apprentice.
Brenna won’t tell you this, but she loves to sing. She may be a little shy but watch out when she gets out of her shell! She loves country music.
Regina Rush
Owner, Artistic Director, Makeup Artist, K-Tip Extension Specialist, AVEDA Blue Sky Panelist
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Regina is a 40-year-old mom, wife, and licensed cosmetologist. She purchased the salon to follow her dream of making an impact in the lives of others. Her mission is to pay forward what our beautiful industry has given to her. She has focused her entire 18 years in the industry around education. She is originally from Metuchen, NJ and resides in Forked River, NJ.
In 2004, Regina started out in the industry as a Makeup Artist attending Dawn Til’ Dusk makeup academy in Nutley, NJ. Her first job in beauty was with Estee Lauder as a makeup artist and beauty consultant in Menlo Park Mall.
In 2006, After graduating Cosmetology school in New Bern, North Carolina at Craven Community College, Regina met her mentor who hired her as her first employee at a small salon and taught her everything she knew. When the time came to move back to her home State of New Jersey, she made a home at a few different salons throughout the years from 2008 to 2015. While working at her last salon, The Art of Hair in Old Bridge, she became a Brand Educator for the world’s #1 hair color company, Wella Professionals. This role opened many new doors and as she moved up the ranks, she left her career behind the chair and become a full-time regional manager for Wella.
Regina spent 5 years with Wella working on many projects and moved on to work for Joico for a short time, and finally to L’Oreal. Her last role was the head of education for the global marketing team on the brand Redken. In July 2021, after completing years of rewarding work for the top beauty companies in the world (Estee Lauder, Procter and Gamble, Coty, Henkel and L’Oreal) she followed a long-term dream of owning her own salon to help educate, elevate and enrich other stylists and purchased Bella Salon.
With a commitment to sustainable, vegan beauty, she decided to align the salon mission with the iconic brand of AVEDA by becoming an AVEDA concept salon.
Her passion is educating her clients and stylists on what is best for caring for the integrity of their hair. Hair is so much more than just a beauty service, it is a personal relationship with your favorite stylist. It is a time where our stylists get to listen to your needs and make you feel good in your own skin. Our profession as cosmetologists has long been misconceived with many stereotypes and Regina has always been on a mission to bring awareness to how much goes into our education and profession. She is a science nerd, so expect a lot of coaching on product use, treatments and caring for your hair.
Her hair specialties are color correction, balayage, blonding, foiling, bobs, long layered hair, curly hair, blowouts K-Tip Hair Extensions and Brazilian Blowouts. She has a strong knowledge of coarse, curly/coily patterns and diagnostic solutions for hair challenges such as damage, scalp issues, luxury treatments and microscope analysis. She prides herself in helping her clients achieve healthy and beautiful but also wearable looks that are tailored to the client’s desired maintenance level and budget. You can expect long customized appointments that are heavy in consultation and reaching your hair dream goals.
Regina takes a limited number of clients as she designs our entire apprentice program and teaches it while running the business and marketing. She focuses on building the skills of our staff, providing them education opportunities and serves on a very special product development panel of 15 people nation-wide who work with AVEDA to bring the best in sustainable innovation to the brand. The panel is called “Blue Sky”. You can book with her on Mondays from 11AM to 4PM.