'My days are extremely busy. Right now, I’m focusing on expanding the Martha Stewart business internationally, which takes a lot of time, effort, concentration, and a lot of travel. As a result, I’ve been learning how to cope with long trips and the devastation that long airplane rides wreak on my skin and body. I don’t know how pilots and flight attendants do it. So there’s that, and gardening season is just about to start, so I’ve been ordering all of my plants and seeds and getting ready to plant three gardens in Bedford and East Hampton, New York, and Maine. Even with everything else going on, I still like to take care of those. I manage it all—I woman it!

For me, everything I do is personal expression. I’m always busy working on my own projects…I got into redecorating mode this year—I don’t know why. So I’ve been painting a room, building a porch...stuff like that. You know—I live on a farm, and I have animals and plants. They’re my obligations, and I like all that. I think, even when you're busy, that you should always continue to learn as much as you can about business and dealing with people. That’s very important—and try to stay as passionate as you can about your good idea. Be excited about what you’re doing.

SKINCARE



I really believe in cleaning your skin well, every day. I never go to bed with my makeup on...ever. You just don’t do that. I wipe everything away with Johnson’s Baby Oil and a warm washcloth, so I wake up with a fresh, clean face. I get up early—this morning I was up at 3:30am. So I’ll get out of bed and put on a mask—either the Yon-Ka Gommage 305, the Mario Badescu Super Collagen Mask, or the Mario Badescu Azulene Calming Mask—before I take my shower. I use the A.H.A Botanical Body Soap or the Azulene Body Soap from Mario Badescu. I also use Susan Ciminelli’s Cleansing Milk. Then I’ll use a toner— La Mer's The Mist or AmorePacific's Treatment Toner are both good ones. Mario Badescu’s Facial Spray With Aloe, Herbs, & Rosewater is nice as well, but really, I’ll use whatever mist I have around.

I don’t think that once you have lines or wrinkles you’re going to be able to erase them—except maybe a little bit of a needle here and there. I don’t mind that because I think it makes a big difference if it’s done beautifully. I’m totally up to date on all those things, and I talk to doctors all the time on my radio show. You have to find the artist-doctor. I’ve gone to Dr. Orentreich since I was in college just as my dermatologist. But I’m not into Botox though—not yet.

You can help prevent those lines or make them less noticeable, I do think that. I use whatever I can to be proactive—like SkinCeuticals Phyto C E Ferulic. I don’t know why, but I just love it. Clé de Peau Beauté Intensive Eye Contour Cream is good under my makeup. Then after all of those things go on, I put on a SPF, like La Mer's The Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Daily UV Protecting Fluid or Clé de Peau Beauté's UV Protection Cream. The Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen is great or even the La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX. La Roche, I found one time in St. Barth's many, many years ago, and I’ve been using it ever since because it’s French.

HAIR



I have to wash my hair a lot, so I want to use good shampoos. I notice the difference immediately if I use something that’s inferior. Yesterday I used a bad shampoo and my hair looked horrible. When I use a good shampoo and a good conditioner my hair looks OK, even if it’s not blow-dried or anything.

Fredric [Fekkai] was my first serious hair dresser, so I started using his products a long time ago. I alternate his Technician Color Care Shampoo with Shu Uemura shampoo, too. They are all great. So I use those, conditioners, and sometimes masks on my hair, just to keep it in good shape. I like to make sure it’s strong and doesn’t split or break—I just can’t put up with that stuff.

MAKEUP



I like to start with a tinted moisturizer—the AmorePacific Moisture Bound Tinted Treatment Moisturizer or Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer…something that has a little more SPF in it. I like something that evens out my skintone. Then a little blush or bronzer with a big brush, and I’m about ready to go. My Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Golden Light s is very well used. I can't have anything with sparkle. Luminescence is OK, it’s just that sparkly stuff I don’t really care about. The Tom Ford Cheek Color Blush in Flush on the apples of your cheeks is nice. I love the Tom Ford line—his stuff is sturdy, so it doesn't break when you drop it. You know, you spend $50 on something, and you don't want it to break if it falls in the sink. I also have the Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Golden Mink that I use on my brow bone.

Lancôme Les Sourcils Définis in 101 Blonde brow expert is good for your brow, or I’ll also use it over my eye. I have one white portion in my brow that's been that way since I was 19, so I always fill that in. As for lashes, any Maybelline mascara is good. I don’t like stuff that doesn’t come off easily at night. If I’m going swimming, I don’t put it on. For lipstick, I like a lip liner in very neutral tone and a gloss and a little bit of color. Tom Ford Lip Color in Sable Smoke and Casablanca are good.

My favorite eye liner is a T. LeClerc one that they don’t make anymore. My stick is seven years old. I had about 10 when I first started my daily TV show, and I just add water and use a tiny little brush to line the top of the eye and under the lash. If I wear it, I don’t feel like I need mascara. They really need to start making that again.”

—as told to ITG

Martha Stewart photographed by Emily Weiss on February 24, 2015 in New York. The latest issue of Martha Stewart Living and her new cookbook, Clean Slate, are available now.

Read more of The Top Shelf series, including Arianna Huffington, Jenna Lyons, and Cindy Crawford, right here.