Document:

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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.23

                  Employment Agreement between Registrant and
                   Lawrence Pesin made as of December 7, 1999

                              Employment Agreement

Agreement made as of the 7th day of December 1999 between The Lamaur
Corporation, a Delaware Corporation, with offices at 5601 E. River Road,
Fridley, MN 55432, (hereinafter referred to as Company) and Lawrence Pesin
residing at 700 Astri Terrace, Valley Cottage, NY 10989 (hereinafter referred to
as Employee).

1. Employment and Duties: The Company, a public Corporation, hereby employs
Employee as the Chief Executive Officer of Company to perform Executive duties
generally accepted as the duties such titles entail. Such duties will include,
but not be limited to: managing the Company's resources to achieve
stabilization, growth and profit goals; developing 1-year Operating Plans and
3-to-5 year Business Plans; and managing the implementation of defined
strategies and tactics to achieve near-term and long-range objectives with focus
on increasing shareholder value. In addition, Employee has been elected to the
Company's Board of Directors and will serve as the Chairman of the Board.

2. Performance: Employment shall commence on December 7, 1999. Employee shall
devote all or such part of his time to the performance of his duties described
in paragraph 1 above and to the performance of such other Executive duties as
may be assigned to him from time to time by the majority of Directors of the
Company. Acceptable performance of Employee is based on the judgement of the
majority of the Company's Board and/or achievement of defined milestones such as
those defined herein and/or profit goals specified in the Company's Board
approved 1-year operating plan and/or long-term business plan.

The Company's Board of Directors shall have the right to terminate Employee at
any time during the term of this Agreement, as long as all provisions of the
Agreement are fulfilled by the Company to the Employee to the end of the
Agreement term. However, in the event the Company terminates this agreement
because Employee has been convicted of a felony, or any intentional fraud
against the Company, the Company shall have no further obligations to Employee
(whether stock, salary, or bonus). If Employee should voluntarily terminate
employment prior to the end of the term of the Agreement, Employee shall have
prorated rights only to vested portions of stock options and no further rights
to unvested stock options. Additionally, Employee shall be entitled to the
prorated share only of any earned bonus as identified in paragraph five herein.

3. Term: The term of this Agreement for Company and Employee shall be two years
and 24 days (i.e. commencing on Dec. 7, 1999 and ending on Dec. 31, 2001). At
the end of such term, the agreement, with the exception of the granting of
further stock, shall be automatically renewed for periods of one year each,
unless notice is given by either party at least one year before the end of the
agreement and one year before the end of subsequent renewals.

4. Compensation: For services to be rendered by Employee in his capacity as
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Company agrees to pay
Employee a salary of $75,000 per annum, payable in equal semi-monthly
installments. Employee shall be granted common stock options pursuant to the
Company's Stock Option Plan and is subject to the execution of the Company's
stock option agreement under that plan. Stock options granted shall total
600,000 authorized and registered shares. Stock option price shall be 12.5 cents
per share. Vesting of total stock options shall occur monthly during the term of
this agreement commencing on January 31, 2000 in equal installments of 25,000
shares.

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In the event of newly authorized shares issued by the Company, Employee shall be
granted additional and similar stock options as per the original grant in order
to maintain Employee's same percentage of total shares. No other operating
Executive shall be entitled to receive more stock option shares than Employee
during the term of this agreement. This provision shall not apply at any time
following the termination of Employee's employment for any reason.

Employee shall have the right to exercise vested stock options at any time
through two years after the termination of this agreement. If employee desires
to sell all or a portion of vested options, Company may at its discretion,
purchase vested stock options at market price as quoted by NASDAQ on the day of
the transaction.

Employee and his family shall be provided the standard benefits under the
Company's existing and future health, medical and other employee benefit plans
made available to the Company's salaried, non-union employees. Employee shall be
entitled to four weeks vacation.

5. Bonus: In addition to the base compensation described above, Company agrees
to pay Employee an additional sum in the amount of $25,000 within sixty days
following the first operating quarter in which Company attains breakeven in
profit before taxes and legal expenses as defined herein. Additionally, Company
agrees to provide an annual bonus of 5.0% of the profit before taxes and legal
expenses as defined herein, of the Company to Employee, payable no later than 60
days after the end of the fiscal Year. The determination of whether there is a
profit before taxes shall be made in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles. However, any professional legal fees incurred by the
Company related to the Parsow Litigation, Campbell Mithun Esty claim, trade
creditors and/or employee severance situations will be excluded from such
calculation. Confirmation of bonus compensation shall be made by Deloitte,
Touche, the Company's auditors or other such auditors then regularly employed by
the Company, and the determination of such auditor shall be binding on the
parties to this agreement.

6. Expenses: In addition to the compensation provided in paragraph 4 hereof,
Company will pay Employee such sums so as to reimburse Employee for reasonable
expenses incurred in the performance of his duties. These shall include, but not
be limited to, travel, hotel or lodging, meals, car rental and other such
miscellaneous expenses in connection with his duties. Additionally, if Employee
elects to lease or buy a vehicle, the Company will reimburse the monthly cost of
such vehicle, its operating expenses and the tax liability incurred, such
allowance not to exceed $1,000 per month.

7. Death: In the event of Employee's death or disability during the term of this
Agreement or subsequent renewals, this Agreement shall terminate immediately
except that Employee's family shall be entitled to receive the then current
compensation, excluding additional stock options, for a period of six months
from death or disability after the last day of the month in which death
occurred. Additionally, Employee's Estate via its legal representatives shall be
entitled to the prorata share of any bonuses earned in the year of Employee's
death. Employee's legal representatives shall also have the right to exercise
all vested stock options within the six-month period after death for the benefit
of Employee's Estate.

8. Relocation: During the term of this Agreement or during subsequent renewal
periods, Employee shall not be required to relocate to the area of the Company's
corporate offices without his agreement, and Company will continue to reimburse
employee for expenses as described in paragraph 6 throughout the term of this
Agreement.

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9. Director's and Officers Liability Insurance: Company agrees to maintain a
policy in force providing no less than $5 million in liability insurance.
Company additionally agrees to indemnify Employee from any personal liability
occurring as a result of legal actions against the Company including the payment
of all legal expenses related to such action.

10. Effect of waiver: The waiver by either party of a breach of any provision of
this Agreement shall not be construed a waiver of any subsequent breach thereof.
This agreement contains the entire contractual understanding of the parties and
may not be changed orally but only by a written instrument signed by the parties
thereto.

11. Arbitration: Minnesota law shall be applicable to this contract and any
controversy arising from, or related to this Agreement shall be determined by
arbitration in the city of Minneapolis or other such location as mutually
agreeable in accordance with the Rules of the American Arbitration Association,
and judgment upon any such determination or award may be entered in any court
having jurisdiction.

12. Transfer of Ownership or Control: In the event of transfer of ownership or
control of the Company or its assets, this Agreement shall be binding on the new
controlling interests or entity except that the then unvested stock options
shall become immediately vested.

13. Entire Agreement: This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between
the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior
negotiations and agreements, whether written or oral.

14. Notices: Any and all notices referred to herein shall be sufficient if
furnished in writing, sent by registered mail or Fedex to the respective
addresses noted above or other such addresses as may be given by the parties in
writing in the future.

In witness whereof, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed
by its duly authorized Director and its corporate seal to be hereunto affixed,
the day and year indicated above.

/s/ Harold M. Copperman                   /s/ Lawrence Pesin
---------------------------------         ---------------------------------
Harold M. Copperman, Director             Lawrence Pesin
For the Lamaur Board of Directors         Employee

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                                                                   Exhibit 10.24

                Forbearance Agreement by and between Registrant
                    and the Committee of Unsecured Creditors

                              FORBEARANCE AGREEMENT

     This Forbearance Agreement is entered into as of         , 2000, by and
between The Lamaur Corporation ("Lamaur") and the Committee of Unsecured
Creditors of Lamaur, acting on behalf of all general unsecured Creditors of
Lamaur, by and through its members, Owens Illinois, Inc., U.S. Can Company,
Sequist Perfect, AeroPres Corp., Longview Fibre, Cognis Corp., and National
Starch and Chemical (the "Committee").

                                    RECITALS

     A. WHEREAS, Lamaur is indebted to its general unsecured creditors in the
approximate aggregate amount of $8,000,000, as of February 29, 2000, (the
"Existing Debt"). Lamaur and the Committee desire to address Lamaur's repayment
of the Existing Debt in accordance with the terms of this Forbearance Agreement.

     B. WHEREAS, as a result of the Existing Debt, Lamaur's general unsecured
creditors are entitled to pursue certain remedies to attempt to recover the
Existing Debt according to state law. Lamaur has asked the Committee, on behalf
of all general unsecured creditors of Lamaur, to forbear from exercising those
remedies relating to the recovery of the Existing Debt and to encourage other
unsecured creditors to do likewise and the Committee on behalf of all general
unsecured creditors of Lamaur has agreed.

     NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the parties agree as
follows:

     1. Acknowledgment of Liability. As of the date of this Forbearance
Agreement, Lamaur owes its general unsecured creditors an amount equal to the
Existing Debt. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Lamaur reserves any and all
claims, offsets or defenses that Lamaur may now have with respect to the payment
of the Existing Debt.

     2. Forbearance. Lamaur acknowledges and agrees that neither the Committee,
nor Lamaur's general unsecured creditors is in any way agreeing to waive any
claim against Lamaur as a result of this Forbearance Agreement or the
performance by the parties of their respective obligations hereunder. Subject to
the conditions contained herein and performance by Lamaur of all of the terms of
this Forbearance Agreement after the date hereof, the Committee shall, until
December 31, 2001, forbear from exercising any remedies they may have against
Lamaur as a result of their status as unsecured creditors of Lamaur as of the
date hereof or the occurrence of any default(s) under any agreement(s) relating
thereto by and between Lamaur and the Committee or any general unsecured
creditors. In the event that an unsecured creditor who is not a member of the
Committee, but who is owed a portion of the Existing Debt attempts to engage in
collection efforts against Lamaur, Lamaur will promptly notify the committee of
the existence of such creditor and the Committee will use good faith efforts to
contact such creditor for the purpose of soliciting that Creditor's agreement to
be bound by the terms hereof to the same extent that current Committee members
have agreed to be bound. This forbearance shall not be deemed a continuing
waiver or forbearance with respect to any default which may occur under any such
agreement(s) or hereunder after the date of this Forbearance Agreement.

     3. Grant of Security Interest. For and in consideration of this Forbearance
Agreement, Lamaur hereby grants to the Committee, on behalf of all of Lamaur's
general unsecured creditors, a security interest in certain presently existing
collateral (as described in that certain form UCC-1 financing statement, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit "A") in order to secure prompt
repayment of the Existing Debt; provided, however, that the security interest
granted herein shall be junior in priority to any and all existing liens and to
any and all interests of Congress Financial Corporation ("CFC"). As a result
hereof, Lamaur agrees to execute that certain Security Agreement attached hereto
as Exhibit "B." The Security Agreement shall remain in full force and effect
until the Existing Debt is satisfied in full. The Committee hereby authorizes
its attorney, James Chatz, Esq., to terminate and release the UCC upon full
payment to unsecured creditors as provided for hereunder, upon receipt of a
written representation of such payment by an authorized Lamaur representative.

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     4. Access to Corporate Records. For an in further consideration of this
Forbearance Agreement, Lamaur agrees to make available to the Committee certain
"Sensitive and Confidential Information," as defined in, pursuant to and
conditioned upon execution by the Committee of that certain Lamaur Corporation
Confidential Non-Disclosure Agreement, in substantially the form attached here
as Exhibit "C", as requested by the Committee, including but not limited to,
monthly financial information.

     5. Payment Terms. Lamaur agrees to provide each of its general unsecured
creditors with a choice of payment of such creditor's portion of existing debt
to be made in writing by each creditor, consisting of:

     A. Either an immediate 60% payment in full of the total nondisputed
outstanding debt to the individual creditors holding claims of up to a total of
$5,000, or those creditors holding claims of larger than $5,000 who elect to
reduce their claim to $5,000 to obtain 60% of $5,000, or

     B. 100% payment of the total nondisputed outstanding debt as follows:

          1. 40% of the total allowed claim to be paid upon execution of this
     agreement to accept the payment schedule,

          2. 5% to be paid on or before June 30, 2000,

          3. 22% to be paid on or before January 2, 2001,

          4. 5% to be paid on or before June 30, 2001,

          5. 28% to be paid on or before December 31, 2001

          6. Miscellaneous.

     a. Successors and Assigns. This Forbearance Agreement shall be binding upon
and shall inure to the benefit of the Committee and Lamaur and their respective
constituents, successors and assigns; provided, however, that the foregoing
shall not authorize any assignment by the Committee of any of its rights or
duties hereunder.

     b. Entire Agreement. This Forbearance Agreement contains the entire
agreement of the parties hereto and supersedes any other oral or written
agreements or understandings with respect to the subject matter hereof.

     c. Governing Law. The parties acknowledge and agree that the conditions,
validity and enforceability of any terms or provisions of this Forbearance
Agreement shall be determined by the laws of the State of Minnesota governing
contracts entered into and to be performed in the State of Minnesota.

     d. Interpretation of Agreement. This Agreement, the exhibits hereto, and
the documents to be executed in connection herewith, constitute a fully
negotiated agreement among commercially sophisticated parties and therefore
shall not be construed or interpreted for or against any party.

     e. Venue. Any action to enforce, interpret or challenge the terms of this
Agreement, the exhibits hereto, and the documents to be executed in connection
herewith shall be brought within the State or Federal Courts of Minnesota, as
appropriate.

     f. Attorneys' Fees and Costs. The parties hereto shall bear their own costs
and attorneys' fees related to this Forbearance Agreement.

     g. Time is of the Essence. Time is of the essence as to each and every term
and provision of this Forbearance Agreement.

     h. Counterparts. This Forbearance Agreement may be signed in counterparts
and all of such counterparts when properly executed by the appropriate parties
thereto together shall serve as a fully executed document, binding upon the
parties.

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     i. Legal Effect. If any provision of this Forbearance Agreement conflicts
with applicable law, such provision shall be deemed severed from this
Forbearance Agreement, and the balance of this Forbearance Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect.

     j. Due Authorization. Each individual executing this Forbearance Agreement
on behalf of an entity is duly authorized to so execute this Forbearance
Agreement and the entity on behalf of which this Forbearance Agreement is so
executed is valid, binding and enforceable against such entity.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Forbearance
Agreement as of the first date above written.

                                    THE LAMAUR CORPORATION

                                    By:
                                       -----------------------------------
                                    Title:
                                          --------------------------------
                                    The Committee of Unsecured Creditors of
                                    Lamaur Corporation

                                    By:  Owens Illinois, Inc.
                                    -------------------------------------
                                    Lawrence Levey
                                    Its:  Co-Chairman

                                    By:  U.S. Can Company
                                    --------------------------------------
                                    Pete Andres
                                    Its:  Co-Chairperson

                                    By:  Seaquist Perfect
                                    --------------------------------------
                                    Steve Trojan

                                    By:  AeroPres Corp
                                    --------------------------------------
                                    Richard Bianchi

                                    By:  Longview Fibre
                                    ---------------------------------------
                                    Michael Guilday

                                    By:  Cognis Corporation
                                    ---------------------------------------
                                    Frank Wertalik

                                    By:  National Starch & Chemical
                                    ---------------------------------------
                                    Tony Gaeta

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