Tributes to much-loved South Shields make-up artist who died from bowel cancer at 41
by Owen Younger · ChronicleLiveTributes have been paid to a much-loved Fenwick make-up artist who 'always had time to make you feel special'.
Irene Roozbayani sadly died aged just 41 on Thursday November 7, after a battle with stage four bowel cancer.
Irene was born in Scotland to Iranian parents, but moved to South Shields when she was five. At a young age, she was described be her friends as the 'Persian Cheryl Cole', to the point where people would ask come over and ask for her autograph, mistaking her for the Girls Aloud singer.
She first started working in make-up when she got a job with MAC, where she built up an incredible reputation for her skills, eventually specialising in the wedding industry. She left MAC to join Charlotte Tilbury at Fenwick in Newcastle just as the now world-renowned brand was on the ascendancy, and brought many UK customers over with her in the process.
Helena Ganley, a friend of Irene's for over 15 years, said: "Irene always had time to make you feel special, and she always treated you like you were the only person in the room. She loved children so much, giving them attention and putting some lip gloss on the little girls, and she was loved and adored by everyone.
"Her name was a brand, she was very highly regarded and when people booked her, they weren't just getting make-up, they were getting her as a whole person. She did so much to make people feel comfortable, and she was kind and funny which put people at ease on their big day."
Irene also did make-up for high-end fashion houses, travelling all over the world in the process. She even worked with huge names such as Vivienne Westwood at catwalk events, adding to the huge success she had in her field.
Helena continued: "She loved her job and adored going to work, and she'd often turn up early to make sure she had time to speak to everyone. Even in our friendship, you always knew she'd be late if you asked her to be somewhere at a certain time, but you would never mind, as that was just her.
"She was a loyal friend, so receptive and insightful, and if she called we could just talk on the phone for hours, effortlessly. When my little girl was born, she showered her with gifts and kisses, and she was the greatest godmother you could ask for."
Irene was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer at the start of the year, and by the time she had been diagnosed, it had already spread. She underwent several rounds of chemotherapy, in order to give herself more time, and she continued to work as her condition worsened, because she didn't want to let her customers down.
On finding out, Helena said: "I was so shocked when I heard about her diagnosis, when I first visited her in hospital, we both looked at each other and just burst out crying. She was so positive throughout, taking everything in her stride, and she is the bravest person for dealing with it all.
"Her big thing was that she didn't want to upset people, she was still doing everything that she possibly could not to let people down. Right at the end, she spent eight days at Marie Curie, and even there she remained positive, and the staff were amazing with her."
The Charlotte Tilbury brand, who continuously supported Irene throughout her illness, has made a donation to Marie Curie in her honour. Irene's funeral will take place on Tuesday November 26 at 12pm at West Road Crematorium, Newcastle, with friends paying to make it special, including a white horse drawn carriage which will take her on her final journey.
Irene's dad, Yousef Rouzbayani, added: "Irene was very generous and happy, and she always liked to make people laugh. Everybody loved her and she was so friendly, always introducing me to new friends that she had made as she grew up.
"She had expensive taste, I remember that, but I think this really helped her in her career. I have lost the person that was always in my heart, and I will never forget her.
"On her last night, I cuddled her and spoke to her, and even though she couldn't speak back to me, I saw a tear in her eye. I want the people who knew here to remember her for the person that she was, and I miss her so much."
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