Martha Stewart Shuts Down Botox, Plastic Surgery Rumors Around Her 'Sports Illustrated Swimsuit' Cover

Martha Stewart just got real about Botox, Photoshop and what it took to be a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover star

Nina Westervelt/Variety via Getty
Nina Westervelt/Variety via Getty

Martha Stewart has lots to say to those criticizing her groundbreaking Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover.

The lifestyle icon recently opened up to Variety and on The Martha Stewart Podcast about how she prepped for the now-iconic photo shoot, whether or not she's had fillers and the use of Photoshop.

The 81-year-old told Variety that "every now and then, there are certain fillers that I can do for a little line here or there, but I hate Botox. It's a weird thing for me. I really and truly don't do a lot."

She doubled down on the statement on her podcast, adding, "When I get comments about 'She better stop using Botox,' I don't use Botox except a little bit in my neck, I hate Botox."

When asked, Stewart added, "I've had absolutely no plastic surgery whatsoever."

Related:Martha Stewart Threw 'Modesty Out the Window' for Sultry 'Sports Illustrated Swimsuit' Cover (Exclusive)

Ruven Afanador/ SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
Ruven Afanador/ SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Stewart, who jetted to the Dominican Republic to take her cover image and several other photos featured in her spread, told Variety that naysayers are suggesting "the pictures are over-retouched. But they're not. They are incredibly accurate pictures. I was really pleased that there was not much airbrushing."

The domestic doyenne spent two months preparing for the monumental moment. As she told Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editor-in-chief MJ Day, when she got the call to do the shoot, she started asking herself, "What do I have to do to make sure I look good? I mean, there's a little flab here and a little wrinkle there; you have to make sure you take care of all that."

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Stewart continued, "I really had to get on the exercise. I always exercise, but I really went to Pilates three or four times a week. I ate a lot of salads, a lot of green juice for two months, no drinks at all, no wine, no drinks, nothing. I had my regular facials, I even got a spray tan which I never do ... I waxed my whole body." She also continued her sun care regimen, using hats and sunblock on the regular.

"What I'm proud, of" she added, "is [that] I've taken care of myself, I actually pay attention to my good health."

Related:How Martha Stewart Prepared to Pose on the Cover of 'Sports Illustrated Swimsuit' at Age 81

That's her mantra, she added to Day. "I think if you look good, you feel good ... you're healthy, and it shows. It shows in the glistening skin, in the pink cheeks, in the nice hair, everything. You can't be like that unless you've worked at it, at least in terms of diet and exercise and seeing the right doctors, making sure you're a healthy person."

On her podcast, Steward said she hopes her shoot is an inspiration for women of all generations to age confidently, and encourages "other women who are getting on, you know, getting older ... you start getting old the day you're born but you don't have to show it."

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