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Kendra Wilkinson has gone through an amazing personal transformation since she left the hit E! reality show “The Girls Next Door” in 2009. She’s headlined her own reality shows, become a mother, endured a difficult divorce from husband Hank Baskett, found a career in real estate (which turned into the short-lived reality show “Kendra Sells Hollywood”), and dealt with issues regarding her mental health. Despite all her success, there’s no denying that Wilkinson has lived a tragic life both in and out of the spotlight, and some of that may be reflected in the changes to her appearance over the years.
It’s been over two decades since the world met Wilkinson as one of Hugh Hefner’s girlfriends on “The Girls Next Door” in August 2005. She was in her early 20s then, and turned 40 in June 2025. So, it’s obvious she’s aged, but it becomes shockingly clear when comparing side-by-side photos from 2005 and 2026. Most noticeably, Wilkinson has gained weight and ditched the artificial platinum blonde hair color, while also opting for less volume in her hair. Plus, her makeup in 2026 has become much more natural and subtle than in 2005.
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Wilkinson has also developed some natural signs of aging, such as smile lines and crow’s feet, that may have trolls on social media saying she’s “aging poorly.” Honestly, though, she just looks like a woman in her 40s, one who isn’t clinging to her same beauty standards from 20 years prior, and that’s actually refreshing.
Wilkinson doesn’t care what the haters think
Kendra Wilkinson is choosing happiness over living up to the public’s expectations of how she should look in 2026. In March, she posted a close-up selfie on Instagram wearing light makeup and a red top, adding a pointed caption for International Women’s Day. “I used to use a light filter on myself but now I’m just embracing myself as it is. I’ve seen many people comment saying I’ve aged ‘poorly’ and that is ok,” she wrote in her post. “I’m ok with aging ‘poorly.’ For some reason I’m happier than I’ve ever been lately even with a little weight gain and wrinkles and I’m not going to tie my happiness again into the negative energy.”
The mom of two went on to say she’s living a balanced, fun, single life and that she loves the person she’s become. Wilkinson said she’s done trying to impress others in the often futile attempt to make them happy and is instead focusing on her own contentment. She explained that she values watching her kids grow and no longer feels like she needs fame or money to live a full life.
It’s such an empowering message for other women, and so is Wilkinson’s approach to beauty through the years. While she had breast implants done when she was 18 and has used Botox in the past, she told Entertainment Tonight in 2017 that she was reducing how much she used, and it doesn’t seem like she uses Botox or other cosmetic procedures anymore. Despite all of her struggles and the pressure she felt to reach often impossible beauty standards, she avoided making permanent changes to her body that she couldn’t take back later.