Who Will be the Next Face of Montclair's Bangz Salon?

A West Orange resident is one of the five finalists in the second Face of Bangz competition. 

Bangz Salon & Wellness Spa will host its Face of Bangz event Monday, April 22, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the salon, located at 23 S. Fullerton Ave.

The evening is open to the public and will feature the five finalists who will walk the runway and make brief presentations on why they should be selected as The Face of Bangz.

The five contestants from Montclair, Cedar Grove, Newark, New York and West Orange will be judged by a panel of experts on their beauty, both inner and outer, based on appearance, their personal stories and charities they are pledging support to.

The evening will feature refreshments and wine from local merchants and a suggested $5.00 donation at the door will go to the grand prize winner’s charity of choice.

The five finalists were selected by an online People’s Choice vote from ten semi-finalists who had been picked by judges from hundreds of entries. The Face of Bangz event is open to the public on a first come, first serve basis. 

The five finalists are:

• Carrie Lane Pearlman, of Montclair, always been inspired to be a role model who projects not just beauty, but also strength. Upon learning she had juvenile diabetes when she was 8 years old, instead of feeling sorry for herself; she became an advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the same organization she has pledged her prize money to. 
• Amber Delaney, of Cedar Grove, is a board member of the Children’s Cancer Society and lives a lifestyle dedicated to raising money and awareness for several charities. Delaney always tries to reach out to others in need to lend a helping hand. She plans to donate her prize money to Arms Wide Open, which holds a place close to her heart due to the relationship she has with the young boy the donation is dedicated to.
• Kristina Olszewski, of West Orange, has always had a passion for rescuing animals and giving back to the community. She is not only a Cerebral Palsy of New Jersey worker who finds volunteer and job sampling sites for disabled adults, but she has also rescued and found homes for over 200 cats since 2001. If given the honor, Kristina will donate her prize money to A Purrfect World in Bloomfield, a rescue organization that is dedicated to better educating the community about homeless cats and rescuing them from the streets.
• Angelica Stiskin, of New York, N.Y., an artist, performer, choreographer and dance educator who treats her appearance and presentation as more than a career but also an identity. Her knowledge spans the worlds of commercial and concert dance and her love of dance continues to bloom with every student she teaches, especially now with the opportunity to give back. Angelica will donate her prize money to Invisible Children, a program that exists to end LRA atrocities. 
• Reyna Ramos, of Newark, is an aspiring model and actress who is determined to reach her dreams through her charisma and drive. Dedicated to making other people’s dreams come true, Reyna recently helped a cancer patient achieve her dream wedding by doing her hair, make-up, and being the only witness at the marriage. Reyna feels that winning this competition would open new doors to help her achieve her dreams and she to donate her prize money to the Cancer Care of New Jersey.

The winner will receive $1,500 in services at the salon, appear in promotional material, and have a $500 donation made to the charity of their choice. 

The four remaining finalists will be awarded prize packages that include $100 gift cards to the salon and a $50 donation to the charity of their choice.

All proceeds from the event will go to the winner’s charity of choice through Bangz Salon & Wellness Spa’s philanthropic fund, the Bangz Better World Foundation.

Since opening its new venue in 2009, Bangz has made it a priority to be heavily involved in the community through their Bangz Better World Foundation by supporting numerous charitable causes, as well as hosting fundraising events for nonprofit organizations. 

For more details about the Bangz Better World Foundation or to RSVP to the Face of Bangz event, contact Stacey Bender at (973) 744-0707 or send an email to Stacey.Bender@bhgpr.com.