local storiesMay 30, 2023

Meet Sarah Elizabeth

Local Stories

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Elizabeth. Sarah was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Jarrell Pyro Johnson.

Sarah, thank you so much for joining us today. We’d love for you to bring our readers up to speed – can you introduce yourself and share your story?
Let me share my journey with you.

As a little girl, I loved playing beauty salon with my brother. As I grew older, I became fascinated with creating my own skincare products and homemade face masks. I would take pictures of each step and pretend I was doing it for magazine tutorials, long before the internet was a thing. At the age of 12, my mom took me to a local salon where I had my hair cut by a girl with blue hair. I thought she was so cool, and it was at that moment that I knew I wanted to be a cosmetologist when I grew up.

Unfortunately, I was told it was not a real job, so I set my sights on teaching elementary school instead. I took classes for early childhood education, but I still felt like I was missing something. After marrying my son’s dad and moving to North Carolina, I finally decided to pursue my dream and went to cosmetology school. I graduated, moved back to Ohio, took my state test, and started working in the salon where my dreams began. However, I quickly realized that I hated the salon I was in, so I left and went back to teaching for a while.

Then, Covid happened, and I found myself filing for divorce in September 2021. I decided to go back to school again and got my nurse aide license because I knew I had a passion for helping people in any way that I could. I got a job at a hospital down the street, where I met my now best friend. We instantly bonded over our love for makeup.

In November 2021, my son got an acting role, and I got to help on set doing some of the makeup. It was then that I discovered my love for Special FX makeup even more than regular everyday styles. I worked hard to perfect my craft and learn everything I could about makeup, its chemistry, and all the different ways I could create the looks I was wearing.

After a year of tirelessly trying to help my son land more acting roles and further my own career as a makeup artist, I was fortunate enough to cross paths with Jarrell Johnson. This talented individual has not only taught me more about the film industry, but has also welcomed me into his production company’s makeup team on a permanent basis.

Although I have held a cosmetology license for a decade, I have only been practicing makeup at a professional level for a year and a half. The journey to get to where I am today was long and arduous, but I am grateful for every experience that has helped shape me into the person I am today. I am passionate about makeup and the endless possibilities it offers. I relish in learning new techniques, experimenting with different styles, and experiencing the thrill of seeing my creations come to life.

While I still have a ways to go to achieve my ultimate goals, I am thoroughly enjoying the process and savoring each step along the way.

Please tell us more about your brand, Makeupology
My dear friend Elsie and I embarked on a thrilling journey a year ago when we founded our company, The Makeupology. Our passion for makeup artistry has led us to specialize in bridal and special event makeup, as well as looks for film and print. While I take immense pleasure in making brides feel beautiful on their special day, my heart truly lies in Special FX. There’s something about creating gory looks that excites me to no end. Whether it’s a wound or a crazy creature, I leave no stone unturned in my research and planning before getting started. I experiment with different techniques on myself or my son to achieve the desired end result. Every makeup look I create receives my undivided attention, and I take pride in making it look as realistic as possible. To achieve my best results, I rely on real-life pictures, forensic photos, and my advanced knowledge of color theory, coupled with my eye for detail. I am constantly pushing myself to learn and grow in my craft, and I am always up for a new challenge. As I reflect on my journey so far, I am grateful for the opportunity to do what I love every day. I am excited to see where this path takes myself and Elsie, and I look forward to creating more stunning makeup looks that leave a lasting impression.

Jarrell Pyro Johnson has been a great friend to us and I know you’ve got a great relationship as well. Maybe you can tell our audience a bit about Jarrell Pyro and your experience with them.
I love Jarrell! Working with him as been such a great learning experience. I’m new to the film industry and he trusted me with the position as the lead makeup artist on his team. That alone was a huge honor and little did I know when taking on that task, I would learn so much more about the industry as a whole, outside of the makeup department. I love working with him and in the short time I’ve known him, he’s become a close friend. He is a genuinely kind person, a talented actor and a truly wonderful human.