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                                                                Exhibit 10.22


                              [Del Labs letterhead]
                                                               December 30, 1997

Mr. Harvey P. Alstodt
C/o Del Laboratories, Inc.
565 Broad Hollow Road
Farmingdale, NY 11735

Dear Harvey:

This will confirm that your Employment Agreement, as amended, is hereby further
amended and extended as follows:

1. The term of the Agreement is hereby extended to March 31, 2001.

2. Your annual base salary shall not be less than $250,000 per year.

3. You agree that you will give Del at least one hundred twenty (120) days'
notice prior to any voluntary termination of your employment hereunder.

4. The following new paragraph 16 is hereby added to the Agreement:

       Except as set forth in Paragraphs 6 and 7 to this Agreement, any claim
       or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or any
       breach thereof, or otherwise relating to your employment, compensation
       and benefits with the Company, or the termination thereof, shall be
       settled by arbitration in New York, New York in accordance with the rules
       established by the American Arbitration Association; provided, however,
       that you and Del agree that (i) the arbitrator shall be prohibited from
       disregarding, adding to or modifying the terms of this Agreement; (ii)
       the arbitrator shall be required to follow established principles of
       substantive law and the law governing burdens of proof; (iii) only
       legally protected rights may be enforced in arbitration; (iv) the
       arbitrator shall be without authority to award punitive or exemplary
       damages; (v) the arbitrator shall be an attorney licensed to practice law
       in New York who has experience in similar matters; and (vi) any demand
       for arbitration must be filed and served, if at all, within 180 days of
       the occurrence of the act or omission complained of. Any claim or
       controversy not submitted to arbitration in accordance with this
       Paragraph 18 shall be considered waived and, thereafter, no arbitration
       panel or tribunal or court shall have the power to rule or make any award
       on any such claim or controversy. The award rendered in any



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       arbitration proceeding held under this Agreement shall be final and
       binding, and judgment upon the award may be entered in any court having
       jurisdiction thereof, provided it conforms to established principles of
       law and is supported by substantial record evidence.

       Please indicate your acceptance of the foregoing by signing a copy of
this letter in the space indicated below and returning it to me.


                                      Very truly yours,

                                      /s/ Dan K. Wassong
                                      ---------------------------
                                      Dan K. Wassong
                                      Chairman of the Board, President
                                      And Chief Executive Officer

AGREED AND ACCEPTED:
/s/ Harvey P. Alstodt
------------------------
Harvey P. Alstodt