Born in Salvador, Brazil, Lima entered modelling through Ford’s Brazilian competition. Her Britannica biography summarizes her upbringing and entry into fashion. Lima’s childhood circumstances and competition entry explain how she reached the industry, but they do not justify a financial estimate. The evidence begins with paid professional work.

She moved into international editorial and runway work while still young. Her agency, The Society Management, documents her continuing professional representation. Early editorials and runway assignments established relationships with photographers, agencies and fashion houses. That foundation preceded the mass recognition produced by lingerie and cosmetics campaigns.

Lima’s breakthrough was her association with Victoria’s Secret, which became one of the longest and most recognizable Angel tenures. Victoria’s Secret’s press room covers the brand’s runway revival and cast. Her Victoria’s Secret tenure ran across many shows and campaigns, creating repeat income and exceptional brand association rather than a single breakthrough fee.

She became a global beauty face, appeared in major campaigns and later returned to high-profile runway work. People reported her Schiaparelli return after a hiatus. Lima became a regular presence on Forbes’ highest-paid-model lists during her peak. Her later runway return shows continued marketability after stepping back for family reasons.

Modelling, beauty endorsements and ambassador agreements are the core sources. Forbes’ highest-paid models methodology estimated pretax income through interviews with agents and brand executives. Forbes reported multiple years of strong pretax model income, including a clearly defined annual measurement period. A cumulative estimate must deduct agency commissions, management, tax and living costs.

Commercial work has included Maybelline, Victoria’s Secret and major fashion houses. A historical Maybelline relationship supports the longevity of beauty income, though contract terms remain confidential. Beauty agreements tend to be longer-lived than individual runway bookings and may include exclusivity. That makes Maybelline especially relevant evidence even though its contract value is confidential.

Lima has not disclosed a large independently valued operating company. Partnerships should therefore be treated as income streams, not automatically capitalized as business equity. There is no public evidence that Lima owns Victoria’s Secret or Maybelline equity. Campaign visibility therefore belongs in the earnings analysis, not as an invented company stake.

A Brentwood home sale provides a rare observable asset transaction. The Wall Street Journal reported the sale, but joint ownership, mortgages, taxes and improvements limit what can be inferred. The Brentwood sale price was close to the earlier purchase price before transaction costs and upgrades. It supports substantial asset capacity but not a large assumed windfall.