Evergreen Reads to Empower Your Mind
The Standard Sister
Issue no.3
The High Standards Issue
Jan 17, 2025
©2019 Editions de la Martiniere, une marque de la Societe EDLM
Elevate Your Standards
In a world that’s constantly changing, where we’re overwhelmed by trends yet see few truly revolutionary innovations (aside from AI, perhaps), it is our mission to be a space that encourages you to pause, reflect, and rethink the standards we hold in every corner of our lives.
We believe that understanding the depth of things—their history, how they’re made, where they come from—offers us the invaluable opportunity to reconsider and reevaluate.
This reflection isn’t just a luxury, but an essential practice that enriches us all. And in The Standard Sister world, it’s especially important for every woman.
This issue is dedicated to those everyday standards—things we all know, things we use, and things we often engage with on autopilot. But what if, after reading, you reconsidered and maybe even elevated those standards?
If you find this uplifting, please share this link with a woman you love.
Image from Pinterest
Feng Shui Your Bedroom
Sometimes, the challenges of ever-changing life and relationships leave us feeling stressed, exhausted, and drained. Our sleep is far from “beauty sleep,” and instead of waking up recharged, we struggle to get out of bed. We crave change but feel too overwhelmed by day-to-day demands to afford ourselves a weekend off, a retreat, or even the time to read a whole book. It might just be the right moment to look eastward for ancient (and simple) wisdom.
Feng Shui—meaning "wind" (feng) and "water" (shui)—is an ancient Chinese practice rooted in Taoist philosophy that dates back over 3,000 years. This timeless approach understands that everything in the universe is connected through energy—Chi—and that balancing and harmonizing this energy in our spaces can enhance our well-being, prosperity, and sense of harmony.
Feng Shui philosophy emphasizes the spaces most connected to our well-being: the bedroom and the office. The bedroom, in particular, is the heart of rest and recharging—a crucial part of our daily routine that allows our bodies to function as we expect them to. This makes it the perfect starting point for cultivating positive energy. Small changes can lead to big shifts in how you sleep, how you begin your day, how you feel, and how you connect with yourself and others.
One example, mentioned by Provincial Home Living, is to position your bed so you can see the door but avoid placing it directly in line with it. This arrangement creates a sense of safety and control, promoting better relaxation and deeper sleep.
Balance and symmetry are also essential in Feng Shui. Use paired items, such as two bedside tables or matching lamps, to symbolize harmony and equality. For single ladies, this practice can invite balance into future partnerships.
Incorporating the five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal, and water—can also help balance energy in your bedroom. For instance, wooden furniture, warm candlelight, or earthy tones can create an inviting and calming atmosphere.
By aligning your space with intentionality, you might find your sleep improving, your mind clearing, and your relationships deepening. To make a big difference, you only need to start small—create a space that nurtures your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
We believe that meaningful transformations begin with the details. When you raise the standards of your surroundings, you elevate the standards of your life.
Skin(do you)Care?
The skincare buzz of recent years began as an exciting trend, offering endless ways for women to care for their skin. But over time, it has become overwhelming, with a flood of brands and recommendations: creams, serums, patches, treatments, injections, active ingredients, gold masks, sheet masks, natural masks, gua sha tools, home peeling devices, laser gadgets, face taping—and trends that seem to change every day!
Esquire Magazine Cover designed by George Lois for March 1965
Many of us feel lost, unsure of where to start and which products are genuinely effective versus those hyped by influencers. We scroll through hour-long skincare routines of different women while our wrinkles keep working overtime.
Whether your routine takes two hours or you barely have time for a face wash, one thing is key: understanding how our skin is structured and starting with the basics.
Your skin’s layers:
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Stratum corneum: The outer layer of dead skin cells
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Epidermis: Living skin cells, containing keratin and melanin
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Dermis: The middle layer, containing collagen and elastin
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Subcutis: The fatty layer beneath
If your skin isn't clean and is covered with remnants of dead skin cells, no cream will work as it should. That's why the first step (after removing makeup) should always be washing your face with a good cleanser, followed by glycolic acid.
What’s glycolic acid?
Glycolic acid, a type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) derived from sugarcane, works by exfoliating the top layers of dead skin cells. It’s considered one of the most powerful yet gentle exfoliants you can use at home. Once your skin is clean and exfoliated, any serum or moisturizer you apply will penetrate far more effectively. Since it's powerful, always patch-test first.
For an advanced guide on active ingredients tailored to specific skin concerns, check out The Thread's skincare article for a simple and comprehensive list.
Your skin regenerates every 27 days, but as we all know in life- the sooner the better.
70's Bedroom Decor (Image by Pinterest)
High Content Standards
Opinion- by The Standard Sister
Some have already made the decision to cut off the social media loop, tired of being bombarded by endless streams of content that don’t serve them. But for those of us who are still connected (Hi Everyone!), we can choose a different path. It’s time to embrace something better—something that benefits our growth, boosts our self-esteem, and still gives us that cool, fresh, and chic experience.
Image by Shutterstock Paris Hilton out and about, London, Britain 2015
We can all agree that consuming positive content reduces stress and increases happiness. On the flip side, mindless scrolling has been linked to feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and judgment. Sometimes, we just need a break—a distraction from ourselves and our lives. Not everything we consume has to be about growth or improvement; guilty pleasures are important too! But here’s the catch: consuming empty content as a form of guilty pleasure can negatively impact the quality of our non-guilty pleasure moments. And oh, sister, we do love to scroll.
But what if we could take control (or die trying) of our content consumption in a way that truly enhances our lives? If we can be more intentional about what we consume (not all the time, but most of the time), we can actively shape our growth and development without even noticing. We can choose to engage with content that is not only beautiful and chic but also intellectually stimulating—content that challenges our thinking and encourages us to act in ways that align with our values. And that’s probably not about watching a post of someone drinking coffee or unboxing a Louis Vuitton bag.
The Standard Sister is all about finding content that makes us think and opens our minds to new knowledge—things we didn’t even think about before. By doing so, it pushes us to elevate our standards. And it’s beautifully delivered.
Remember: high standards are the only standards. Consuming content thoughtfully is the first step toward a more fulfilled, empowered, and interesting life. So, the next time you pick up your phone and look at your favorite influencer's profile, ask yourself: Is this content helping me grow? And if not, you know where to find me: www.thestandardSister.com .
Salty Choices
Have you ever stopped to consider the type of salt you're using—and why there are so many different varieties? Understanding the various salts and their mineral content can not only enhance your cooking but also improve your health.
At its core, salt is sodium chloride—an ionic compound composed of sodium and chlorine in a 1:1 ratio. But where the magic happens is in the minerals it contains. The key differences between salts lie in their source, how they’re processed, and the unique texture they bring to your dishes.
Types of Salt and What’s Inside
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Table Salt: The most common, but also the most refined. Most of the beneficial minerals are stripped away, leaving mainly sodium chloride. Some versions are iodized, which supports thyroid health, but in terms of minerals, it's pretty basic.
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Sea Salt: Harvested from evaporated seawater, this salt retains a variety of natural minerals like magnesium, potassium, and calcium, lending it a more complex flavor.
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Himalayan Pink Salt: Not just visually appealing, this salt is packed with iron, magnesium, and potassium, and has a naturally sweet flavor.
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Celtic Sea Salt: Sourced from the coast of France, this grayish, moist salt is particularly rich in magnesium.
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Fleur de Sel: A premium, delicate sea salt harvested from the surface of salt ponds. It's rich in minerals like calcium and magnesium.
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Kosher Salt: A kitchen classic, especially in Jewish cooking. It has large, flaky crystals that make it easy to pinch and sprinkle, but it doesn’t offer as much in terms of minerals compared to others.
Why Mineral-Rich Salts Are Worth the Hype
These salts aren’t just about adding flavor—they’re rich in essential minerals:
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Magnesium: Supports muscle function and helps regulate blood pressure.
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Potassium: Keeps your heart happy and helps maintain fluid balance.
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Calcium: Contributes to strong bones and muscle function.
While these minerals are found in trace amounts, regularly using a variety of salts can help you increase your intake.
This example of reevaluating and rediscovering something seemingly ordinary was chosen to demonstrate how small, intentional changes can elevate your standards of living and make life more refined. So, the next time you're about to make a margarita, consider the glass, the liquor, and the salt for garnish. Every detail matters.
