AN ALL-STAR TEAM
Here are five things that you should know about Marissa and Paul:

1. Everyone, including his wife, calls Paul “Donks,” a derivative of his last name. So forget what you just read. Here are four things you should know about Marissa and Donks.
1. They first met (briefly) at Acadia University, where they were both varsity athletes.
2. The two reconnected years later at an Argonauts-Alouettes game. The Argos lost, and Marissa, a Montréal native, rubbed it in Donks’ (an Argos fan) face. But hey, she also gave him her number, so all was forgiven.
3. Marissa and Donks got hitched in Jamaica two and a half years ago. Unfortunately, their honeymoon suite was next to her parents’ room.
4. Despite their competitive nature, the two make a perfect team. “I couldn’t have found a better partner,“ says Donks. “We joke that she’s the general manager and I’m the coach.”

So that’s Marissa and Donks in a nutshell. The question is, where do you take a super-sporty, beach-loving couple who never really had a proper honeymoon? Marlin Travel (see “Operation: Destination,” below) knew just the spot: Club Med Turkoise.

Style notes: This winter, say goodbye to the big, fat parkas of years past. These days there’s no need to sacrifice style for warmth. Layer up with cozy separates instead. Paul’s finely woven houndstooth wool sweater provides extra insulation without adding bulk. Worn atop her paisley cowl neck knit, Marissa’s brown belt accentuates her long torso and adds definition to her tiny waist, while her wide-leg jeans balance her shapely hips and elongate her legs. Clothing by Buffalo David Bitton; belt by Esprit. Available at The Bay.

HANDMADE HAIR
For the team of experts at Navigatespace, an urban hair and wellness salon in Toronto, it is as much about what they don’t do as what they do. They don’t upsell. They don’t push unnecessary work. Instead, excellence is their gimmick. Owner and artistic director John Taccone and associate director Brienne Lust pride themselves on their unique craftsman-style approach, by which they strive to create handmade hair for each individual client.
In Marissa’s case, that meant turning away from old school full-foil highlights in favour of a less-is-more approach known as “push.” Push involves layering colours in specific areas. Lust delicately applied a soft caramel tone overtop a cooler brown in appropriate measure to Marissa’s naturally shiny hair. Lust’s masterful—and virtually undetectable—workmanship left Marissa with balanced colour that looked as though she had grown it herself.
But her stay in the chair wasn’t over just yet. Marissa’s long hair was out of shape and didn’t complement her new colour. Isolating the back of her head, Taccone quietly cut away the dead weight to allow her formerly heavy locks to move and breathe.
Donks’ hair needed a total recalibration: It was long where it needed to be short, and short where it shouldn’t be at all. Lust inserted a flash of blond, and Taccone freshened up Donks’ cut to better suit his head’s natural shape. Donks left the salon looking sharp, trendy and clearly happy with his new do, doling out hugs and smiles to all.

AS EASY AS 1-2-3
Fresh from the salon, Marissa and Donks headed over to The Bay to see Clinique expert Jean Liu to get custom-fit with products designed for their individual skin care needs. Using the dermatologist- developed Clinique computer, Liu determined that Marissa and Donks both have Type III skin, meaning their skin is naturally oily. (On the plus side, oilier skin doesn’t line as easily.) Based on that diagnosis, Liu personalized simple three-step skin care programs for each of them using Clinique allergy-tested and 100 percent fragrance-free products.
Clinically formulated cleansing is how great skin starts. Bearing that in mind, Liu kicked off Donks’ routine with Clinique Skin Supplies For Men Liquid Face Wash Extra-Strength. For Marissa, Liu prescribed Liquid Facial Soap for oily skin, which cleanses without stripping protective lipids and preps skin for Step 2: exfoliation.
Exfoliation is the engine of skin renewal, which is why Liu included Clinique Skin Supplies For Men Scruffing Lotion 3.5 and Clarifying Lotion 3 in their respective regimens. Both products slough off dead skin cells to reveal more radiant skin.
Final step? Moisturizing. Donks’ M Protect SPF 21 not only provides essential hydration, but also UV protection, while Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel helps Marissa’s skin maintain an optimal moisture balance.

GET PROTECTED
Before Marissa and Donks hit the beach, Liu made sure they were prepared. It’s easy to make the mistake of letting suncare slide when you tan as easily as these two do, but “Proper sun protection is the best way to keep skin looking healthy,” says Liu. She recommended Marissa and Donks use UV-Response SPF 30 For Face and Body Spray SPF 30, both of which are oil-free and water-resistant. Since old habits die hard, Liu also suggested the couple pack some After-Sun Rescue Balm. The ultra-moisturizing body balm calms overexposed skin and provides targeted post-sun “repair” to stop today’s exposure from becoming tomorrow’s damage. clinique.ca

HAPPY & BRIGHT
Clinique expert Jean Liu wanted to create a happy and bright look for Marissa to help her beat the winter blahs. The result was truly stunning and, best of all, easy to do. With some great tips from Clinique and a few additions to her makeup kit, Marissa was ready to face the season. Check out her new bag of tricks:

• Superbalanced Makeup in Cream Chamois The oil-free formula not only provides a silky, natural finish, but also moisturizes and absorbs oil when and where needed—a boon for Marissa’s Type III skin. Tip: Use Clinique’s Foundation Brush for a streak-free, flawless application.
• All About Eyes Concealer in Light Petal A real overachiever, it treats and conceals dark circles and puffiness. The moisturizing formula won’t settle into fine lines either.
• Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Pink Truffle Winter is all about shimmering eyes in pink hues. The Pink Truffle palette offers Marissa a natural everyday look.
• Brush-On Cream Liner in Smoke Grey For a smoky, more dramatic eye, Marissa can apply Brush-On Cream Liner all over her lids, then stipple the darkest shade from the shadow quad right on top of the liner.
• High Impact Mascara in Black A must for any look, it kicks up the volume and length of each and every lash.
• Fresh Bloom Allover Colour in Peony A touch of colour on the apples of her cheeks adds a radiant glow.
• Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine in Sugarplump With continued use, the triple-action plumping gloss prompts the skin’s natural collagen production to foster a smoother, more defined look. Tip: This season, bright and glossy are where it’s at, but if you prefer a softer look, apply lipstick overtop the gloss.

PICTURE-PERFECT
Don’t let its small stature fool you: The Panasonic DMC-FX10K comes fully loaded. Its impressive features include a two-and-a-half-inch LCD, 4.1x zoom and 27 megabytes of built-in memory, just to name a few. The sleek camera also boasts an advanced optical image stabilizing system that eliminates the blurriness caused by shaky hands.

Style notes: Marissa has found the perfect beach cover-up in this flirty zigzag-print sundress by Nine West. The drawstring detail adds comfort and dimension. Always the gentleman, Donks offers his lovely wife some shade while he stays cool in a relaxed linen shirt by Gant and classic Calvin Klein shorts. Lightweight Calvin Klein T-shirts like the one pictured above are vacation staples. Available at The Bay.

OH, OH, O'MY!
There’s nothing like a Caribbean vacation for getting you in the mood, and there’s nothing like O’My for keeping you there. Voted by consumers as a Best New Product of 2007, O’My Natural Lubricant truly is second only to the real thing. For a tasty treat, try one of their sugar-free flavoured lubes, such as Piña Colada, Passion Fruit or Strawberry Cheesecake. Or add some spice to your routine with O Pleasure Gel or Enjoy Soy Massage Candles, which melt into scented massage oils.

Style notes: Marissa easily catches Donks’ eye in this patterened Nautica bikini. The halter top and hipster bottoms are sexy yet practical enough for a “friendly” game of football. Donks’ playfulness extends to his sense of style: His oversized madras Gant shirt from The Bay and tropical-print Speedo trunks make for a stylish and fun ensemble. 1-800-465-4764

SEXY AND SPORTY
Marissa and Donks turn up the heat with Intimately Beckham, the irresistible new his and her fragrances from Posh and Becks. The power couple would surely also approve of these stylish yet high-tech watches from the Timex Sport Luxury Series Automatics Collection. Available at The Bay.

Style notes: No Caribbean vacation would be complete without a sunset stroll on the beach. Marissa’s polka-dot dress by JS Collections is the perfect shape for her athletic build. The décolletage shows off her beautiful collarbone and toned shoulders. Donks dresses down his charcoal grey four-pocket blazer by pairing it with a russet T-shirt and thin cotton dress pants, all by Calvin Klein. Available at The Bay. Marissa is beachy and breezy in this empire waist Vero Moda blouse from The Bay and Speedo Novelty Sparkle Halter from the Axcelerate ’08 Cruise Collection. 1-800-465-4764

GET SMART
Introducing the new Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide, the world’s smartest toothbrush. This high-tech system not only delivers superior cleaning and gum care with its four customized brushing modes and oscillating, rotational movement, but also offers real-time advice to ensure that you brush thoroughly, gently and for the dentist- recommended two minutes.

NEW STYLES, NEW SMILES
Truth be told, Marissa was an oral-care junkie long before Couple Makeover. Now, with her new streamlined regimen, Marissa can rest assured that she’ll always make a white, bright and fresh impression. Crest Extra White Plus Scope protects against cavities and helps prevent tartar formation. Plus, she’ll have naturally whiter teeth in just 21 days when she uses it with the Oral-B Triumph’s dentist- inspired ProWhite brush head. For an extra whitening boost and lasting minty-fresh breath, Marissa finishes her new ritual with Scope White.
Donks needed more help. Enter the Oral-B Triumph, which tells him
if he’s brushing too hard, when to brush where and how long to brush. Crest Vivid White toothpastes keep things simple by integrating whitening into Donks’ daily brushing routine without any extra steps. In the morning, he uses Crest Vivid White to polish away stains and protect teeth from new stains. Before bed, it’s Crest Vivid White Night, which works to loosen surface stains while he sleeps, so he can brush them away the next day.

FLOSS UP!
Proper flossing is a must. It helps prevent gum disease and gingivitis by removing plaque and food particles from between your teeth. Admirably, Marissa and Donks are avid flossers and even admit to keeping a stash in their car for on-the-road emergencies. At home or away, they use Crest Glide Deep Clean, which boasts up to 90 percent more micro-textured surface area than Glide Original floss and is specially formulated to create a cooling sensation that leaves their mouths feeling fresh and clean.

TAKE FIVE
Marissa and Donks have no problem maintaining their bright, white smiles with Crest Whitestrips Daily Multicare. The newest member to the Whitestrips family uses the same enamel-safe whitening ingredient that dentists use. The thin, flexible strips help to not only remove surface stains and whiten by deep cleaning, but also to protect teeth from everyday stain buildup—all in just five minutes a day! Which, between work, sports and spending time together, is about all that the busy duo can spare. “Crest Whitestrips Daily Multicare made it so easy and convenient to whiten our teeth. We would pop them in before getting in the shower and before you knew it, they were done. They’re great for an on-the-run couple like ourselves,” said the pair.

Style notes: Marissa and Donks show off their pearly whites in Ben Sherman separates. Available at The Bay. Her red polka-dot halter maillot by Anne Cole pops beneath her nautical shirt dress. 1-800-465-4764

TAKE ME TO TURKOISE!
There’s the Caribbean and then there’s Club Med Turkoise. The adults-only resort makes its home on the shores of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands, a land of unparalleled natural beauty, where crystal clear waters and soft white sand stretch as far as the eye can see. Amid such spectacular surroundings, it’s no surprise you’ll find the landscape’s influence at every turn: from the tasty conch chowder and other local delicacies at La Mer restaurant to daily sunset yoga classes by the ocean to the plethora of water sports, including windsurfing, snorkelling and scuba diving. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t any excitement on land. When the sun goes down, the party picks up at the South Beach-inspired open-air bar, The Blue Reef. Come ready to dance!

MARISSA & DONKS' TURKOISE TOP 10

1. Scuba lessons with G.O. (Gracious Organizer) Elliot, not to mention the six-foot barracuda we saw on our very first ocean dive!
2. Club Med’s delicious food.
3. Every moment spent in the warm turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea and on its white-sand shores.
4. Our impromptu swim with JOJO, the local dolphin, who dropped by Club Med’s coastline on our last day.
5. Club Med’s delicious food. (Okay, we know we already said that, but it was so fantastic that it really deserves another mention.)
6. Dancing in the rain with the amazing 2 crew outside The Blue Reef bar.
7. Our sunset wine-and-cheese catamaran excursion followed by a steamy night alone back in our room. O’My!
8. Late-night jams on the pier and even later midnight dips in the ocean.
9. The “ridonkulous” weather that ensured that we both went home with golden-brown tans.
10. Soccer, volleyball, yoga, Ping-Pong, windsurfing, trapeze and, after all that, much needed naps in the oceanfront hammocks!