Lululemon is brilliant. Since their yoga pants makes all butts look better and tummy flatter, women wear them daily even when they are not working out. So that is why I find the Camelflage brilliant.

The best part though is when you actually workout in it, you don’t have to worry about your underwear riding up…..

Having the piece of mind of looking good and your pants not looking too tight is so worth it.

Yup Camelflage falls into the category that”I love it so much goneshopping.ca has to carry it” category.

With fall (and school) fast approaching we’re focusing on the always challenging topic of lunch – as in what to put it in and what to put in it – this week. And we’re starting with a trio of soft, fun lunch bags:

Lunchbugs from Mimi the Sardine have a high cuteness and eco-friendly quotient. These zippered, purse-styled bags are made of water-based acrylic coated organic cotton that’s waterproof. The soft handles make them easy for little ones to carry and we love that they meet European Oeko-Tex standards for toxicity. Lunchbugs are big enough to fit a preschool-sized lunch but water bottles will have to be toted separately. We have to admit we wouldn’t mind snagging one of these as a toiletries bag:www.bynature.ca

Fill Your Own’s Zero-Waste Lunch Kits make litterless lunches easier. Featuring designs from Canadian artists, the kits include a matching stainless steel water bottle, a lunch bag that’s Oeko-Tex100 rPET (aka made from recycled plastic water bottles) and two stainless steel food containers. This Vancouver company lets you buy the whole set or mix and match. We already like their water bottles and their small lunch bags, which fasten with a nickel-free snap, are the perfect size for a pint-sized feast and are also handy for toting about tiny treasures. The stainless steel containers have a twist on lid and come in two handy sizes for snacks. The small size is perfect for the under five set but if you really want to take matching to the next level you can get the same set size large for yourself: www.fillyourown.ca

RuMe Jr bags look like mini shopping bags, come in bright colours and are bedecked with everything from elephants to owls. At almost a foot square they work as large lunch bags or kid-sized reusable bags. And although they can hold up to 30 lbs, they also roll up super small. We love how RuMe bags multi task – pop one into your diaper bag or your tot’s daycare bag for all those treasures one accumulates throughout the day or use them as adult lunch bags or mini totes:goneshopping.ca

We love that all these choices are machine washable, which helps keep nasty bacteria at bay and generally makes life easier.

Looking for more lunch box ideas? Our editor and some of our favourite shops weighed in on their faves on funchico.com.

Check out the Pack This pads. So handy for those family trips or overnight weekends.

Thanks to one of our loyal clients that sent us a photo of the night before their big European trip.

Inspired by her photo, here are some suggestions for the travel fashionista:

1) Pack This pad

2) RuMe baggies – from snacks to holding different currencies during your travel.

3) RuMe All – everyone that is on a cruise ship seems to want this.  I think is because there is shopping at every port.

4) Klean Kanteen – keep hydrated at all times.

5) Quash – all natural hand sanitizer. small enough you can bring it on the plane.

6) Lovell Travel bag - travel in style with your knick knacks

CleanWell is all natural and non-toxic. It is made from rapidly renewable botanical sources and is part of a sustainable solution.

Check out the collection at www.goneshoppoing.ca

Yoda, R2-D2, Storm Troopers joins forces with Darth Vader, Captain Rex and C-3PO.

So chic and practical.

Carmindy, makeup and makeover pro, WHAT NOT TO WEAR’s resident expert considers the mascara as one of her addiction. She loves the fact that ” it doesn’t smudge and you don’t need a chisel to take it off.”

I have been using these bags for a year and I still receive compliments every time I am at the grocery store.

NRDC wants decades-old regulations finalized

By Jon Hood
ConsumerAffairs.com

July 31, 2010

The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) says in a lawsuit that that so-called “antibacterial” soaps contain toxic chemicals that put consumers at risk, and that the Food and Drug Administration has failed to move forward on a decades-old proposal to regulate them.

The suit, filed this week in New York, says that fully 76 percent of hand soaps contain the chemicals triclosan or triclocarbon, a result based on testing of 395 kinds of soap. The complaint also cites a recent study by the U.S. Center for Disease Control that found “residues of triclosan in 75 percent of Americans over the age of 6.”

The suit accuses the FDA of failing to effectively regulate the chemicals, pointing out that the department proposed banning them from consumers soaps in 1978. Unless and until the 32-year-old rule is finalized, the NRDC says, the chemicals “can be widely used with no regulatory oversight.”

“As a result of the FDA’s lengthy delay, consumers remain exposed to triclosan and triclocarban through a variety of over-the-counter drug products, such as antimicrobial hand soaps, that proliferate on the market,” the complaint says.

Number of risks

The chemicals can cause a number of undesirable side effects, including damage to reproductive organs and lower levels of sperm and thyroid hormone. The latter can result in a number of additional problems, including reduced intelligence, decreased memory and learning disabilities.

In addition to the risks, the NRDC says that antibacterial soaps are no more effective than the standard variety.

“Washing your hands with so-called antibacterial soap containing triclosan or triclocarban actually does nothing different than using regular soap and water,” NRDC senior scientist Jennifer Sass said in a statement. “Using soap containing these chemicals does not provide an additional benefit as consumers might think, but instead actually comes with potential health risks.”

Indeed, the NRDC says that, in April, the FDA admitted that antibacterial soaps offer no additional protection, and also “also expressed concern about the development of antibiotic resistance from using antibacterial products and about triclosan’s potential long-term health effects.”

Antibiotic resistance — the notion that bacteria find ways around “antibacterial” soaps by developing into new, more potent strains — is the subject of ongoing debate. A 2007 study by researchers at the University of Michigan showed such resistance during in-house trials, but that result wasn’t replicated in other settings. The study did, however, confirm the notion that standard-issue soap kills just as many germs as its antibacterial counterparts, based on skin testing of 238 families who used both types for a year.

The NRDC says it has twice met with FDA officials about the issue, without success. It asks the court to order the agency to finalize the 1978 regulations within 90 days.

Then came along nourishtea. Great packaging, high quality and ethical ( organic, fair trade, Kosher)  How can I resist?????

So check out the nourishtea boutique at goneshopping.ca and happy shopping.

My favourite? Igloo ( peppermint tea), Green Mao Jian,  Sweet Berry Breeze and Matcha – just to name a few.