Love this place! Went in to have my brows done and was booked with Cassy. First of all- the studio has huge windows and great natural light! Huge plus for when applying makeup or grooming eyebrows. Cassy couldn't have been nicer- fun and easy conversation and you can tell she really knows what she is doing. I am getting married in a few weeks and didn't want to go and get my brows f'd up by anyone! I had heard that the ladies at Sarra are the best in the biz for brows so I made my appt and will not be going anywhere else from here on out! Thanks, Sarra!! read more

Lauren is truly amazing; as someone who can't use wax, I was excited when I found a place that specializes in tweezing and shaping. She has made my eyebrows look better than ever. Beyond that, I really enjoy going to these appointments (I always had dreaded getting my brows done) because she is such a joy to speak with. I can't recommend Lauren and Sarra enough; the salon is beautiful, comfortable, and a relaxed atmosphere! read more

I have been seeing Lauren at Sarra for 8 years for my brows and I can't say enough good things about the studio and Lauren in particular. She has done an amazing job of shaping my brows over the years and I always leave feeling great. I have also had glycolic peels and done make-up tutorials and applications (all of which have been wonderful). The space is beautiful and is easy to get to and find parking. However, what really makes this studio special are the people - they are all so warm and friendly and truly take the time to get to know their clients read more

This review is for Cassandra S., "Cassy." Echoing a lot of the reviews here, on Sarra as a Studio; it is a beautiful (aesthetically) space located in South Boston, I've never had an issue parking nearby. Everything about the space screams quality, professionalism, luxury and beauty - from the products used to the people employed there! The cost of the appointment/ service is well deserved (IMHO) - it's not "cheap" but also, you're receiving "brow guidance" - Cassy helped me resist the urge to pluck and worked with me, throughout my visits, to reverse the damage I've done to my brow-air follicles. To focus a little more on Cassy; I've been seeing Cassandra for nearly 3 years now and I owe all of my brow success to her. She's never short on tips to maintaining brow shape, between visits, resisting the urge to pluck and she's a wiz with makeup. Did I mention she's amazingly cool - it's always a fun time with Cassy. She has a warm and inviting energy about her (she's a Leo) and I always feel beautiful + ready to go, once I've left her chair. In addition to her warming presence, Cassy exudes professionalism and her extensive knowledge of makeup and shaping/ framing the face with your brows has really exceeded expectations. I've also done a makeup session with Cassy; as someone who rarely takes the time to apply makeup, Cassy was patient and informative during our time. Unlike other studios I've been to, Cassy/ Sarra didn't make me feel pressured to purchase product after trying - I mean I do love the brow pen - but rather, I've found that they let the quality of the items speak for themselves. I would describe Cassy's approach / aesthetic during our makeup session as natural/ dewy/ romantic/ minimal. Can't recommend her enough! read more

Sarra - Post Makeup Session with Cassandra "Cassy" @ Sarra! - Makeup Artists Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Lauren has had such a positive impact on my skin, makeup, and brows over the past few years. I started going to Sarra because my eyebrows were over plucked, uneven, and sad. Without judgment and with so much warmth and kindness, Lauren helped me turn them around. Over time, I started getting makeup lessons and peels also. My skin feels smoother and younger and my makeup feels fresh and light. I look like me, just better. I now buy several of their products (the night cream is life changing!) but have never felt any pressure to do so. The makeup artists at Sarra are gorgeous, but it's completely welcoming and not intimidating. When I was 36 weeks pregnant and puffy and miserable, Lauren took a few extra minutes to do my makeup and made me feel beautiful. When I couldn't get a babysitter, I brought my infant and the receptionist held him and kept him entertained. I always leave feeling better, lighter, more beautiful than I walked in. I'm moving soon and am SO sad to leave but I know I will make a point of returning whenever I'm in town. Visit Sarra - you won't regret it. read more

Lauren & the whole team at Sarra is amazing. I can here for the first time ~6 months ago for brows while on vacation and away from my normal place in Austin, TX. Now I'm planning my wedding in Boston and I made sure to booked my eyebrows for before the big day a Sarra. Also, I want to do my own wedding make up so I recently did a make up lesson with Lauren. I don't like a lot of make up so she kept it simple and showed me how ( and had me practice) each step. When we were done, I still felt like myself and love the polished & natural look she helped me create. I wasn't pressured to buy anything and I'm confident I'll be able to rock my own make up for the big day! read more

I found Sarra through Yelp and decided to grow out my eyebrows for 5 months! (My hair doesn't grow too fast). I've done threading for the past 8 years! My eyebrows have gotten thinner as a result and I wasn't too pleased with the shape. So I made my appointment at Sarra with Cassandra. She plucked each individual hair that was not needed and she reshaped my eyebrows to fuller perfect looking eyebrows. My eyebrows did need to be filled in because they were not thick enough. She showed me where my eyebrows needed to grow and showed me how to fill in my eyebrows. I ended up buying the eyebrow marker that is from their own product line. It was $24. I scheduled a follow up appointment in 8 weeks to allow them to grow more. Cassandra also recommended to buy castor oil and rub on my eyebrows to encourage hair growth. Parking is street parking and sometimes south end residents only depending on the time & day. read more

Sarra - Eyebrows after Sarra! - Makeup Artists Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Beautiful salon! JoJo was phenomenal Best brows in Boston Give yourself 10 extra minutes just in case to find a parking spot. Street parking is available and there is plenty of parking around (look around the residential area). I was a first-timer. I called to schedule an appointment and I gave myself about month and a half to grow back my eyebrows (I can't trust myself with tweezers, eeek!). I had my appointment with JoJo who has gorgeous eyebrows herself. JoJo took the time to make my eyebrows come back to life. Hands down the best experience I've ever had at any beauty salon. I paid $40 for the brows and I'm considering scheduling a make up lesson with JoJo (for $190 they do the brows, make up lesson, and $100 of the price goes towards purchasing make up cosmetics). read more

Sarra - Makeup Artists Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Sarra is the best-! They've been helping me through the process of overcoming years of over-plucking and as thin brows went out and thick became in, I couldn't have asked for a better place to help me get there :) I'm too scared to go anywhere else in case they over-pluck and Sarra really gets the nice/thick look I'm going for (the staff all have perfectly gorgeous brows). I love, love, love the look and feel of this place. And whenever I go, everyone's always very nice and they take their time and care with you. I did a makeup lesson here after being so pleased with their brow services and personally didn't really like it.. I was hoping to learn more about contouring but didn't really take away what I was hoping, and the overall look of the makeup at the end wasn't really my taste. Nevertheless I think if you're someone with limited makeup knowledge, I'd still recommend you try a lesson b/c the girls here are so nice and will help you out. I will just stick with brows here but easily recommend across the board. read more

I found Sarra because I was looking for a place that could teach me how to do my make-up for work as well as give the option to buy the products used during the class. THIS PLACE CHANGED MY LOOK. I honestly had never learned how to do my make-up properly, I always envied how flawless other girls could do their make-up. I made attempts over the years but I always became overwhelmed when I went into stores like Sephora or Ulta because there were so many options and I didn't know what to buy. My breaking point finally came when the make-up artist for my wedding was using the same type of foundation that I already owned but somehow it looked way different when she applied it versus when I did. If you are like me where you want to learn but don't know where to start, book an appointment with Sarra and learn! I booked a make-up lesson with Cassandra. Depending on the artist, the price may vary but mine was $180. It seems expensive but $100 of the cost can go towards their products (so if you are looking to learn and buy this is perfect). In addition to the lessons, you get a 45 minute refresher lesson at a later date included in the price. One of my fears was that we would cake on a ton of makeup during my lesson so I wouldn't look like myself but I had worried over nothing! When talking with Cassandra I explained what I was looking for and she helped me learn how to do just that! I looked like the polished version of myself! I am so happy with the results that I gifted my mom a lesson for mother's day. One thing to be aware of is the building is a little confusing to navigate. I got lost going to my appointment and then again when I was leaving. Try to follow the signs if you see them, they are located on the second floor. Huge thank you to Sarra & Cassandra for my experience here! read more

Long time yelp-lurker here. I was never tempted to even create a Yelp account until now because I had to gush about how great this place is. Before coming to Sarra, I had spent years eyebrow waxing at a cheap nail salon and it obviously showed on my brows. Decided to let them grow out for a year and then did careful research to find a place that would help rehab them, so to speak. Based on reviews, I decided to book with Jojo and I am so happy I did! She helped calm my brow-anxiety as soon as I walked through the door and even before the appointment began I could tell I came to the right place. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming and she is absolutely fantastic. It was a surprise to learn that their eyebrow services don't involve any waxing and instead everything is done by hand with tweezers, which helps make the brow shaping much better. She explained everything as she was doing it, was very knowledgable and friendly. She paid such great attention to my brows and was super meticulous in only getting rid of the hairs that weren't needed, as I told her I'm still growing them out. Not once did I feel rushed or like she just wanted to get the job done and move on to the next client. She took her time and it showed at the end. I am happy with my brows for the first time in over a year and have already booked follow-up appointments. I honestly can't say enough good things about Jojo and how great she was. Thank you Jojo! read more

If I could give Sarra 10 stars I would. Wow wow wow wow wow. I went to Sarra this past Saturday for a makeup lesson and it was an AWESOME experience. I really can't say enough about how great these ladies are; they are welcoming, fun, professional, helpful, talented and caring people. Jen gave me my lesson which involved: (1) A review of all of the products that I typically use on my face (yes they tell you to come in with all of the products that you use so that they can determine if you are treating your skin correctly); (2) Best eyebrow pluck of my life; (3) Full-on, detailed, lesson on how to apply makeup so that you are minimizing the amount that you are painting your face while highlighting your best attributes. Let me tell you, this is COMPLETELY different than going to a makeup counter at Sephora or a major department store. These ladies know what they are doing, they take their time (I was there for almost two hours) and show you exactly how to apply makeup correctly. They make you practice in front of the mirror so you don't walk out of there looking amazing never to be able to repeat the look again. They don't push their products on you and are completely sensitive to the fact that you may not be a millionaire. I didn't feel pressured at all to spend a lot of money on products, but the products and technique speak for themselves so you'll likely want to by some anyhow. All in all I felt pampered, loved, it was great! :-) read more

Sarra is AMAZING! Of all people, I have my husband to thank. He "discovered" Sarra in the Spring of 2009 while reading an article on the Proprietor Lauren Genatossio in The Improper one morning on the the toilet:) Thanks Honey! The timing was perfect as I had just started hosting a small WebTV show called ShoeTube and the Producer instructed me to freshen up my make-up. I had been circulating through the SAKS beauty department (Bobbi Brown, Chanel) spending a fortune on products that obviously weren't allowing me to put my best face forward and *gasp* (over) tweezing my own brows. Over the past 5 years I have had the pleasure of working with all the women at the South Boston location. I have had my Brows and Make-up done by Lauren and Jen, Brows done by Sadie and I invested in Mink Eye Lashes with Shalyn last summer that were incredible. Over time, I can proudly say I am 100% Sarra. I use only Sarra Make-up. I also use their complete skin care line which works wonderfully for my 29 year old skin. The techniques that I have learned from Lauren, Jen, Sadie and Shalyn, the Sarra product line, the services and the overall vibe of positivity have literally opened doors for me in my professional and personal life. I got married on the West Coast in the fall of 2009 and worked with Lauren and Jen to create a wedding look that I was comfortable with. They took the time to train me throughout the application process so come wedding day I could create, on my own, a look that had professional quality and was camera ready. It is so rewarding looking at the hundreds of wedding photos and be overjoyed by the result. Another feather in Sarra's cap...this Spring I was cast on FOX networks MasterChef with Gordon Ramsay. Lauren selected specific products for me to take out to LA that could handle the bright lights, long days on set and overall heat in the kitchen. I did my own make-up for the show and had touch-ups throughout the day from FOX Network top Make-Up artists. The compliments they had for my skin and technique were endless. You should have seen them rummaging through my makeup bag! They almost ran off with my Vivid Energy lip gloss and Lumminizer stick. I feel like the Sarra line of products and techniques bring out my "true" face and allow me to feel my most beautiful and confident self from the inside out. I don't know about you, but when it comes to make-up, some of the toughest critics seem to be mothers and husbands ("you're beautiful just the way you are", "what's that gunk on your face", etc). My Mom and my Husband have complimented the balance of my natural look with a face that is polished and put together. Not to mention Sarra is FOX Network approved too:) ALSO- I have done "girls night" with Sarra that are a blast!!! It takes a bit of organization as they book far in advance but are an amazing way to kick off a girls night out/bachelorette/bridal shower/birthday whatever. Just being in the space makes me feel chic and happy. I am their biggest fan! read more

EYEBROWS! Frustrated with the constant maintenance of waxing, threading, tweezing etc. I looked for an alternative. I met with Lauren only a few times & have never been more pleased with my brows in my life. Now my eyebrows require no upkeep except for a visit with Lauren maybe every few months (if that). For the first few months it was really difficult to restrain myself from plucking strays but now they are essentially unnoticeable. My eyebrows are more even, thicker and fuller than ever. If you are considering seeing Lauren for your eyebrows do not hesitate! Wish the location was closer to the back bay :( read more

Oh what girly fun this place is! Having seen it mentioned several times in the local press I decided to check it out. I brought my mom for a birthday makeover/lesson last week. What a treat! The space is gorgeous, sleek, warm, bright, with abundant room to move. It's so lovely they could rent it for events. The cost was $180 for 1.5 hours (plus) of lesson and brow redo (phenomenal). While seemingly pricey, that includes $100 of their private label product. Apparently, it's top of the line, and minerals are what's hot. Having worked with Laura Mercier for years, Jen and Lauren know their stuff. Furthermore, they are passionate about what they do. It's an absolute onslaught of info, so be ready to listen well and sponge it all up (ha, pun). Who knew there were such tricks?! I've called back once post-lesson and Jen was happy to answer my questions- super helpful, great service! Highly recommended. read more

Sarra is an oasis of beauty in the city. Not only is the space worth checking out alone, but you will leave Sarra looking like the best version of yourself - very natural, but with all of your best features accentuated. Jen has elevated the eyebrow shaping to an art form. I have had my brows waxed, threaded and sugared and nothing has ever looked as good or felt as painfree as Jen's precision eyebrow tweezing. Sarra's approach with eyebrow hair removal emphasizes shaping your brows to frame and lift your eyes, as opposed to most spas that are trained simply in hair removal techniques. After I had my eyebrows done by Jen and filled them in with Sarra's eyebrow pencil, a girl I work with exuberantly said to me that I looked like a different person and immediately asked what I did. She couldn't believe that it was just the eyebrow tweezing, but asked where and who I see. Beyond eyebrows, Jen did the makeup for my wedding and used a lot of Sarra's makeup line. Everyone looked stunning! My problematic skin looked flawless all night and my eyes really stood out. Many of my bridesmaids never where makeup and she made them all beautiful, while still looking very natural. I have seen some scary wedding makeup jobs and am so sad for brides who tolerate subpar makeup artists on such an important day. Jen is the BEST and is also a very calming presence on an otherwise stressful day. Her makeup artistry is incomparable in Boston and the city is so lucky to have her! read more

This is the first 5-star rating I've given on Yelp. Sarra truly is as good as it gets as far as eyebrow shaping goes. I tried to schedule an appointment last Saturday, but they were completely booked so I was able to get one in this morning. My appointment was with Shalyn. The salon is in South Boston in a kind of sketchy, rundown neighborhood. I came to the Boston area from Baltimore, so I'm used to sketchy neighborhoods and it didn't really faze me. It's on the second floor of a warehouse-like building (in the same building as Shag, apparently a really great hair salon). Despite the grungy neighborhood, once I walked into Sarra I was floored. The space is beautiful! One large loft-like room with high ceilings, floor to ceiling windows with tons of light, with mirrors and lights set up all around. Very tastefully decorated as well. I got there at 10:40 (my appointment was at 10:45) and upon checking in with the receptionist (who had really great eyebrows, by the way), Shalyn immediately greeted me. Shalyn is so pretty and cute! She has great style and great eyebrows and makeup (of course). She immediately complimented me on my full eyebrows. My eyebrows are very thick and have kind of been a thorn in my side my entire life. I've never really been able to tame them, and whenever I went to get them waxed, they would turn out way too thin and arched. I explained to Shalyn my troubles, and she assured me that I have great eyebrows and she seemed really excited to work with them/me. For the next FORTY minutes, Shalyn tweezed/cut/shaped my brows. Literally, she took forty minutes. I felt like my eyebrows were the clay and she was the sculptor. While she was working she got to know me and my background, and she's very easy to talk to. She explained what she was doing as she was working, and I really felt at ease in her chair. After she was done, she literally giggled and exclaimed, "Yes!" It was great to see how proud she was of her own work. She handed me the mirror and I was ecstatic. My eyebrows have never looked so good. She kept them full, but they also looked so clean and bold. She had used an eyebrow stain marker, which I ended up buying as well. Shalyn's brow services were $40, the eyebrow marker was $22, and I tipped $10. I also made an appointment again in six weeks. Definitely found my eyebrow place for lifeeee... read more

Just the BEST out there. Lauren is approachable, professional, friendly and extremely talented. I had been going to the same person for almost 6 years but I won't be returning. Lauren has made my brows look just so fantastic. The other day a friend looked at me and said (a little disgusted for some reason) "your brows are perfect". I say - what the hell is wrong with perfection? Bring it on. Lauren also sold me some amazing brow pencil that is the best I've ever used. And it wasn't a hard sell - she just mentioned it and why she likes it and how to use it. I love it b/c I am able to make my brows look like Lauren just did them every day I live in DC but will fly to Boston to have Lauren do my brows. it is THAT good. UPDATE: 6/10/11 Saw Sadie last week because Lauren was booked. You know it is a one shot deal with brows and I live out of state so I was mildly apprehensive. Well, there was zero need to be. Sadie was deliciously lovely and did a spectacular job. She spent more time on my brows then I get in my therapists chair - and it helps my mind more. An added bonus was Lauren actually remembering me from a year ago and coming over to say hi and ask about the conversation we'd had then. God, I just love it there. read more

The absolute best. Jen is an absolute sweetheart, an appointment is more like some QT with your best friend. I have been seeing her for my brows and have also done a makeup consult with her; both services are worth every penny. She takes her time to make you look amazing, but not done up. The atmosphere is chic, but not intimidating at all. I would recommend Sarra to anybody and everybody, it is is simply an amazing experience. I would never go anywhere else! read more

First of all--the location is (for me) kind of out of the way. And when I got there, it is this old and run-down looking warehouse that makes you wonder if you are really in the right place. And then, you walk into Sarra.....and it looks like you have died and gone to makeup heaven!!! It looks just like a professional makeup studio you would see on tv--it is so cute! Lauren is as all the other reviews say, very friendly, personable, and makes you comfortable immediately. It took her an hour to do my brows, that is longer than getting a haircut! And, I do love the results. She doesn't work magic and turn your brows into those of Megan Fox, but she does make the most of their own potential. The service is kind of pricey --$40 just for brows, but for that money you are guaranteed to get someone you can trust will do a great job! read more

I have been a client of Sadie's at Sarra for over 2 years now. Not only is she an amazing artist, she's truly an amazing person. So sweet and genuinely caring. Though it is not the most convenient location to get to, look forward to my appts because I love chatting w her and Jen. I always leave looking great and feeling confident. I have never felt pressured to buy any of their products either, though I have purchased a blush upon asking for a recommendation and it is great! I've also had Jen do my brows and she's equally as amazing. read more

There is NO ONE ELSE in Boston I would trust my brows to. Lauren, Jen are the best. Unlike other reviews, I have never felt like I was pressured into buying any of their cosmetics. Everyone at Sarra is considerate and they never make me feel guilty about letting my brows go wild for a few months (though maybe I should). Their space is beautiful and makes the trek out to Southie feel not so bad. read more

Sarra is where it's at. Cassandra did an amazing job shaping my amorphous brows--I get compliments everywhere I go! Highly recommend both her and the salon. Great place and great staff! read more

Sarra - Brows. - Makeup Artists Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I wish I could rate this place more than 5 stars, as the cosmeticians went way out of their way to make sure I looked the way I wanted on my wedding day. I went to Sarra for my makeup application after having a pretty awful experience at a nearby hair salon. After doing a perfect application, two of the makeup artists helped me fix my hair. They knew that my next stop was the aisle, and that I didn't have much time, so were diligent in helping me. They didn't charge me extra for the time spent on my hair, and I walked out feeling beautiful. Prior to settling on Sarra, I had several consultations with other cosmeticians where the makeup was caked on, and where I felt made up and not like myself. I'm so glad that I chose Sarra. I felt like myself after the application but with a perfect, natural-looking glow. Thank you Sarra! read more

I don't think I could live without Jen, Lauren and the amazing services Sarra provides! Well, okay, I could live...but my brows would look just plain awful! I found Sarra about six years ago and have been a loyal, happy customer since for regular eyebrow shaping. They've since grown tremendously but the quality of service remains top-notch. Everyone here is talented and professional and they are the absolute best of the best at what they do. Whether it's makeup application for a wedding or event, brow shaping, or custom makeover/makeup lessons, the knowledge, expertise and talent of Lauren and her team is second to none. read more

Hands down the best place for wedding makeup! Lauren is a master at eyebrows and kept my look extremely natural and not overdone. She also added small clumps of individual lashes which really brought out my eyes, the lashed even stayed on for the next couple of days. I was so happy with my look I've decided to go back and get some makeup application lessons from her, she really knows here stuff and her personal makeup line is fantastic! read more

I had a makeup lesson here and it was GREAT. Jen was really nice and so was Molly. She was really great at going slow and explaining everything to me and having me try some of the techniques. Also, another great thing is that if I ever want to learn something a little more advanced (like smoky eye), she said I can just come and she'll teach it to me. I'll probably continue to get my eyebrows plucked by her. It's $40 but it;s worth it because waxing places often charge 15 anyway and she said every 4-6 weeks is a good time frame. The products are quite expensive but you use very little for every application so overall, I think its worth it. Jen seems to just really want to help and she cares tremendously about what she does. She was super cool and never made me feel stupid about not knowing anything about makeup. read more

Jen Opeka with Sarra did the makeup for my wedding and I have honestly never been happier with the way I looked. I have only gotten my makeup done a couple of times because I prefer a natural look and typically don't love the way professional makeup looks. Jen, however, was absolutely fantastic. She was able to give me a completely natural look, while accentuating my best features and making me beautiful. My bridesmaids, mom, and MIL all looked absolutely gorgeous and were so happy with the natural beauty that Jen was able to highlight. In addition to being an incredibly talented makeup artist, Jen is a wonderful person and was such a pleasure to have around on my wedding day. 100% recommend Jen for anyone looking for a beautiful natural makeup look and AMAZING eyebrows :) read more

Not my favorite! I did have high expectations from this place after reading all the reviews but it didn't even come close to my expectations..what's the fuss all about? Not worth $40+tip not even in a million years.. The salon is beautiful though and the 3 stars are for the salon only. read more

Saw Jen, if you are just figuring out your brows, your look, or just need a Great Brow Sculpt this is the place for you!!! They are amazing and so friendly! 100% recommend read more

Sarra - Makeup Artists Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The artful hands at Sarra have made my overwaxed brows actually look decent! I LOVE this place! In addition fabulous brow shaping, their make up and skin products are wonderful!!! LOVE the skin tonic!!! read more

JoJo it's simply amazing. She understood exactly what I wanted and worked magic. Legit magic, after years of bad experiences I finally made peace with my eyebrows haha!! I traveled far to find this place and it was so worth it. The staff provides outstanding service. Make sure you make your appointment with plenty of time because they're usually booked. Sara was kind enough to find a time that did not interfered with my schedule and I left more than satisfied. I'll definitely be back. read more

Sarra - Cool atmosphere! - Makeup Artists Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I was super skeptical because I've tried a million different places for my eyebrows. I've done the threading, plucking, waxing, and even micro blading but I still wanted them thicker and every single time I went to get them professionally done, they would make my eyebrows super thin even when I told them I was really trying to grow them out so leave hair! I can't do them myself either because I end up plucking too thin trying to make them even. I've been going to Sarra with Jojo since February and could not be happier. My eyebrows are finally filling in and they're getting better and better each time. She's so detailed and particular with how she does my eyebrows and really makes sure she's leaving hair on the spots that can grow in for a thicker brow. This is more expensive than some other options but definitely worth it! read more

Literally, as good as it gets! Highly recommend Jen. She's meticulous and my brows always look big and beautiful when I leave. They may not always stay that beautiful but she's helped me with that too by teaching me how to use their great brow definer for filling. She's also just given me some great beauty tips in general. I fully intend to use her for her makeup artistry skills in the future too! read more

Lauren did my makeup and brows several years ago at her gorgeous studio in Southie. I have a large port wine stain birthmark on my face and, despite having been to countless makeup artists in Boston and New York, Lauren did a better job than anyone at covering it while still making it look natural. She is a miracle worker! I have been using her product line daily ever since and I cannot recommend Lauren & Sarra more highly. read more

If I could give Sarra less than 1 star, I would. I typically do not review much, but I felt a bit puzzled and almost "crazy" when I saw all these amazing reviews when my experience was SO bad. I visited Sarra right after moving to Boston and was very excited to come to the salon after reading the rave reviews. I made an appointment and requested one of their more experienced artists since I am very cautious when it comes to my eyebrows (they are VERY full and dark, with a natural arch). Luckily, I got an appointment fairly quickly - which was nice. After finally locating the salon in the building I was pleasantly surprised when the salon itself was actually very nice inside (I had to call quite a few times to actually figure out where it was located). My appointment ended up being with Lauren, the owner, which I was excited about at first... She was extremely nice while taking care of me and she definitely sounded knowledgeable; it was not until after I left the salon and really took a look at myself that I realized how unsatisfied I was with my eyebrows. I wanted to believe that they were going to come out amazing - like everyone has mentioned on Yelp - but to be honest I did not even see a difference in my eyebrows from before I came in to after my appointment (~$72 later). Lauren seemingly plucked about 3 hairs off each of my brows and SHAVED my upper brow slightly (?!) and then proceeded to "fill in" the rest of my brow with a brow marker and another product. I tried telling her that my brows were at their full thickness (they had not been touched in months) and that they would not grow anymore, but she insisted they would... and I tried to believe her seen as though she seemed to know what she was talking about. She essentially doubled my eyebrow thickness with the marker/makeup which looked ridiculous so once I got home I decided to take all the makeup off my brows to see what they actually looked like (thinking I would perhaps like them better with no makeup since I NEVER fill my brows in because they are already so thick.) After scrubbing my double brow off... I was LIVID to say the least. My eyebrows looked NO different than when I left my house that morning. I sat there trying to reason how this could have possibly happened when I just paid nearly as much for my eyebrows as some people do their whole head... but in the end could not even justify the amount I paid or the service in general when it was something I could have done myself with a pair of tweezers and a mirror. There was absolutely NO shape to them AT ALL and literally MAYBE 3 hairs missing off each brow. Although I understand it was my first appointment and she wanted to "get her signature" on them as she told me, it just seemed ridiculous that I just got my eyebrows done and felt as though I needed another appointment?! It's odd because I have nothing bad to say about Lauren herself, as she was more than nice during our appointment but I was just truly disappointed in the services I received. Anyhow, it gets better. Before leaving the salon (and really looking at my brows) they had booked me a next appointment, which I obviously did not want to go to once I saw what was underneath all that makeup! After deliberating on what to do for literally hours, I decided to give them a call and cancel my appoint and perhaps I could maybe talk to someone about my experience. I was hoping to maybe rectify my problem, since I wanted to like Sarra so badly. I called to cancel and the girl who answered the phone was slightly rude and when I told her I wanted to cancel she asked if I would like to reschedule... I replied that unfortunately I would not ever be returning. Usually, when someone gets a response like this from a customer it would prompt them to ask why or if there was any specific reason (i.e. how can we get you to come back and remedy your problem?) but she said NOTHING but "ok, have a nice day" or something of the sort and that was the end of the conversation. I was kind of stunned at the point and definitely even angrier than before. For a salon to not even care when they're losing a customer is a big red flag, at least for me... It took me a while to even go to another eyebrow salon because this experience jaded me so much (my appointment was a few months back in July and just this month I found a salon that catered to my needs). I can't understand how these ratings are so high, but perhaps this was an off experience. All I know is that I would not recommend the salon to anyone I know nor would I ever ever return. read more

The stream of positive reviews surprises me a bit. Sarra really is a unique and wonderful place, but going there has some downsides -- at least for me -- that I'm surprised aren't mentioned. About a year back, I booked a makeup lesson at Sarra with Jen, and have continued going there for brow shaping and for some of their makeup products. The makeup lesson was a great thing for me -- it was my introduction to how to *really* do makeup right. The pricing scheme is reasonable as long as you're willing to pay for their product, which I was. Their cosmetics are high quality (misgivings about their skin care tho -- see below), and the pricing for them is about what you would pay for high-end cosmetics at Sephora or a department store counter. (e.g., $45 for 1.5 oz of foundation). I love the focus on sun protection in their products. It *really* bothered me that I didn't have full ingredient lists for the products, because it means I can't compare to other brands I might be interested in or break down what really works best for me. In general, I think there is some shadiness around this proprietary brand that they are selling to customers without full ingredient lists, a description of who makes the product, etc. This might sound picky, but its worth being picky about what you put on your face. That starts with being educated about what you put on your face -- no amount of trusting the advice of makeup artists can change that. On to skin. When I'm having a skin problem, like hormonal acne or winter dryness, I'm made to feel awful about it and pressured to buy a product from there to fix my skin. Their skincare offerings are very limited -- understandable, since their focus is makeup -- and to me this is a red flag to stay away since skincare should be highly customized to your skin type. How can they recommend something for my skin from such a limited line? If they are recommending the same product to all customers, there's a problem. Skincare just doesn't work that way. To top this off, before I starting learning a lot about skincare, Lauren recommended a makeup product to treat (not conceal/mitigate/calm -- treat!) some dryness I was having. Hello?! Rule #1: treat the root of the problem. Underlying skin imbalances can *not* be rectified with a foundation. Oy. I say they should stick to what they know -- makeup and eyebrows -- and not pretend to be skincare experts. The space is stunning, gorgeous, a pleasure. It is quite far out of the way for me, and as my schedule changes I'm not as able to make the trip out to South Boston for the sake of my eyebrows. But it does feel like a treat to go there, like an awesome girls' day out. This comes with a downside for me, a lady of limited girly-girl cred. At times I feel *very* out of place and uncomfortable at Sarra. I'd be surprised if I'm the only one who feels this way. My lifestyle is apparently pretty different from the girls who work there, and while I'm fine with that -- heck, I love the change of pace -- I don't appreciate being shut out of conversations that last my entire visit :( Lastly, $40 for my brows is a bit rich for my blood. It's true you get what you pay for -- to a point. I'm just not sure the high price is fully warranted. Though I imagine the rent in their beautiful warehouse space is crazy-expensive, so maybe it's to cover that? They do a great job with brows. I imagine if you have tricky/unruly brows, the price is worth it. Mine aren't tricky so I don't notice a huge difference when I go here versus a standard $12 waxing place (blasphemy!). I see coming here as more of a luxury and treat than a beauty necessity. Oh, and if you do go somewhere else between Sarra appointments, they will act like it's no big deal and welcome you back to the light, then talk about you behind your back like you're a horrible person with no class or beauty sense. I've heard them do it many a time after customers walk out the door. Bummer! Not to mention unprofessional. read more

These ladies know their craft!! First and foremost let's talk BROWS. I was blessed w big ones. Brows I mean;);). We're talking the dad on the OC situation if I do nothing and lots of really wrong shapes if ppl do the wrong thing. So when I met Lauren and Jen I was highly skeptical of their instruction to let my beasts be for a good 6-8 weeks and hop on the train of brow shaping. Yes they would tweeze the errant hairs that didn't fall into my natural, flattering shape for my eyes and face. Boy was I WRONG! Within one or two visits (and my putting the tweezers down) my brows and face were reshaped and transformed. This was seven years ago...I still see the lovely ladies of Sarra for my regular brow appointments...love you Jen!! I look forward to each and every one of them. I receive regular compliments on my brows from strangers. Ppl can not believe I do not have them waxed, threaded, or tweeze them nightly. Now on to their make up skills. They offer a make up lesson in which they go through a face of regular day to night make up. In my opinion every woman should partake in this lesson. From your skin care routine, applying a primer, foundation, powder, blush, luminizer, reg eye, liner, smokey eye, etc. They also go through your current make up (don't be afraid they've seen it ALL) and let you know what you need, what to keep, chuck etc. It is LIFE CHANGING. Definitely changed the way in which I did my every day make up and my make up for dressier occasions. I would consider my make up knowledge before the lesson intermediate. Afterwards I feel advanced. I have long believed in make up's ability to empower women. At Sarra they reinforce this. They teach you how to highlight your strengths. It is a business full of women. When you visit and learn something new or a new skill in terms of make up application you feel, or I know I feel, like taking on the day becomes easier. Their products are fantastic. I was introduced to them over my years at Sarra and I'm a devoted follower. The only danger is you may end up owning a LOT of lipstick. Which isn't ever a bad thing. read more

I was very weary to make an appointment because with $40, that's the price of my "frugal-phase" haircut ($40 to cut the hair on my head! and not on my face!!). But I haven't gotten my brows professionally done in aeons so I figured I could justify it by thinking I've saved a lot of money on my brows these many, many years by self tweezing them. It's okay to splurge at least once, even if it's just for the experience... I called mid-November for an evening appointment. They were booked up until January!! Such high demand (the holidays must play a factor though) so I just went in for a 10AM - their first appointment. Sadie was my gal. The atmosphere was very friendly. The receptionist was very welcoming, and when I met Sadie she was equally nice. Super easy to talk to and get along with, and when it got silent I didn't feel awkward at all. For as long as I can remember, I have never seen what I would look like with full brows. Sadie did an amazing job. My brows have never looked so perfect! Beware: if you're not used to seeing yourself with full brows, the first glimpse into the mirror may be shocking. Pleasing, but shocking (in a good way). Mine weren't completely grown in so she filled them in well with the waxy pencil. I also felt zero pressure to buy it, so that was really nice. She was more concerned with what pencil I was most comfortable using and said I should stick with it. She took her time (45 minutes) and that made me feel really important. And as she was doing my brows, I could see excitement in her face about the outcome. I'm an Asian gal and I've heard myths that we have really sparse eyebrows and that brows never grow back after you over tweeze. With that said, I figured I was plagued for life with meek brows but nope, Sadie reassured me that my brows have potential and she was going to make them awesome. She rules and her work was amazing! $40 is pretty steep for routine brow maintenance. However, I think it's worth it at least to go once for the learning experience. Sadie showed me my potential for good brows and how to keep them in good shape, so that was worth $40 (for a lifetime of good brow maintenance knowledge!) read more

Until I found Sarra, I absolutely hated having my makeup done. I even did my own makeup on my wedding day because, despite having tried MANY in my lifetime, I had never had a positive experience with a makeup artist. It was only through luck that I found these folks, as they were brought in to do makeup for a photo shoot I was taking part in. Since then, I've been a devotee. I've used Sarra for fashion shows that I run, as well as for special outings with girlfriends. I've never met anyone dissatisfied with the result. Not only will you get the best makeup job in town, you'll also get an unbelievable eyebrow shaping, incredibly affordable high quality cosmetics, and the loveliest service anywhere. Jen and Lauren are true perfectionists and they know just how women of any age like to look. I can't recommend them highly enough. read more