Martha Stewart knows exactly what a suggestive Instagram caption can do. On Monday, she let one sit for hours before explaining the joke.
The 85-year-old lifestyle mogul posted a close-up selfie on September 14 with glossy nude-colored lips and the line, “I’ve been thinking about releasing my nudes.” The post immediately drew reactions from followers and celebrities, according to PEOPLE.
Stewart was not announcing a collection of nude photographs. She returned later with the reveal that the “nudes” were forthcoming lip serums from Elm Biosciences, the skincare company she co-founded with dermatologist Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali.
Stewart has spent the past several years building an unexpected second reputation alongside the cookbooks, gardens and television shows and at 85 she was able to use that history to disguise a beauty-product teaser as something considerably more provocative.
The ‘Nudes’ Turned Out to Be Lip Serums
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Stewart’s original image gave away one clue. Rather than showing much of her outfit or surroundings, the photograph centered on her face as she puckered glossy, neutral-colored lips toward the camera.
Hours later, she made the wordplay explicit. In a follow-up video, Stewart applied a lip product before explaining that her “nudes” were a marketing “ploy” for lip serums designed to keep lips soft and glossy. The clip ended with Elm Biosciences branding.
The company is still relatively new. Stewart and Bhanusali officially launched Elm Biosciences in September 2025 after years of development, initially introducing the A3O Elemental Serum and Inner Dose Daily Skin Supplement.
Her Followers Were Ready to Take the Caption Literally
For the hours before Stewart explained herself, plenty of people were willing to entertain the first interpretation. Tyler Cameron told her she would “set the world on fire,” while Barbara Corcoran offered to join in if Stewart went through with it.
Other commenters spotted the beauty angle almost immediately. Some guessed that “nudes” could mean lipstick or another lip product, an interpretation that became considerably more convincing once attention turned to the glossy shade Stewart was wearing in the photo.
Martha’s Thirst-Trap Era Started Long Before This Campaign
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The new selfie fits a pattern Stewart has been playing with for years. A poolside photograph she posted from East Hampton in July 2020 became one of her best-known social-media images and helped turn “Martha Stewart thirst trap” into a recurring headline.
She took that image further in 2023 when she appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit at 81. Stewart became the publication’s oldest cover model, and her own website later recalled that she approached the shoot as another chance to try something new rather than treating her age as a reason to turn it down.
The photos have continued. Stewart marked the period around her 85th birthday in August with another swimsuit image, this time while relaxing in a hot tub in Maine, before returning in September with the pouty close-up that launched the “nudes” joke.