After winning the title Miss Washington USA in late 1999, Lima went on to compete in the Miss USA 2000 pageant held in Branson, Missouri. The pageant was won by Lynnette cole of Tennessee.

Also in 2000, she appeared on the Reality TV show Big Brother. She was the last female houseguest left on that show. Three men remained after she left.

Lima graduated with an MBA from Columbia Business School in 2004 and worked as a field reporter for KNDU until 2006 when she then moved to Portland, Oregon where she worked for KPTV. She remains in contact with the Washington pageant system and hosted the Miss Washington USA 2006 pageant won by Tiffany Doorn of Woodinville.

Lima is the co-founder and current CEO of It Cosmetics–a prestige color cosmetics line for face and body. She launched the line in the United States in 2008 and expanded into Canada in 2009, with its products becoming available in more than 200 beauty boutiques in the United States, as well as being featured on QVC. It Cosmetics gained a large number of Celebrity fans; including many cast members of the hit TV show Dancing With The Stars, who use both the face and body products. Lima has recently made appearances on the TODAY Show, Rachael Ray, Extra!, and E! News along with many others representing her beauty line. She won the Redbook Magazine MVP (Most Valuable Product) award for 2008 for her Leg Sculpting Kit, by the name of Smokin' Hot Legs.