There is a particular kind of bravery in starting over — not because you failed, but because you wanted more.
Christiana A. understands this well.
Born in Ogun State and raised in Lagos, Christiana came to Canada four years ago with her husband, carrying the quiet weight of a familiar immigrant hope: a better life, wider options, and room for dreams that felt constrained back home — even when life was “comfortable.”
Back in Nigeria, she worked as a pharmacist. She had stability. Respect. A clear path. But stability, she learned, is not always the same as fulfillment.
In Canada, she faced the kind of challenges that don’t always make headlines — the absence of familiar support systems, the slow work of finding community, and the vulnerability of rebuilding a business from scratch in a place where no one knows your name yet.
And still, she pressed on.
What began as skill soon became calling. What started as makeup became ministry.
Today, Christiana is the founder of @beauty_by_xtyy, a growing bridal makeup brand serving clients who want more than flawless looks — they want to feel seen, confident, and celebrated on their most important days. Her work is marked not just by precision and elegance, but by presence — the kind that steadies nerves, lifts spirits, and transforms moments.
