The Kardashians have long been Instagram’s billion-dollar queens — thanks to their picture perfection.
But even by her own admission, it’s a carefully curated facade: Khloe has publicly declared that she “loves a good filter”, Kim was shown on her reality show staying up all night “editing” her photos , and Kylie Jenner once revealed that she relies on ‘Facetune’ for the perfect selfie.
When Khloe, 38, posted an apparently unfiltered bikini pic to social media this week, she left her followers stunned.
The image quickly went viral, with fans praising the mother-of-two for presenting a refreshing dose of reality and showing a hint of (shock, horror) cellulite.
Here, takes a look back at some of the Kardashian family’s truest moments in pictures, and lifts the curtain on the glossy facade of their social media empires…
Khloe Kardashian
This week, Khloe Kardashian took social media by storm by posting a candid bikini snap that revealed a hint of her cellulite. It came just a day after she shared heavily airbrushed photos of her in the same suit.
In the “candid” snap, Khloe, 38, posed at a side angle, fully showing off her bum and abs.
She named Nurse Kendall Jenner as the photographer.
“If your sister knows your angles,” Khloe wrote in the caption, where she tagged Kendall.
Look, no filter! Khloe Kardashian was praised for sharing a slew of “unedited” snaps with “mistakes” on Tuesday
Her character: Khloe enjoyed a day at the beach in Mexico in August 2018, four months after she gave birth to her first child, True
It was a surprise move from Khloe, who previously admitted to being a fan of “a good filter, good lighting and an edit here and there” after another unfiltered bikini pic went viral in April 2021.
After the unedited picture made the rounds in 2021, it was reported that Khloe and her family were working overtime to erase any trace of it from the internet.
Khloe addressed the drama on Instagram days later, when she shared live videos of herself proving that her body “wasn’t photoshopped.”
She then issued a lengthy statement, speaking about the pressures of being in the spotlight and having her body “microanalyzed” as a public figure.
The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star also revealed that an unfavorable comparison to her siblings Kim and Kourtney was “too much to take” in addition to “constant taunting and judgment.”
An excerpt of her message read: “As someone who has struggled with body image their entire life, if someone takes a photo of you that isn’t flattering in low light or doesn’t capture your body as it is after he worked so hard to get it to this point – and then to share it with the world, you should have every right to demand that it not be shared, regardless of who you are.
In 2016, Khloe admitted to airbrushing her paintings, telling People, “Obviously I believe in airbrush apps, I just think about airbrush apps, like who doesn’t want to airbrush here or there.
“I love FaceTune, it’s great. I don’t really know many more, but a filter, it’s like airbrushing. Who doesn’t love a good filter? Sometimes you have a bad day,’ she said.
Khloe also admitted that she likes filters to give her pictures a different hue.
Spot the difference: Khloe’s fans called out the star for posting a heavily filtered snap that changed her face in May 2020 (left) Her real looks were finally revealed three months later on Keeping Up with the Kardashians in August
“I don’t want to see everyone in color. Sometimes I need a black and white filter.”
Back in May 2020, Khloe was accused of heavily editing an Instagram image that made the reality star look dramatically different.
When she first unveiled the picture, fans accused the Keeping Up With The Kardashian star of undergoing cosmetic procedures and even going under the knife after she revealed the super glamorous look, which showcased new golden brown locks .
Her true colors were finally revealed on Keeping Up with the Kardashians three months later in August, and showed a stark contrast.
KylieJenner
Kylie Jenner, the billionaire Instagram beauty queen, once revealed that her secret to the perfect selfie is “good lighting, a good filter.” [and] Facetune.’
And while she rarely lets her guard down, she’s occasionally been caught without makeup (and no filter).
In 2019, she was photographed looking like an ordinary girl next door as she snuck out of her Calabasas property for a dentist appointment in Beverly Hills.
She wore glasses and dropped her glam squad for a very demure look.
Kylie was spotted fresh-faced again in April 2020, looking unrecognizable to fans.
Of course, Kylie’s face has changed a lot over the years, thanks in part to her on-off love affair with lip plumpers.
The Kylie Cosmetics founder first had her mouth filled at age 16 after a boy told her he was surprised she was a good kisser with her “small” lips.
Just the girl next door! Kylie Jenner, the billionaire Instagram beauty queen, went on a rare makeup-free (and filter-free) outing in 2019
She’s repeatedly lied about having fillers — even while building her Kylie Cosmetics brand — but in 2015, she finally came to terms with fans.
Her big pout drew a lot of looks, but last July, she surprised fans by completely dissolving her lip plumpers.
One fan wrote below the July photo of Kylie with pal Stassi, “She looks like old Kylie here idk why,” to which Kylie replied, “I got rid of all my filler.”
But it didn’t last long. By October 2018, she replenished her pout when she shared a selfie thanking a dermatology clinic for “coming up late with a lip job.”
Freshly confronted! Kylie was spotted without makeup or filters in Beverly Hills in April 2020 as she headed out to grab some snacks
How she’s changed: Kylie (pictured right, aged 14) started using lip plumpers when she was 16, but has been adamant in denying it before finally coming to terms with fans in 2015. She was spotted with a huge puffy pout in March 2018 (right).
No mistakes allowed: Kylie looked fabulous in a snap at Paris Fashion Week in January this year (left) but changed her look with a filter for a social media snap which she later posted to her Instagram account (right) .
Facetune fan: Kylie looked sensational in a red floral Dolce and Gabbana dress with matching lipstick for the Kourtney Kardashian/Travis Barker wedding, but shared filtered images of the same outfit
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian’s carefully curated image disintegrated after unfiltered and unflattering paparazzi images revealed her real body while she was on a trip to Mexico in 2017.
After pictures emerged of the reality star in a thong bikini, the mother-of-four admitted she wasn’t in her “best shape” and hadn’t exercised in 12 weeks when the pictures were taken. (She even tried to claim that the photographer altered the images to make them look “much worse.”)
More recently, Kim gave fans a rare, unfiltered glimpse of her pre-glam look on the sixth episode of Hulu’s The Kardashians last year, when she appeared in front of the camera without makeup and in a robe.
The 42-year-old reality star, known for flaunting her polished looks in sultry selfies for millions of Instagram followers, was called out by fans on Reddit as they compared a social snap to professional ones taken at the March 2022 soiree were recorded.
The star’s skin texture looked markedly different from photos posted to Kim’s Instagram grid – fans accused Kim of filtering her face and setting “unrealistic standards” for beauty.
Real vs fake: Kim Kardashian’s carefully curated image unraveled after unfiltered and unflattering paparazzi images revealed her real body while she was on a trip to Mexico in 2017 (left). She is pictured directly on her Instagram in October 2019
Beach days: Kim in April 2017 in Tulum versus a SKIMS swimwear shoot in January 2022
Before and after: Kim gave fans a rare, unfiltered look at her pre-glam look on the sixth episode of Hulu’s The Kardashians last year, when she appeared in front of the camera without makeup and in a robe (just below seen in the show)
Smoothing: Kim can be seen left on the red carpet and straight to her Instagram at last year’s White House Correspondents Association dinner
Filter fanatic: Kim’s real skin texture was revealed in snaps from last year’s Vanity Fair Oscars after-party (left). She is pictured directly in a photo posted to her grid
What a difference: In May 2022, Kim dyed her hair platinum blonde from raven hair in one session for the Met Gala, where she was emulating Marilyn Monroe. She was seen swaying her real hair — sans wigs or extensions — in a TikTok video shared in January 2023
Kourtney Kardashian
Kourtney Kardashian’s bikini body was seen unfiltered while on vacation in France in July 2019 – the star later posted pictures in the same bikini on her Instagram – and looked very different.
Kourtney looked far more perfect in social media snaps she shared of her face-to-camera look she rocked for the Kardashians series – compared to how she looked in the actual show stills.
She also sported a very filtered look in pictures she shared from her civil wedding in LA last year, before heading to Italy for her third lavish ceremony.
The family shared a slew of snaps from the wedding weekend as part of their sponsorship deal with Dolce & Gabbana.
As Web exclusively revealed, the showbiz wedding of the year was sponsored by the luxury fashion house in a multi-million dollar deal.
Global coverage of the reality stars, who are showcasing the brand’s clothing against the idyllic backdrop of the Italian Riviera, will net Dolce & Gabbana millions of pounds worth of free publicity, which has been beset by controversy in recent years.
Dolce & Gabbana has been quick to capitalize on the reality stars, who have given their apparent support for the brand by retweeting pictures of them in their outfits.
Real Kourtney: The mother of three was spotted without a filter while on holiday in Corsica, France in July 2019
Her version: Kourtney shared pictures of the same suit on her Instagram account
Instagram vs reality: She also sported a very filtered look in pictures (pictured) she shared from her civil wedding in LA before heading to Italy for her third lavish ceremony
Glowing: Also, Kourtney looked way more perfect in social media snaps (right) she shared of her face-to-camera look she rocked for the Kardashians series — compared to how she did in the actual ones show stills (left)
Star: Kourtney attended the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards in April 2022 (left) but shared filtered versions of the images online (right)
Kendall Jenner
Kendall Jenner was criticized for a racy snap she shared in 2021. Fans claimed she tried to photoshop herself to look like Barbie.
In the behind-the-scenes picture taken by the model during a SKIMS shoot, she wears a red bra and panty set – with her lithe supermodel proportions appearing exaggerated.
In 2019, Kendall opened up about the reality of suffering from adult acne while emphasizing the importance of speaking out about blemishes that affect adults just days after she faced backlash for her Proactiv MD commercial.
The star stepped out on the red carpet in 2018 with visible pimples on her skin – to which fans applauded.
Model Kendall, 27, may be more subtle about her filters but is no stranger to using them.
She also used a heavy filter to share images from the 2022 Met Gala, where she stunned in a black Prada dress.
Real or not? Kendall Jenner was criticized for a racy snap she shared in 2021. Fans claimed she tried to photoshop herself to look like Barbie
Getting through: Kendall, pictured in January 2018, confessed to being a model which made acne more stressful
A closer look: Kendall seen with her facial structure; The photo was taken on January 7, 2018 at the Golden Globes
Posing: She also used a heavy filter to share pics from this year’s Met Gala, where she stunned in a black Prada dress