Martha Stewart: The secret behind her youthful looks as she covers Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

Martha Stewart has broken the internet once again as she became the oldest woman to feature on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit on Monday.

After wowing fans with her viral ‘thirst trap’ selfies in recent years, the 81-year-old has now showed off her physique for the special shoot which sees her donning 10 different swimsuits that put her body on full display.

The businesswoman – who called posing for the magazine, which hits newsstands on May 18, at her age ‘historic’ – can be be standing in red one-piece with a plunging neckline, while another featured the lifestyle guru smiling towards the camera in a white bathing suit and an orange shawl.

A different photo showed Martha laying across the beach in a tan, ruffled swimsuit with an over-sized straw hat, while a fourth featured the TV personality in the water while wearing a silver, zip-up bathing suit and enormous white sunglasses.

The lifestyle guru has become famous for her ‘thirst trap’ snaps on social media, with fans praising her youthful appearance

The Martha Stewart Living mogul was photographed by Ruven Afanador in the Punta Cana area of the Dominican Republic.

Over the years, the television personality has given some insights into the products and procedures she uses to maintain her flawless skin.

From luxury brands such as Clé de Peau to regular facials at New York-based spa Mario Badescu, Martha has been open about the secrets to her youthful visage.

Meanwhile, she also credits daily Pilates classes, a ‘great diet’, and a focus on ‘successful living’ for keeping her her figure cover girl ready.

The longtime equestrian also credits horse-riding for keeping her active, while she has spoken often about not smoking and only drinking little amounts of alcohol as a way to keep healthy.

Speaking on the Today show on Monday morning, the star admitted doing the shoot in her 80s had been a ‘challenge’ for her, but she felt like she ‘met the challenge.’

‘For me, it is a testament to good living,’ she stated. ‘I think that all of us should think about good living, successful living, and not about aging. The whole aging thing is so boring.’

Here, FEMAIL reveals the exact line-up of products in Martha’s skincare routine and examines the fitness practices she has used to maintain her ageless appearance.

Always keeping active: Martha uses her love of horseback riding and Pilates to keep fit

The successful businesswoman has maintained her figure over the years through regular exercise

She credits horse-riding for being one of the key ways she stays in shape

On a typical day over the years, the star likes to kick off her mornings with a 20-minute treadmill workout 

Speaking on the Today show about what she did to prepare for her swimsuit shoot, Martha insisted that she didn’t ‘starve’ herself for the historic spread.

However, the star did cut back on certain food items in the months leading up to her photoshoot.  ‘I didn’t starve myself, but I didn’t eat any bread or pasta for a couple months,’ she explained.

Martha credits her parents for raising her to love being active – pictured with her mother

Martha then praised the power of Pilates and spoke about how she’s been focused on living a ‘clean life’

She explained: ‘I went to Pilates every other day… I live a clean life anyway. Good diet and good exercise and healthy skin care and all of that stuff.’

Indeed, the star gave fans a full breakdown of her fitness routine in a 2021 blog post as she revealed her upbringing played a large part in for love for staying active.

‘Good health, vibrant energy, clear thinking: That’s what I strive for every day. And I always have,’ she wrote. ‘My parents taught me and my siblings positive habits early on, encouraging daily exercise (we walked and rode our bikes, instead of being driven), nutritious eating (no fast food), and proper hygiene for hair and skin. I passed these practices on to my daughter, who now does the same with my grandchildren.’

Opening up about her daily routine, she continued: ‘To feel my best no matter how busy I am, I exercise each morning. Before the pandemic, I worked with a yoga teacher and a trainer, but now I do it alone—and I admit it’s been difficult. 

‘Getting up early to start the day in an empty gym is never fun. (I’m lucky to have one at home, equipped with weights and the latest machines.) But after a glass of green juice and a cappuccino, I find it’s where I can get my mind in the right place for the day ahead.’

Martha previously posed nude on the cover of Spy magazine in 1996

On a typical day, the star might kick off her mornings with a 20-minute treadmill workout or by practicing yoga.

She previously wrote on her blog: ‘I love practicing yoga to keep my muscles long, limber, and flexible and I also work out at least three times a week with my trainer, Mary Tedesco, who shows up bright and early at the farm.’

The star has often admitted that she often lack motivation but insists it is always worth pushing through.  

‘There are some mornings when I don’t feel like exercising, but I do it anyway, and I’m so glad afterward. I always feel refreshed and energized,’ she told blog readers.. 

In the article, she also revealed that her gym was equipped with a Peloton bike, hand weights, exercise balls, a Tonal system (a touchscreen digital weight apparatus) and a DB Method squat machine.

Since the time of that blog post, the lifestyle guru has continued to show her love for horseback riding as well as cycling and taking walks.

After fans asked the star to share her beauty secrets in an Instagram post in April 2023, Martha responded: ‘Eating very well. Pilates three times a week. Horseback ride once a week. No smoking. Little drinking. Green juice daily.’

Sticking to the routine: The dedication to her skincare routine and love for dermatologists has resulted in her ageless appearance

Martha credits her glowing complexion to great dermatologists and being loyal to key beauty products

Some fans claim that Martha (pictured left in 2001 at age 59) has been ageing backwards in recent years

Fans have been going wild for Martha’s flawless complexion in recent years, with many claiming that the star is ageing in reverse. 

Martha has long been a devoted client at Mario Badescu and has waxed lyrical about the brand’s products.

And when she’s not using Mario Badescu products, she gets facials from one of the brand’s skincare experts who has been helping Martha have a glowing complexion for the ‘last 40 years.’

But which formulas from the company’s extensive line-up does Martha rely on most?

Speaking to DailyMail.com, a spokesperson for the lifestyle guru revealed that she uses a host of budget-friendly products from Mario every day.

The TV personality uses the brand’s Vitamin C serum ($45), Super Peptide serum ($45), Vitamin C cream ($30), and Revitalin night cream ($40).

A number of her favorite products include Vitamin C, which is known for its collagen-boosting and brightening abilities that help keep her looking youthful.

While Mario Badescu’s price points may well be attainable for many of Martha’s fans – she also has a host of much more pricey products in her line-up that will leave even the wealthiest eye watering.

Indeed, Martha utilizes several products from luxury beauty brand Clé de Peau, including the wildly expensive $810 La Crème.

She also adds in the brand’s $405 Serum to get that flawless no-filter filter look – and she protects her face with the comparatively cheap $55 Alastin sunscreen.

The next brand Martha can’t live without is the luxury Clé de Peau.

Lastly, Martha uses her very own CBD serum, which is from the skincare line she is working on with renowned dermatologist Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali.

‘I have never had plastic surgery,’ Martha previously declared to The New York Times. ‘You can absolutely say that. No knife on my face, neck or back.’

Her New York City dermatologist, Dr. Daniel Belkin, subsequently confirmed that Martha receives ‘non- or minimally invasive’ procedures, along with ‘thoughtful and conservative’ injections approximately ‘twice a year.’

Meanwhile, the star also credit her lifestyle for playing a key part in her enviable glow. 

Balanced living: The keen gardener focuses on cooking homegrown goods, cutting down her alcohol intake for better wellbeing

Despite what how it appears on her social media posts, Martha says she did small amounts of alcohol

Thanks to her love of gardening not only provides a good workout for the star, but allows her to enjoy meals using homegrown ingredients

In her 2021 blog post, Martha claimed that ‘balanced eating’ was an essential part of her wellness routine.  

‘I’ve focused on growing food, gardening, and cooking delicious meals,’ she wrote. ‘I drink lots of water and avoid junk (I don’t keep snacks in the house).’

The star even claimed that she has ‘nearly stopped dining out’ after years in which was she do ‘almost every night’, which resulted in weight loss that ‘delighted’ her doctors.

Thanks to her love of gardening (which also provides a good workout for the star), Martha is able to enjoy meals using homegrown ingredients.

When it comes to making a salad, Martha ‘washes greens thoroughly and dries them completely in a spinner. She uses about one-and-a-half cups, or a generous handful, of lettuces per person.’

The cooking lover often makes her own vinaigrette which she also drizzles over dishes like rice pilaf, steamed green beans, and mains such as baked chicken or fish. 

Meanwhile, the star loves to make green juice that is a ‘combination of fruits and vegetables’ which change depending on what she has growing or has on hand.

In addition, Martha chooses to drink less alcohol and doesn’t smoke, despite her previous business collaborations with rap star and marijuana aficionado Snoop Dogg.

Elsewhere, the lifestyle guru keeps her mind active, too, with games, crossword puzzles.

She wrote: ‘To stay mentally sharp, I do the New York Times crossword puzzle on my iPad, play cards, and try to learn something new and challenging as often as I can. I encourage you to find healthy activities that you love, too—ones you can enjoy for years to come.’