SEL-LEB MARKETING INC
424B2, 1996-07-16
DRUGS, PROPRIETARIES & DRUGGISTS' SUNDRIES
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<PAGE>
PROSPECTUS
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
 
                         180,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
                   EACH TO PURCHASE ONE SHARE OF COMMON STOCK
 
                        180,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK,
               ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THE REDEEMABLE WARRANTS
                             ---------------------
 
    This  Prospectus relates  to the offer  and sale by  certain affiliates (the
"Selling Security Holders") of Sel-Leb Marketing, Inc. (the "Company") of (i) up
to 180,000 Redeemable Warrants (the "Selling Security Holders' Warrants"),  each
to  purchase one share of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company
("Common Stock"),  (ii) up  to  180,000 shares  of  Common Stock  issuable  upon
exercise  of such Warrants (the "Selling  Security Holders's Shares") or (iii) a
combination thereof.
 
    The Company will  not receive  any of  the proceeds  from the  sales by  the
Selling  Security Holders of  the Selling Security Holders'  Warrants or, in the
event any  of such  Selling  Security Holders'  Warrants  are exercised  by  the
Selling  Security Holders, any of the  Selling Security Holders' Shares issuable
upon the  exercise thereof.  It  is anticipated  that  such securities  will  be
offered and sold from time to time in the over-the-counter market, or otherwise,
at  prices and terms  then prevailing or  at prices related  to the then current
market price, or  in negotiated  transactions; provided, however,  that no  such
securities  may be sold by any of the Selling Security Holders without the prior
written consent of Duke & Co., Inc.  ("Duke & Co." or the "Underwriter")  during
the  period of eighteen months commencing July 13, 1995. All costs, expenses and
fees in connection with  the registration of the  securities offered by  Selling
Security  Holders will be  borne by the Company.  Brokerage commissions, if any,
attributable to  the  sale of  such  securities will  be  borne by  the  Selling
Security Holders. See "Selling Security Holders and Plan of Distribution."
 
    Concurrently  with  this offering,  the  Company is  offering  (the "Company
Offering"), pursuant to a separate  prospectus included within the  Registration
Statement  of which this Prospectus forms a part (the "Company Prospectus"), (i)
up to 5,760,000 shares of Common Stock which are reserved for issuance upon  the
exercise  of redeemable warrants,  each warrant to purchase  one share of Common
Stock (each, a "Warrant"), issued in connection with the Company's 1995  initial
public  offering of securities (the "IPO"), (ii)  up to 180,000 shares of Common
Stock (which shares constitute the shares included in this Prospectus)  reserved
for  issuance upon the exercise of the Selling Security Holders' Warrants, (iii)
up to 80,000 units (the "Units") issuable upon the exercise of the warrants (the
"Underwriter's Warrants") originally sold to Duke  & Co. in connection with  the
IPO,  each Unit consisting of  three shares of Common  Stock and three Warrants,
and (iv) up to 240,000  shares of Common Stock which  are included in the  Units
and  up to 240,000 shares  of Common Stock which  are reserved for issuance upon
the exercise of the Warrants included in the Units.
 
    On July 13, 1995, the Common Stock and the Warrants began trading on  NASDAQ
under  the symbols  "SELB" and  "SELBW," respectively,  and on  the Boston Stock
Exchange ("BSE") under the symbols "SLL"  and "SLLW," respectively. On July  10,
1996,  the closing  sale price of  the Common  Stock and Warrants  on NASDAQ was
$7.50 and $5.25, respectively. See "Certain Market Information."
 
    THE SECURITIES OFFERED HEREBY INVOLVE A  HIGH DEGREE OF RISK AND SHOULD  NOT
BE PURCHASED BY INVESTORS WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE LOSS OF THEIR ENTIRE INVESTMENT.
SEE "RISK FACTORS" (COMMENCING ON PAGE 7).
                            ------------------------
 
THESE  SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
   EXCHANGE COMMISSION  OR  ANY STATE  SECURITIES  COMMISSION NOR  HAS  THE
     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
       PASSED  UPON THE ACCURACY OR  ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
               REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
                  THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS IS JULY 12, 1996
<PAGE>
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
    The  Company has  filed with  the Commission  a Registration  Statement (the
"Registration Statement")  under the  Securities Act  of 1933,  as amended  (the
"Securities  Act"), with respect  to the securities  offered by this Prospectus.
This Prospectus, filed as part of such Registration Statement, does not  contain
all of the information set forth in, or annexed as exhibits to, the Registration
Statement,  certain portions of  which have been omitted  in accordance with the
rules and regulations of the Commission. For further information with respect to
the Company and this offering, reference  is made to the Registration  Statement
including  the  exhibits  filed  therewith. The  Registration  Statement  may be
inspected and copies may  be obtained from the  Public Reference Section at  the
Commission's   principal  office,  450  Fifth  Street,  N.W.,  Judiciary  Plaza,
Washington, D.C.  20549, and  at the  New York  Regional Office,  7 World  Trade
Center,  New York, New  York 10048, upon  payment of the  fees prescribed by the
Commission. Statements contained in  this Prospectus as to  the contents of  any
contract  or other document are not  necessarily complete and where the contract
or other document has  been filed as an  exhibit to the Registration  Statement,
each  such  statement is  qualified in  all  respects by  such reference  to the
applicable document filed with the Commission.
 
    The Company  is subject  to  the reporting  requirements of  the  Securities
Exchange  Act  of  1934, as  amended  (the  "Exchange Act"),  and  in accordance
therewith is required to  file reports, proxy  statements and other  information
with  the Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission"). Such reports, proxy
statements and  other information  can be  inspected and  copied at  the  public
reference  facilities of the  Commission at 450  Fifth Street, N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20549; at its New York Regional Office, 7 World Trade Center, New York, New
York 10048;  and  at its  Chicago  Regional  Office, 500  West  Madison  Street,
Chicago,  Illinois 60661-2511, and copies of  such material can be obtained from
the Commission's  Public  Reference Section  at  prescribed rates.  The  Company
furnishes  its  shareholders with  annual  reports containing  audited financial
statements and such other periodic reports  as the Company deems appropriate  or
as may be required by law.
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
    THE  FOLLOWING SUMMARY IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO THE MORE
DETAILED INFORMATION  AND FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS,  INCLUDING THE  NOTES  THERETO,
APPEARING  ELSEWHERE IN THIS  PROSPECTUS. EACH PROSPECTIVE  INVESTOR IS URGED TO
READ  THIS  PROSPECTUS  IN  ITS   ENTIRETY.  UNLESS  OTHERWISE  INDICATED,   THE
INFORMATION  SET FORTH IN THIS PROSPECTUS  GIVES EFFECT TO A THREE-FOR-ONE STOCK
SPLIT OF THE COMPANY'S COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $.01 PER SHARE ("COMMON  STOCK"),
WHICH WAS EFFECTED IN THE FORM OF A SHARE DISTRIBUTION ON FEBRUARY 29, 1996 (THE
"SHARE DISTRIBUTION"). PURSUANT TO THE SHARE DISTRIBUTION, EACH HOLDER OF RECORD
OF  COMMON STOCK ON  FEBRUARY 2, 1996  RECEIVED TWO ADDITIONAL  SHARES OF COMMON
STOCK  FOR  EACH  SHARE  HELD  ON  SUCH  DATE.  IN  CONNECTION  WITH  THE  SHARE
DISTRIBUTION,  THE COMPANY ADJUSTED THE TERMS  OF THE WARRANTS, WHICH ORIGINALLY
REPRESENTED THE RIGHT TO PURCHASE ONE SHARE OF COMMON STOCK AT AN EXERCISE PRICE
OF $6.00 PER SHARE, TO PROVIDE THAT, AS A RESULT OF THE SHARE DISTRIBUTION, EACH
WARRANT REPRESENTED THE  RIGHT TO PURCHASE  THREE SHARES OF  COMMON STOCK AT  AN
EXERCISE  PRICE OF  $2.00 PER  SHARE. ON  JUNE 6,  1996, THE  COMPANY ELECTED TO
ADJUST THE  NUMBER OF  WARRANTS  OUTSTANDING (THE  "WARRANT ADJUSTMENT").  AS  A
RESULT  OF THE  WARRANT ADJUSTMENT,  EFFECTIVE JUNE 20,  1996, EACH  HOLDER OF A
WARRANT ON JUNE 17, 1996 HOLDS, IN LIEU OF ONE WARRANT TO PURCHASE THREE  SHARES
OF COMMON STOCK AT AN EXERCISE PRICE OF $2.00 PER SHARE, THREE WARRANTS, EACH TO
PURCHASE  ONE SHARE  OF COMMON STOCK  AT AN  EXERCISE PRICE OF  $2.00 PER SHARE.
UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, THE INFORMATION  SET FORTH IN THIS PROSPECTUS  GIVES
EFFECT TO THE WARRANT ADJUSTMENT.
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
    The  Company  is  primarily engaged  in  the distribution  and  marketing of
consumer merchandise  to retail  sellers such  as mass  merchandisers,  discount
chain stores and electronic retailers. The Company's business presently consists
of the following activities: (i) opportunistic purchasing and secondary sourcing
(I.E.,   distributing  merchandise  on  a  wholesale  basis  outside  of  normal
distribution channels to retail  merchants) of a broad  range of name-brand  and
off-brand  products  such  as  health and  beauty  aids,  cosmetics, fragrances,
kitchen items and other household items, (ii) developing, marketing and  selling
the  Company's  own proprietary  brands of  budget-line  health, beauty  aid and
cosmetic  products,  which  are  manufactured   for  the  Company  by   contract
manufacturers,  (iii)  representing manufacturers  and  distributors as  a sales
agent, on a commission  basis, in connection with  the sale to mass  merchandise
retailers  of merchandise manufactured and distributed by such third parties and
(iv) developing,  marketing and  selling products  to be  promoted by  celebrity
spokespersons  and sold by the Company to mass merchandise retailers, as well as
products which will "tie  in" to specific  television shows and  be sold by  the
Company  on  television  in connection  with  those  shows, with  the  intent to
thereafter sell  such  products to  mass  merchandise retailers.  The  Company's
strategy is to capitalize on increased consumer demand for value and convenience
resulting  from  the increased  acceptance by  consumers of  mass merchandisers,
electronic retailers and other mass marketing retail outlets, as well as on  the
popularity of consumer products endorsed by celebrity spokespersons.
 
    The  Company, which was incorporated under the laws of the State of New York
on September 21, 1993, consummated in July 1995 an initial public offering  (the
"IPO")  of units (the "IPO Units"), each  IPO Unit consisting of three shares of
common stock, par value  $.01 per share ("Common  Stock"), and three  redeemable
warrants,  each  to  purchase  one  share  of  Common  Stock  (the  "Warrants").
Immediately following  the issuance  of  the IPO  Units,  the Common  Stock  and
Warrants  became separately tradeable and transferable. On May 18, 1995, Linette
Cosmetics, Inc. ("Linette Cosmetics"), a  corporation founded in 1985 by  Harold
Markowitz,  the Chairman  of the  Board of  the Company,  and Jorge  Lazaro, the
Executive Vice President and Secretary of the Company, was merged with and  into
the  Company,  with  the  Company as  the  surviving  corporation  (the "Linette
Merger"). Prior to the Linette Merger,  all of the outstanding capital stock  of
Linette  Cosmetics was owned  by Mr. Markowitz,  Mr. Lazaro and  Paul Sharp, the
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, who together comprised the
shareholders of the Company until the IPO. In addition, immediately prior to the
consummation of the IPO, each of Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp and Lazaro contributed
to the Company his 20% equity interest in Lea Cosmetics, Inc. ("Lea  Cosmetics")
and the Company
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
acquired from the remaining shareholder his 40% equity interest in Lea Cosmetics
(the  "Lea  Acquisition").  As a  result,  Lea Cosmetics  became  a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company and, on August 3, 1995, Lea Cosmetics was merged  with
and into the Company, with the Company as the surviving corporation.
 
    The  Company's principal  executive offices are  located at  1435 51 Street,
North Bergen, New Jersey 07047, and its telephone number is (201) 864-3316.
 
                                  THE OFFERING
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>
SECURITIES OFFERED................  Includes (i) up to 180,000 Warrants held by the  Selling
                                    Security  Holders, (ii)  up to 180,000  shares of Common
                                    Stock issuable  upon exercise  of such  Warrants by  the
                                    Selling  Security Holders (which shares are to be issued
                                    to the Selling Security Holders pursuant to the  Company
                                    Prospectus included within the Registration Statement of
                                    which   this  Prospectus  forms  a   part)  or  (iii)  a
                                    combination thereof. See "Description of Securities" and
                                    "Certain Transactions."
COMMON STOCK OUTSTANDING
  Before the Company Offering       7,440,000 shares
   (1)............................
  After the Company Offering        13,860,000 shares
   (1)(2).........................
WARRANTS
  Exercise terms..................  Exercisable for a period of three years commencing  July
                                    13, 1996, each to purchase one share of Common Stock for
                                    $2.00,  subject to adjustment  in certain circumstances.
                                    See "Description of Securities -- Redeemable Warrants."
  Expiration date.................  July 12, 1999.
  Redemption......................  Redeemable by the Company at any time commencing on July
                                    13, 1996, upon  notice of not  less than 30  days, at  a
                                    price  of $.0167 per Warrant,  provided that the closing
                                    bid quotation of the Common Stock on NASDAQ has exceeded
                                    $3.33 per share (subject to adjustment) for a period  of
                                    20  consecutive trading days during  the period in which
                                    the Warrants  are  exercisable.  The  Warrants  will  be
                                    exercisable  until  the close  of  business on  the date
                                    fixed for redemption. See "Description of Securities  --
                                    Redeemable Warrants."
USE OF PROCEEDS...................  The Company will not receive any of the proceeds of this
                                    offering.
RISK FACTORS......................  The   securities  offered  hereby  are  speculative  and
                                    involve  a  high  degree  of  risk  and  should  not  be
                                    purchased  by investors  who cannot  afford the  loss of
                                    their entire investment. See "Risk Factors."
NASDAQ SYMBOL.....................  Common Stock -- "SELB".
                                    Warrants -- "SELBW".
BSE SYMBOL........................  Common Stock -- "SLL".
                                    Warrants -- "SLLW".
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1) Does not include (i) 1,024,500 shares of Common Stock reserved for  issuance
    upon exercise of stock options granted under the Company's 1995 Stock Option
    Plan (the "Stock Option Plan");
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
    (ii)  325,500 shares of Common Stock  reserved for issuance upon exercise of
    options available for future grant under the Stock Option Plan; (iii) 80,000
    shares of  Common  Stock reserved  for  issuance upon  exercise  of  options
    granted  under the Company's  1995 Nonemployee Directors'  Stock Option Plan
    (the "Directors' Plan"); (iv)  220,000 shares of  Common Stock reserved  for
    issuance  upon  exercise of  options available  for  future grant  under the
    Directors' Plan;  and  (v) 490,689  shares  of Common  Stock  issuable  upon
    exercise of a warrant granted to Jan Mirsky, previously a consultant to, and
    currently  the  Executive  Vice  President --  Finance  and  Chief Operating
    Officer of, the Company (the "Consulting Warrant"). See "Management --  1995
    Stock  Option  Plan"  and  "--Directors  and  Executive  Officers," "Certain
    Transactions" and "Description of Securities."
 
(2) Assumes exercise of all Selling Security Holders' Warrants. Also assumes (i)
    exercise  of  all   other  outstanding  Warrants,   (ii)  exercise  of   all
    Underwriter's  Warrants and (iii)  exercise of all  Warrants included in the
    Units issuable upon exercise of the Underwriter's Warrants. There can be  no
    assurance that any of the foregoing will be exercised.
 
                         SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
 
The summary financial information set forth below is derived from the historical
financial  statements of the Company included elsewhere in this Prospectus. Such
information should  be  read  in conjunction  with  such  financial  statements,
including the notes thereto.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                             THREE MONTHS
                                                        YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,            ENDED MARCH 31,
                                                     ------------------------------  ----------------------------
                                                       1994(1)(3)      1995(2)(3)       1995(3)        1996(3)
                                                     --------------  --------------  -------------  -------------
                                                                                             (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                  <C>             <C>             <C>            <C>
STATEMENT OF INCOME DATA:
Revenue............................................  $   10,794,294  $   11,480,135  $   2,354,848  $   3,070,765
Operating income...................................  $      651,874  $      595,157  $     144,598  $     141,388
Pro forma net income...............................  $      253,437  $      341,423  $      49,100  $      90,543
Pro forma net income per share:
  Primary..........................................  $         0.05  $         0.05  $        0.01  $        0.01
  Fully Diluted....................................  $         0.05  $         0.04  $        0.01  $        0.01
Pro forma weighted average number of common shares
 outstanding
  Primary..........................................       4,969,089       8,429,726      4,969,089     13,977,189
  Fully Diluted....................................       4,969,089       8,491,491      4,969,089     14,154,955
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                            MARCH 31, 1996
                                                                                     -----------------------------
                                                                                        ACTUAL      AS ADJUSTED(4)
                                                                                     -------------  --------------
                                                                                              (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                                                  <C>            <C>
BALANCE SHEET INFORMATION:
Current assets.....................................................................  $   5,850,375  $   18,590,375
Current liabilities................................................................  $   1,665,669  $    1,665,669
Working capital....................................................................  $   4,184,706  $   16,924,706
Total assets.......................................................................  $   6,444,599  $   19,184,599
Total liabilities..................................................................  $   1,665,669  $    1,665,669
Shareholders' equity...............................................................  $   4,778,930  $   17,518,930
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1) Restated  to include  the results of  operations of the  Company and Linette
    Cosmetics for the  twelve-month period ended  December 31, 1994  and of  Lea
    Cosmetics for the twelve-month period ended September 30, 1994.
 
(2) Includes  the results of operations of the Company and Linette Cosmetics for
    the twelve-month period ended December 31, 1995 and of Lea Cosmetics for the
    fifteen-month period ended
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
    December 31,  1995. The  results  of operations  of  Lea Cosmetics  for  the
    three-month period from October 1, 1994 to December 31, 1994 included in the
    statement of operations for 1995 were not material.
 
(3) Prior  to the Linette Merger, the Company and Linette Cosmetics were treated
    as S Corporations, with earnings taxed for federal and certain state  income
    tax  purposes directly to their respective shareholders. Pro forma financial
    information includes a pro forma adjustment for income taxes treated on a  C
    Corporation basis.
 
(4) Gives  effect to  the sale  in the Company  Offering of  5,940,000 shares of
    Common Stock  upon  the  exercise of  outstanding  Warrants  (including  the
    Selling  Security  Holders' Warrants),  and the  sale  of 240,000  shares of
    Common Stock upon  the exercise  of the Underwriters'  Warrants and  240,000
    shares  of  Common Stock  upon exercise  of  the Warrants  included therein,
    resulting in net  proceeds to  the Company of  $12,740,000 (after  deducting
    expenses of the Company Offering other than solicitation fees, if any, to be
    paid  to Duke &  Co. in connection  with the exercise  of the Warrants). See
    "Warrant Solicitation."
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
    THE  SECURITIES OFFERED HEREBY ARE SPECULATIVE  AND INVOLVE A HIGH DEGREE OF
RISK, INCLUDING,  BUT NOT  NECESSARILY LIMITED  TO, THE  RISK FACTORS  DESCRIBED
BELOW,  AND SHOULD NOT BE PURCHASED BY ANYONE  WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE LOSS OF HIS
ENTIRE INVESTMENT. PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS, PRIOR  TO MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN  THE
COMPANY, SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING RISKS INHERENT IN AND AFFECTING
THE BUSINESS OF THE COMPANY AND THIS OFFERING.
 
    THIS  PROSPECTUS CONTAINS CERTAIN FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. ACTUAL RESULTS
COULD DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE  PROJECTED IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS
AS  A  RESULT  OF  THE  RISK  FACTORS SET  FORTH  BELOW  AND  ELSEWHERE  IN THIS
PROSPECTUS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO GENERAL TRENDS IN THE RETAIL  INDUSTRY,
THE  ABILITY  OF  THE COMPANY  TO  SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT  ITS  EXPANSION PLANS,
CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE OF ANY PRODUCTS DEVELOPED  AND SOLD BY THE COMPANY, AND  THE
ABILITY OF THE COMPANY TO DEVELOP ITS "CELEBRITY" PRODUCT BUSINESS.
 
    DEPENDENCE  ON  CERTAIN  CUSTOMERS.   The  Company's  ten  largest customers
accounted for approximately 83%  and 69% of the  Company's net sales during  the
three-month  period ended March 31,  1996 and the year  ended December 31, 1995,
respectively. During the three-month period ended March 31, 1996, BJ's Wholesale
Club accounted for approximately 36% of the Company's sales, and during the year
ended December  31,  1995,  BJ's  Wholesale  Club  and  Ames  Department  Stores
accounted  for approximately 26% and 11%,  respectively, of the Company's sales.
The Company believes  that it  has good  relationships with  its customers,  and
that,  as  a  consequence  of  its  strong  and,  in  many  instances, long-term
relationships with many  of such customers,  they will continue  to do  business
with  the Company. However, the  Company has no long-term  contracts with any of
its customers,  all of  which purchase  products from  the Company  pursuant  to
individually  placed purchase orders. Therefore, there  can be no assurance that
the Company's customers, including any  of its largest customers, will  continue
to  purchase merchandise from the Company, and  the loss of a significant volume
of purchases from a number of its customers could have a material adverse effect
on the Company's business and results  of operations. In addition, although  the
Company   has  sold  substantially  all   merchandise  acquired  by  it  through
opportunistic purchases in each of the last three fiscal years, there can be  no
assurance  that the Company, which typically purchases merchandise before it has
arranged for customers for  such merchandise, will be  able to obtain  customers
for  all such merchandise acquired by it in the future, or that if it is able to
secure such  customers, sales  to such  customers will  yield acceptable  profit
margins. See "Business -- General."
 
    DEPENDENCE  ON THIRD-PARTY MANUFACTURERS  AND SUPPLIERS.   The Company makes
opportunistic purchases  of  merchandise  from manufacturers  as  well  as  from
secondary   sources  such  as  wholesalers,  retailers,  financially  distressed
businesses and duty-free  distributors. The Company  purchases such  merchandise
through individually placed purchase orders and does not have any contracts with
any  such suppliers, depending, instead, on  its ongoing relationships and prior
dealings with such suppliers to obtain  merchandise at favorable prices when  it
becomes available for sale to secondary suppliers. Although the Company believes
that  its relationships with its suppliers are good and that it would be able to
locate other sources of merchandise in the event  of the loss of one or more  of
such  suppliers, there can be no assurance  that the Company will not experience
delays or  other  difficulties in  obtaining  merchandise, which  could  have  a
material adverse effect on the Company's business and results of operations. See
"Business   --  General  --  Opportunistic  Purchasing  and  Secondary  Sourcing
Archives."
 
    To date, all  of the  Company's proprietary brand  name budget-line  health,
beauty  aid and cosmetic products  sold under the Linette-Registered Trademark-,
Vea-Registered Trademark-  and Zia-Registered  Trademark-  brand names  and  all
packaging  therefor  have been  manufactured and  supplied  by third  parties in
accordance  with  the  Company's  specifications.  The  Company  purchases   all
materials  for  its products  (including  raw materials  and  packaging) through
individually placed  purchase  orders  to various  suppliers,  who  deliver  the
products  to LPD  Packaging, Inc., a  manufacturer engaged by  the Company; such
manufacturer, in turn, provides filling and packaging services, performs quality
control,   distributes    the    finished   products    and,    if    necessary,
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
warehouses  such  products. During  the  year ended  December  31, 1995  and the
three-month period ended March 31, 1996, the Company paid $616,640 and $120,165,
respectively, to  this  manufacturer for  such  services. Although  the  Company
believes  that its manufacturer has the  capacity to produce volumes of products
sufficient to meet the Company's foreseeable needs, there can be no assurance of
such. Furthermore, although the Company believes that it has a good relationship
with this manufacturer and that the Company will continue to obtain its finished
products   to    be    sold    under    the    Linette-Registered    Trademark-,
Vea-Registered  Trademark- and  Zia-Registered Trademark- brand  names from such
manufacturer in the  foreseeable future,  the Company  does not  have a  written
contract with this manufacturer and there can therefore be no assurance of such.
In  the event the  Company were to  experience difficulties with  or the loss of
services of its present manufacturer, the Company believes that it would be able
to retain  the  services  of  other manufacturers;  however,  there  can  be  no
assurance  that such services could be retained on a timely basis or on terms as
favorable as those with its present manufacturer. Likewise, although the Company
has experienced  no difficulty  in obtaining  necessary products,  supplies  and
packaging from its suppliers and believes that it could obtain items of the same
quantity  and quality  from other  suppliers, in the  event the  Company were to
experience difficulties with any of its present suppliers, the Company might  be
unable  to obtain such items on a timely basis. The loss of either the Company's
present manufacturer or any of its present suppliers, or any significant  delays
in  obtaining another manufacturer or  other suppliers in the  event of any such
loss, could have  an adverse  effect on the  Company's business  and results  of
operations.  See  "Business  --  General  --  Sale  of  Proprietary  Brand  Name
Products."
 
    To date, all merchandise sold by the Company in connection with the  "Jackie
Collins"  line of  products has been  purchased by the  Company from third-party
manufacturers and  distributors,  both  in  the United  States  and  abroad.  In
addition, the Company currently anticipates that all products developed by it as
television  program  "tie-in" products  pursuant  to its  agreement  with Direct
Access Group/Television Production Partners ("Direct Access"), as well as  other
celebrity-endorsed products, if any, developed by the Company, will be purchased
from  third-party manufacturers. Typically, the Company develops or will develop
the design of the celebrity-endorsed products in conjunction with the  celebrity
who  is to promote such products, and  will develop the design of any television
"tie-in" products in conjunction with Direct  Access. Once the product has  been
developed,  the Company  will arrange  for the manufacture  of the  product by a
third-party manufacturer  according  to  the  Company's  design  specifications;
however,  the Company  does not enter  into long-term contracts  with such third
parties, but instead purchases  (and currently anticipates that  it will in  the
future  continue  to  purchase)  such  merchandise  through  individually placed
purchase orders. Accordingly,  the Company is  dependent on the  ability of  its
manufacturers  to  meet  its  design and  quality  specifications.  Although the
Company believes that, in the event  it were to experience difficulties with  or
the  loss of services of  any of such manufacturers, it  would be able to engage
other manufacturers who could be retained by the Company and meet its production
requirements on a timely basis, there can  be no assurance of such. The loss  of
any  of  such  manufacturers,  or  any  significant  delays  in  obtaining other
manufacturers in the event of any such loss, could have an adverse effect on the
Company's business  and  results of  operations.  See "Business  --  General  --
Development of 'Celebrity' Products."
 
    RISKS  ASSOCIATED WITH  PUBLIC TRENDS  IN THE  RETAIL INDUSTRY.   The retail
industry is significantly  affected by  many factors, including  changes in  the
national  economy  or  in  regional and  local  economies,  changes  in consumer
preferences and confidence in  the overall economy, increases  in the number  of
retail  operations and intense competition in  the retail industry generally. In
addition, factors such  as inflation  may have a  greater effect  on the  retail
industry  than on other industries. Furthermore, several retail firms, including
retail customers of the Company, have filed for bankruptcy protection and  there
can  be no assurance of their continued  existence or of the continued existence
of any  of the  Company's retail  customers. During  the past  three years,  the
Company has written off an immaterial amount of receivables as a result of these
bankruptcies.  The loss of a significant number of the Company's customers could
have a material adverse effect on the business and results of operations of  the
Company. See "-- Dependence on Certain Customers."
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
    RISK  OF LOSS OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS.   The Company currently warehouses all of
the raw materials  used in connection  with its proprietary  brand name  health,
beauty  aid and  cosmetics products,  as well as  the finished  products, at LPD
Packaging, Inc.'s warehouses. Accordingly, the Company is subject to the risk of
the loss of all  or a portion of  such inventory, either as  a result of  theft,
fire  or otherwise. Although  the Company maintains  insurance which would cover
any such losses  (including losses associated  with business interruptions)  and
believes  that, in the event of a complete or significant loss, it would be able
to replace such inventory (i.e., by purchasing materials from other sources and,
if necessary, retaining the services of another manufacturer) within a period of
approximately two to three months, the Company is subject to the risk of loss of
customers during such period.  See "Business -- General  -- Sale of  Proprietary
Brand Name Products," "-- Insurance" and "-- Property."
 
    RISKS   ASSOCIATED  WITH   EXPANSION  PLANS;   DEPENDENCE  ON   NEW  PRODUCT
INTRODUCTIONS AND MARKET ACCEPTANCE  TO IMPLEMENT EXPANSION PLANS.   As part  of
the  Company's strategy of taking advantage  of the growth in mass merchandising
and value retailing, the Company will seek to continue introducing its own brand
name health, beauty  aid and  cosmetic products, thereby  providing the  Company
with  an ongoing supply of products and making the Company less reliant on third
party and/or opportunistic sources of merchandise. The success of the  Company's
expansion  plan is dependent  upon its ability to  identify and develop products
that can be successfully sold to  retail chains and other mass merchandisers  at
acceptable  profit margins. There can  be no assurance that  the Company will be
able to successfully  develop and  introduce new  products under  its own  brand
names,  that  any  such  products  will meet  with  consumer  acceptance  in the
marketplace or that any such products will be sold at acceptable profit margins.
In addition, the  Company may seek  to obtain rights  to additional  proprietary
lines either by acquisition or through licensing or other arrangements. However,
as  of  the  date  hereof,  the Company  has  no  agreements,  understandings or
commitments related  thereto,  and there  can  be  no assurance  that  any  such
acquisition  opportunities  will become  available,  that the  Company  would be
successful in acquiring any such rights on favorable terms, or that the  Company
would  be successful in marketing  and selling any product  lines so acquired by
it. See "Business -- General -- Sale of Proprietary Brand Name Products."
 
    The Company is also  seeking to expand the  "celebrity" product area of  its
business,  including  by marketing  and distributing  in the  traditional retail
market celebrity merchandise which is originally offered for sale on  television
or  by developing products  to be promoted  by celebrities and  sold directly in
such traditional  markets.  The  success  of the  Company's  expansion  plan  is
dependent  on the Company's ability to retain the services of celebrities and to
develop products  to  be endorsed  by  such  celebrities which  will  meet  with
consumer  acceptance. The  Company has previously  developed a  line of products
endorsed by best-selling author Jackie Collins which were sold on Home  Shopping
Network  in 1994  and 1995, is  currently selling directly  into the traditional
retail market a line of "Jackie Collins Wild" fragrances and is currently in the
process of developing a line  of bath products and  jewelry for Ms. Collins  for
sale by the Company to mass market merchandisers. There can be no assurance that
the  Company will be able  to sell additional amounts  of such fragrances in the
future, that it will  be able to successfully  develop and/or promote any  other
products  for Ms. Collins, that the Company  will be able to retain the services
of other celebrities in  the future or successfully  develop and/or promote  any
products for any other celebrities whose services are retained by the Company or
that  any such products  so developed for  Ms. Collins or  any other celebrities
will meet with  consumer acceptance  or generate any  significant revenues.  See
"Business -- General -- Development of 'Celebrity' Products."
 
    Pursuant  to its agreement with Direct  Access, the Company has been granted
the exclusive right to develop and  sell cosmetics, fragrances and spa items  in
connection  with  "tie-in"  product  programs  developed  by  Direct  Access for
television networks and producers. Such product programs are expected to involve
the development  of products  which "tie  in" to  characters, activities  and/or
themes  of a  specific television  show. The  agreement with  Direct Access also
provides that the Company will be entitled to sell any merchandise developed  by
it    for    any   of    such    television   shows    through    other   retail
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
distribution  channels, provided that  the Company pays  a royalty in connection
therewith at a negotiated amount.  As of the date  hereof, the Company has  been
authorized to develop and act as the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of a
cosmetic,  fragrance and skin  care line to  be sold in  connection with the CBS
daytime drama THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. However, as of the date hereof, Direct
Access has not secured air time for the promotion and sale of such products, and
there can be no  assurance that it will  be successful in doing  so or that,  if
such air time is secured, the products will meet with consumer acceptance. There
can  also  be no  assurance  that Direct  Access  will be  able  to successfully
negotiate with any other television networks or producers for the development of
other program product "tie-ins" or that Direct Access will be able to secure air
time during which any such products can  be marketed and sold. See "Business  --
General -- Development of 'Celebrity' Products."
 
    BROAD  DISCRETION IN APPLICATION OF PROCEEDS.   The proceeds, if any, to the
Company from the Company Offering, net  of the expenses of the Company  Offering
(other  than solicitation fees, if  any, to be paid to  Duke & Co. in connection
with the exercise of Warrants),  will be approximately $12,740,000 assuming  the
issuance and sale of all securities (including the Underwriter's Warrants) being
offered  by the Company pursuant to the Company Prospectus. The Company has been
advised by  Duke  &  Co. that  it  currently  intends to  exercise  all  of  the
Underwriter's  Warrants  at  such  time as  such  Underwriter's  Warrants become
exercisable, thereby  resulting in  proceeds to  the Company  (before  deducting
expenses)  of $600,000. Management anticipates that  the proceeds of the Company
Offering, if any,  will be allocated  to working capital  and general  corporate
purposes. Accordingly, the Company's management will have broad discretion as to
the application of such proceeds. See "Use of Proceeds."
 
    COMPETITION.   The areas of business in which the Company engages are highly
competitive businesses.  The secondary  sourcing  business is  characterized  by
intense  competition,  both  in  the  products  sold  and  in  the  retaining of
relationships with  suppliers and  customers.  With respect  to its  ability  to
obtain  merchandise, the Company competes with  other secondary sources, as well
as with  wholesale distributors  and retailers.  The Company  believes that  its
ability  to  purchase a  broad  array of  merchandise  at competitive  prices is
critical to its  success. With respect  to sales to  its customers, the  Company
competes  with  other  secondary  suppliers  of  merchandise,  as  well  as with
manufacturers who  sell  directly to  retail  merchandisers. In  addition,  with
respect  to  products sold  under  the Company's  Linette-Registered Trademark-,
Vea-Registered Trademark- and Zia-Registered Trademark- brand names, the Company
competes with other manufacturers at the retail store level for shelf space  and
promotional  space. Many of the Company's  existing or potential competitors are
well  established  companies  and  have  or  will  have  substantially   greater
financial,  marketing and other resources than the Company. The Company believes
that it competes  on the basis  of value, product  assortment and  availability,
service   to  customers  and  reputation,  as  well  as  on  the  basis  of  its
long-standing and  well-established relationships  with both  its suppliers  and
customers.  Although  the  Company believes  that  it  will be  able  to compete
effectively on the basis of such factors, there can be no assurance of such.
 
    In connection with its "celebrity"  products business, the Company  competes
or  will compete  with manufacturers and  marketing organizations  that seek out
celebrities to  endorse products  and  assist in  marketing programs  for  their
merchandise.  In addition, the  Company believes that  virtually all celebrities
have agents  who  can negotiate  directly  with  retailers in  order  to  secure
marketing  contracts on their  behalf. The Company believes  that it competes on
the basis  of its  ability to  design  products which  are consistent  with  the
celebrities'  respective preferences and characters and to provide such products
to retailers at  competitive prices.  Furthermore, although the  Company is  not
aware  of  any other  entities which  currently  manufacture, market  or develop
television "tie-in" products to be sold  on television during the airing of  the
related  program, the Company  believes that any such  products developed by the
Company will compete with other products sold in the electronic retailing market
(including through television infomercials  and interactive television  shopping
networks), as well as other products sold in the traditional retail market which
relate to characters or
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
themes  of television shows or movies. The Company believes that it will compete
on the basis of the unique nature of such television "tie-in" products, as  well
as on its ability to provide such products at competitive prices.
 
    DEPENDENCE  ON MANAGEMENT AND KEY PERSONNEL.   The success of the Company is
largely dependent on the personal efforts  of Harold Markowitz, its Chairman  of
the  Board, Paul Sharp,  its President and Chief  Executive Officer, Jan Mirsky,
its Executive  Vice  President --  Finance  and Chief  Operating  Officer,  Jack
Koegel,  its Vice Chairman,  and Jorge Lazaro, its  Executive Vice President. In
particular, the  future success  of  the Company's  celebrity products  line  of
business  is dependent  on the efforts  of Mr.  Markowitz, who has  to date been
primarily responsible  for developing  relationships with  various  celebrities.
Although  the  Company has  entered into  an employment  agreement with  each of
Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp, Mirsky,  Koegel and Lazaro,  each of which  agreements
provides  that the  employee shall devote  substantially all  of such employee's
working time and attention to the Company,  the loss of services of any of  such
individuals  could have a material adverse  effect on the Company's business and
prospects. See "Management."
 
    CONTROL BY MANAGEMENT  AND CURRENT  SHAREHOLDERS.  As  of the  date of  this
Prospectus, Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp, Mirsky, Koegel and Lazaro, each of whom is
an  officer and  director of  the Company,  beneficially own,  in the aggregate,
approximately 64.7% of the outstanding Common Stock (assuming no exercise of the
Warrants, the  Underwriter's Warrants  or the  Warrants included  therein or  of
options or warrants held by persons other than Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp, Mirsky,
Koegel  and Lazaro). Accordingly, in the event  such shareholders were to act in
concert with respect to the Company's operations, they would be in a position to
cause an increase  in the authorized  capital or cause  the dilution, merger  or
sale of assets of the Company, and generally control the affairs of the Company.
Upon  completion of the Company Offering, and  assuming that all of the Warrants
(including the Selling Security  Holders' Warrants), Underwriter's Warrants  and
Warrants  included  therein  are exercised,  Messrs.  Markowitz,  Sharp, Mirsky,
Koegel and Lazaro will beneficially  own, in the aggregate, approximately  37.0%
of  the outstanding Common Stock  (assuming no exercise of  any other options or
warrants other than those held by such individuals). Although such  shareholders
would  not represent, in the  aggregate, a majority of  the voting securities of
the Company, their significant beneficial holdings would enable them to exercise
substantial influence over the Company. See "Principal Shareholders."
 
    INSURANCE AND  POTENTIAL LIABILITY.   While  no material  product  liability
claims  have been  made against  the Company  in the  past, as  a distributor of
merchandise,  including  health  and  beauty  aids,  cosmetics,  fragrances  and
household  items, the Company could be exposed to possible liability claims from
others for personal  injury or property  damage due to  design or  manufacturing
defects or otherwise. The Company maintains a product liability insurance policy
that has a $1,000,000 per occurrence limit and a $2,000,000 aggregate limit, and
a  $3,000,000 umbrella liability  insurance policy to cover  claims in excess of
the limits  of  its  products  liability insurance.  In  addition,  the  Company
believes  that the suppliers from whom  it purchases such merchandise, including
the  manufacturers  thereof,  maintain  adequate  levels  of  product  liability
insurance.  Although the Company  believes that its  product liability insurance
coverage is adequate in light of prior experience and future expectations, there
can be no assurance of such. In addition, the Company maintains other insurance,
including insurance  relating  to property  and  personal injury,  similar,  the
Company  believes, to  that maintained  by comparable  retail businesses  and in
amounts  which  the  Company  currently  considers  adequate.  Nevertheless,   a
partially  or completely uninsured claim against  the Company, if successful and
of sufficient magnitude, could  have a material adverse  effect on the  Company.
See "Business -- Insurance."
 
    RISK  OF ELIMINATION OF SUPPLY OF PRESTIGE FRAGRANCES.  The Company believes
that  a  portion  of  the  prestige  fragrances  purchased  by  it  may  include
trademarked  products manufactured in foreign countries and trademarked products
manufactured  in  the  United  States  that  may  have  been  sold  to   foreign
distributors.  From  time  to time,  United  States trademark  owners  and their
licensees and trade
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
associations have  initiated  litigation or  administrative  agency  proceedings
seeking  to  halt  the  importation  into  the  United  States  of  such foreign
manufactured or previously exported  trademarked products. Although the  Company
is not currently the subject of any such legal or administrative actions, and is
not  aware of any such threatened legal  or administrative actions, there can be
no assurance that the Company's business activities will not become the  subject
of  such  actions  in  the  future,  or  that  future  judicial,  legislative or
administrative agency action  will not  limit or eliminate  some or  all of  the
secondary sources of supply of prestige fragrances used by the Company. However,
the Company believes that any future limitation on or elimination of its sources
of  supply of  prestige fragrances for  sale to  its customers would  not have a
material adverse effect on  the Company, although there  can be no assurance  of
such.
 
    NO  DIVIDENDS.  The Company has not paid any dividends to date, other than a
dividend paid  in  1995  to  those individuals  who  constituted  the  Company's
shareholders  prior to the IPO,  which dividend was paid  in connection with the
termination of the  Company's status as  an S Corporation.  It is the  Company's
intention  to retain earnings, if any, to finance the operation and expansion of
its business and, therefore,  it does not  expect to pay  cash dividends in  the
foreseeable  future.  See  "Management's  Discussion  and  Analysis  or  Plan of
Operation," "Certain Transactions" and "Description of Securities -- Dividends."
 
    ELIMINATION  OF  LIABILITY  OF  DIRECTORS  AND  OFFICERS.    The   Company's
Certificate  of  Incorporation eliminates  the liability  of  a director  of the
Company for  monetary damages  for breach  of  duty as  a director,  subject  to
certain  exceptions. In addition, the  Certificate of Incorporation provides for
the Company to indemnify,  under certain conditions,  directors and officers  of
the  Company against all expenses, liabilities and losses reasonably incurred by
such persons in connection  therewith. The foregoing  provisions may reduce  the
likelihood  of  derivative litigation  against directors  and may  discourage or
deter shareholders or management from suing directors for breaches of their duty
of care, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit  the
Company and its shareholders. See "Management."
 
    SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE; REGISTRATION RIGHTS.  Upon the consummation
of the Company Offering, the Company will have 13,860,000 shares of Common Stock
outstanding  (assuming no exercise of outstanding options or warrants other than
the  Warrants   (including  the   Selling  Security   Holders'  Warrants),   the
Underwriter's  Warrants and the  Warrants included therein),  of which 9,000,000
shares of Common Stock will be  freely tradeable without restriction or  further
registration  under  the Securities  Act of  1933,  as amended  (the "Securities
Act"). All of  the remaining 4,860,000  shares of Common  Stock outstanding  are
"restricted  securities," as  that term  is defined  under Rule  144 promulgated
under the Securities  Act, and  in the  future may only  be sold  pursuant to  a
registration  statement  under  the  Securities  Act,  in  compliance  with  the
exemption provisions of  Rule 144  or pursuant  to another  exemption under  the
Securities  Act. An  aggregate of  180,000 of  such restricted  shares are being
registered by the Company under the Securities Act pursuant to this  Prospectus.
In  addition, commencing in  October 1995, an  aggregate of 4,500,000 restricted
shares became  eligible for  sale  under Rule  144,  subject to  certain  volume
limitations prescribed by Rule 144 and to the contractual restrictions described
below.  The balance of the restricted shares will become eligible for sale under
Rule 144, subject to the volume  limitations prescribed by Rule 144,  commencing
in  July 1997. The Company has granted Mr. Mirsky certain demand and "piggyback"
registration rights (subject to certain limitations) with respect to the  shares
of  Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Consulting Warrant. In connection
with the IPO and at the request of Duke & Co., Mr. Mirsky waived such rights for
a period of eighteen months commencing July 13, 1995. In addition, in connection
with the  IPO,  the  Company  also  granted Duke  &  Co.  demand  and  piggyback
registration  rights  with respect  to the  240,000 shares  of Common  Stock and
240,000 Warrants issuable upon  exercise of the  Underwriter's Warrants and  the
240,000  shares of Common Stock issuable  upon exercise of the Warrants included
in the Underwriter's Warrants. The 480,000 shares of Common Stock underlying the
Underwriter's Warrants have  been included  in the Company  Prospectus which  is
included in the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part. No
prediction can be
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
made  as to the effect, if any, that sales of shares of Common Stock or even the
availability of such shares for sale  will have on the market prices  prevailing
from  time  to time.  While all  of  the Company's  officers and  directors, and
certain shareholders  of the  Company,  have agreed  not  to sell  or  otherwise
dispose of any of their shares of Common Stock (an aggregate of 4,860,000 shares
(including  the 180,000 shares of Common Stock included in this Prospectus)) for
a period of eighteen months commencing  July 13, 1995 without the prior  written
consent  of Duke &  Co. (other than  pursuant to private  transfers in which the
transferee agrees to abide by the  same restriction), and Mr. Mirsky has  waived
the registration rights granted to him under the Consulting Warrant for a period
of  eighteen months commencing July 13, 1995  (and, as a director and officer of
the  Company  is   subject  to  the   aforementioned  restriction  during   such
eighteen-month  period  on sales  of any  shares of  Common Stock  issuable upon
exercise of his  warrant), the  possibility that substantial  amounts of  Common
Stock  may be sold in  the public market may  adversely affect prevailing market
prices for the  Common Stock  and the Warrants  and could  impair the  Company's
ability to raise capital through the sale of its equity securities. See "Certain
Transactions,"  "Description  of  Securities" and  "Shares  Eligible  for Future
Sale."
 
    INABILITY TO EXERCISE WARRANTS.  The Company intends to qualify the sale  of
the  securities offered hereby  in a limited number  of states. Although certain
exemptions in the securities laws of certain states might permit Warrants to  be
transferred  to purchasers in states other than those in which the Warrants were
initially qualified, the Company will be prevented from issuing Common Stock  in
such  other states upon  the exercise of  the Warrants unless  an exemption from
qualification is available or unless the issuance of Common Stock upon  exercise
of  the Warrants is qualified.  The Company is under  no obligation to seek, and
may decide  not to  seek or  may not  be able  to obtain,  qualification of  the
issuance  of  such Common  Stock  in all  of the  states  in which  the ultimate
purchasers of the Warrants reside. In such a case, the Warrants held will expire
and have no value if such Warrants  cannot be sold. Accordingly, the market  for
the  Warrants may be  limited because of these  restrictions. Further, a current
prospectus covering the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants must
be in effect before the  Company may accept Warrant  exercises. There can be  no
assurance  the Company  will be able  to have  a prospectus in  effect when this
Prospectus is no longer current, notwithstanding the Company's commitment to use
its reasonable  best  efforts  to  do so.  See  "Description  of  Securities  --
Redeemable Warrants."
 
    POTENTIAL  ADVERSE EFFECT  OF REDEMPTION OF  WARRANTS.  The  Warrants may be
redeemed by the Company at any time commencing on July 13, 1996, upon notice  of
not  less than 30 days,  at a price of $.0167  per Warrant, provided the closing
bid quotation  of the  Common Stock  on NASDAQ  has exceeded  $3.33 (subject  to
adjustment)  for a period  of 20 consecutive  trading days during  the period in
which the Warrants are exercisable. Redemption  of the Warrants could force  the
holders  to exercise the Warrants  and pay the exercise price  at a time when it
may be disadvantageous for  the holders to  do so, to sell  the Warrants at  the
then-current  market price when they might  otherwise wish to hold the Warrants,
or to accept the redemption price, which is likely to be substantially less than
the market value of the Warrants at the time of redemption. See "Certain  Market
Information" and "Description of Securities -- Redeemable Warrants."
 
    EXERCISE  PRICE ARBITRARILY DETERMINED.  The  exercise price and other terms
of the  Warrants were  determined by  negotiation between  the Company  and  the
Underwriter  and are not necessarily related to the Company's assets, book value
or financial condition, and  may not be  indicative of the  actual value of  the
Company.
 
    POSSIBLE  DELISTING  OF SECURITIES  FROM  NASDAQ SYSTEM;  RISKS  RELATING TO
LOW-PRICED STOCKS.   The  Company's  Common Stock  and  Warrants are  listed  on
NASDAQ.  In order to continue to be  listed on NASDAQ, however, the Company must
maintain $2,000,000 in total assets, a $200,000 market value of the public float
and $1,000,000 in total  capital and surplus.  In addition, continued  inclusion
requires two market-makers and a minimum bid price of $1.00 per share; provided,
however,  that if the Company falls below such minimum bid price, it will remain
eligible for continued  inclusion in NASDAQ  if the market  value of the  public
float    is   at   least    $1,000,000   and   the    Company   has   $2,000,000
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
in capital and surplus.  The failure to meet  these maintenance criteria in  the
future  may result in the delisting of  the Company's securities from NASDAQ. In
such event, trading, if any, in  the Common Stock and Warrants would  thereafter
be conducted in the over-the-counter markets through the so-called "pink sheets"
or  the NASD's "Electronic  Bulletin Board." Consequently,  the liquidity of the
Company's securities could  be impaired, not  only in the  number of  securities
which  could  be bought  and  sold, but  also through  delays  in the  timing of
transactions, difficulty in obtaining accurate quotations as to the market value
of the securities and reductions in the security analysts' and the news  media's
coverage  of the  Company. Delisting of  the Company's securities  may result in
lower prices  for the  Company's securities  than might  otherwise prevail.  See
"Description of Securities -- NASDAQ and Boston Stock Exchange Listing."
 
    In  addition, if the  Common Stock were  to become delisted  from trading on
NASDAQ and the trading price  of the Common Stock were  to fall below $5.00  per
share,  trading in the Common Stock would also be subject to the requirements of
certain rules  promulgated  under  the Exchange  Act  which  require  additional
disclosure  by broker-dealers  in connection with  any trades  involving a stock
defined as a penny stock (generally,  any non-NASDAQ equity security that has  a
market  price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions). Such
rules require  the  delivery,  prior  to  any  penny  stock  transaction,  of  a
disclosure  schedule explaining the penny stock  market and the risks associated
therewith, and impose various sales practice requirements on broker-dealers  who
sell  penny stocks  to persons other  than established  customers and accredited
investors  (generally  institutions).  For  these  types  of  transactions,  the
broker-dealer  must make a  special suitability determination  for the purchaser
and have received the  purchaser's written consent to  the transaction prior  to
sale.  The additional burdens  imposed upon broker-dealers  by such requirements
may discourage broker-dealers  from effecting transactions  in the Common  Stock
and  Warrants, which  could severely  limit the  market liquidity  of the Common
Stock and  Warrants, the  ability of  purchasers in  this offering  to sell  the
Common  Stock and Warrants in the secondary  market and the Company's ability to
obtain additional financing.
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
    The Company  will not  receive any  of the  proceeds from  the sale  of  the
Selling Security Holders' Warrants or, in the event any of such Selling Security
Holders'  Warrants are  exercised by  the Selling  Security Holders,  any of the
Selling Security  Holders'  Shares  issuable  upon  the  exercise  thereof.  The
proceeds,  if any,  received by  the Company from  the Company  Offering, net of
expenses of the Company  Offering (other than solicitation  fees, if any, to  be
paid  to  Duke &  Co.  in connection  with the  exercise  of Warrants),  will be
$12,740,000, assuming the issuance and sale  of all securities being offered  by
the  Company pursuant to the Company Prospectus. There can be no assurance as to
the number of Warrants, if any,  or Underwriter's Warrants or Warrants  included
therein,  if  any,  which  will  be exercised  in  connection  with  the Company
Offering. However, the Company has been advised by Duke & Co. that it  currently
intends  to exercise  all of  the Underwriter's  Warrants at  such time  as such
Underwriter's Warrants become exercisable, thereby resulting in proceeds to  the
Company (before deducting expenses) of $600,000. Management anticipates that the
net  proceeds of  the Company  Offering, if  any, will  be allocated  to working
capital and general corporate purposes.  In addition, management of the  Company
anticipates  that, upon receipt of  the net proceeds of  the Company Offering, a
portion of such  proceeds will  be used to  repay any  amounts then  outstanding
under  the Company's revolving line of credit agreement with United Jersey Bank.
As of the date of this Prospectus, the Company has an aggregate principal amount
of $225,000 outstanding under this line of credit. See "Management's  Discussion
and Analysis or Plan of Operation."
 
    The  proceeds allocated  to working  capital and  general corporate purposes
will be applied, to the extent necessary, to the Company's current operations.
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
                           CERTAIN MARKET INFORMATION
 
    The shares of Common  Stock of the Company  commenced trading on the  Nasdaq
Small  Capitalization Market under the symbol "SELB" on July 13, 1995. The range
of high and low reported closing sales  prices for the Common Stock as  reported
by Nasdaq since the commencement of trading were as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FISCAL YEAR 1995                                              HIGH (1)      LOW (1)
                                                             -----------  -----------
<S>                                                          <C>          <C>
Third Quarter..............................................   $    3.17    $    2.71
Fourth Quarter.............................................   $    5.50    $    2.81
 
<CAPTION>
 
FISCAL YEAR 1996
<S>                                                          <C>          <C>
First Quarter..............................................   $    7.00    $    4.67
Second Quarter.............................................   $    8.00    $    6.44
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) All  share prices with respect to dates prior to the Share Distribution have
    been adjusted to  give effect to  the Share Distribution.  All share  prices
    have been rounded to the nearest cent.
 
    The  prices  set forth  above reflect  inter  dealer prices,  without retail
mark-up, mark-down  or  commission  and may  not  necessarily  represent  actual
transactions.
 
    On  July 10, 1996,  as reported by  the Company's transfer  agent, shares of
Common Stock were held  by 16 persons,  based on the  number of record  holders,
including  several  holders  who  are nominees  for  an  undetermined  number of
beneficial owners.
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
                                 CAPITALIZATION
 
    The following table sets forth, as of March 31, 1996, the capitalization  of
the  Company (i) on a historical basis  and (ii) as adjusted to give retroactive
effect to the issuance and  sale of the securities  in the Company Offering  and
the  anticipated  application  of  the estimated  net  proceeds  therefrom. This
information  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  the  Company's   financial
statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 MARCH 31, 1996
                                                                          -----------------------------
                                                                             ACTUAL      AS ADJUSTED(1)
                                                                          -------------  --------------
                                                                                   (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                                       <C>            <C>
Long-term debt, less current portion....................................  $           0   $          0
                                                                          -------------  --------------
    Total long-term debt................................................              0              0
                                                                          -------------  --------------
Shareholders' equity
    Common stock, par value $0.01 per share, 40,000,000 shares
     authorized, 7,440,000 shares issued and outstanding (actual) and
     13,860,000 shares issued and outstanding (as adjusted).............         74,400        138,600
    Additional paid-in capital..........................................      4,183,464     16,859,264
    Retained earnings...................................................        521,066        521,066
                                                                          -------------  --------------
    Total shareholders' equity..........................................      4,778,930     17,518,930
                                                                          -------------  --------------
        Total capitalization............................................  $   4,778,930   $ 17,518,930
                                                                          -------------  --------------
                                                                          -------------  --------------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) Gives  effect to  the sale  in the Company  Offering of  5,940,000 shares of
    Common Stock  upon  the  exercise of  outstanding  Warrants  (including  the
    Selling  Security  Holders' Warrants),  and the  sale  of 240,000  shares of
    Common Stock upon exercise of the Underwriters' Warrants and 240,000  shares
    of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrants included therein, resulting in
    net  proceeds to the Company of $12,740,000 (after deducting expenses of the
    Company Offering other than solicitation fees, if any, to be paid to Duke  &
    Co.  in  connection  with  the  exercise  of  the  Warrants).  See  "Warrant
    Solicitation."
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
                            SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
 
    The following selected financial  data as of December  31, 1995 and for  the
years  ended December 31, 1995 and 1996  is derived from the Company's financial
statements, audited  by  Goldstein  Golub  Kessler  &  Company,  P.C.,  included
elsewhere  in  this  Prospectus. The  data  as of  March  31, 1996  and  for the
three-month periods ended March 31, 1995 and 1996 is derived from the  Company's
unaudited  financial statements included elsewhere in this Prospectus, which, in
the opinion of management,  include all adjustments  (consisting of only  normal
recurring  adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the information set
forth herein.  This  data should  be  read  in conjunction  with  the  financial
statements  of the Company,  including their respective  notes and "Management's
Discussion and Analysis or Plan of Operation."
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,      THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31,
                                                   ------------------------------  -----------------------------
                                                    1994 (1)(3)     1995 (2)(3)      1995 (3)        1996 (3)
                                                   --------------  --------------  -------------  --------------
                                                                                            (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                <C>             <C>             <C>            <C>
STATEMENT OF INCOME DATA:
  Revenue........................................  $   10,794,294  $   11,480,135  $   2,354,848  $    3,070,765
  Operating income...............................         651,874         595,157        144,598         141,388
  Pro forma net income...........................         253,437         341,423         49,100          90,543
Pro forma net income per share:
    Primary......................................            0.05            0.05           0.01            0.01
    Fully Diluted................................            0.05            0.04           0.01            0.01
Pro forma weighted average number of common
 shares outstanding
    Primary......................................       4,969,089       8,429,726      4,969,089      13,977,189
    Fully Diluted................................       4,969,089       8,491,491      4,969,089      14,154,955
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           MARCH 31, 1996
                                                                                    -----------------------------
                                                                                       ACTUAL      AS ADJUSTED(4)
                                                                                    -------------  --------------
                                                                                             (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                                                 <C>            <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Current assets..................................................................  $   5,850,375   $ 18,590,375
  Current liabilities.............................................................  $   1,665,669   $  1,665,669
  Working capital.................................................................  $   4,184,706   $ 16,924,706
  Total assets....................................................................  $   6,444,599   $ 19,184,599
  Total liabilities...............................................................  $   1,665,669   $  1,665,669
  Shareholders' equity............................................................  $   4,778,930   $ 17,518,930
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) Restated to include  the results of  operations of the  Company and  Linette
    Cosmetics  for the  twelve-month period ended  December 31, 1994  and of Lea
    Cosmetics for the twelve-month period ended September 30, 1994.
 
(2) Includes the results of operations of the Company and Linette Cosmetics  for
    the twelve-month period ended December 31, 1995 and of Lea Cosmetics for the
    fifteen-month  period ended December 31, 1995.  The results of operations of
    Lea Cosmetics for the  three-month period from October  1, 1994 to  December
    31, 1994 included in the statement of operations for 1995 were not material.
 
(3) Prior  to the Linette Merger, the Company and Linette Cosmetics were treated
    as S Corporations, with their earnings  taxed for federal and certain  state
    income  tax purposes  directly to  their respective  shareholders. Pro forma
    financial information  includes  a pro  forma  adjustment for  income  taxes
    treated on a C Corporation basis.
 
(4) Gives  effect to  the sale  in the Company  Offering of  5,940,000 shares of
    Common Stock upon the  exercise of the  outstanding Warrants (including  the
    Selling  Security  Holders' Warrants),  and the  sale  of 240,000  shares of
    Common Stock upon exercise of the Underwriters' Warrants and 240,000  shares
    of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrants included therein, resulting in
    net
 
                                       17
<PAGE>
    proceeds  to the  Company of $12,740,000  (after deducting  expenses of this
    offering other than solicitation fees, if any,  to be paid to Duke & Co.  in
    connection with the exercise of the Warrants). See "Warrant Solicitation."
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
                      MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
                              OR PLAN OF OPERATION
 
    The   following  discussion  and  analysis   of  the  Company's  results  of
operations, liquidity and financial condition should be read in conjunction with
the financial statements of  the Company included  elsewhere in this  Prospectus
and the related notes thereto.
 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
    THREE MONTH PERIOD ENDED MARCH 31, 1996 COMPARED TO THE THREE MONTH PERIOD
ENDED MARCH 31, 1995
 
    Net sales for the three months ended March 31, 1996 were $3,070,765 compared
to  $2,354,848  for  the three  months  ended  March 31,  1995,  representing an
increase of 30%. This increase in net sales resulted from increases in both  the
sales  of  the Company's  own proprietary  brand  name line  of beauty  aids and
cosmetics and sales  of merchandise  acquired in connection  with the  Company's
opportunistic purchasing business.
 
    Cost  of sales increased from $1,777,363 for  the three month period in 1995
to $2,283,866 for  the same  period in  1996. However,  the cost  of goods  sold
decreased  as  a  percentage of  sales  from 75.5%  in  1995 to  74.4%  in 1996,
reflecting increased  sales of  the  Company's proprietary  brand name  line  of
beauty  aids and cosmetics, which products generally have a higher profit margin
than other merchandise  sold by  the Company. The  gross profit  margins of  the
Company  are subject to fluctuation due  to varying profit margins applicable to
the particular  merchandise  acquired by  the  Company in  connection  with  its
opportunistic purchasing business.
 
    Selling,   general  and  administrative  ("SG&A")  expenses  increased  from
$432,887 in  1995 to  $645,511 in  1996. The  principal components  of SG&A  are
payroll,  rent, commissions, insurance, legal, accounting and other fees paid to
third parties and travel and promotional expenses. The increase in SG&A expenses
in 1996  resulted  primarily from  the  increased payroll  and  travel  expenses
incurred  by the Company  in connection with  its growth and  increases in other
expenses resulting from its status as a public company.
 
    As a result of the  increase in the cost of  sales and the increase in  SG&A
expenses,  total  operating  expenses  increased  from  $2,210,250  in  1995  to
$2,929,377 in 1996.
 
    As a  result  of  the  increase  in  operating  expenses,  operating  income
decreased  from $144,598 in 1995  to $141,388 in 1996.  The increase in interest
income of $9,902 in 1996 compared to  $-0- in 1995 and the decrease in  interest
expense  from $37,953  in 1995  to $12,243  in 1996  resulted in  an increase in
income before provision for income tax of $106,645 in 1995 to $139,048 in  1996.
The  pro forma net income reflects an  adjustment to the earnings of the Company
for income taxes as if the Company's S Corporation status had terminated at  the
beginning of the period.
 
    FISCAL YEAR 1995 COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 1994
 
    Net  sales  for the  fiscal year  ended December  31, 1995  were $11,286,114
compared  to  $10,401,907  for  the   fiscal  year  ended  December  31,   1994,
representing  an increase of  9%. This increase in  net sales resulted primarily
from sales of the Company's own proprietary  brand name line of beauty aids  and
cosmetics.
 
    Income  from  commissions decreased  from $392,387  in  fiscal year  1994 to
$194,021 in fiscal year 1995 as a result of the Company's increased emphasis  on
the  sale of its own branded products and the resulting decrease in its sales on
a commission basis of products manufactured and distributed by third parties.
 
    Cost of  sales increased  from $8,314,521  in 1994  to $8,868,566  in  1995.
However, the cost of goods sold decreased as a percentage of sales from 79.9% in
1994 to 78.6% in 1995, reflecting increased sales
 
                                       19
<PAGE>
of  the Company's proprietary brand  name line of beauty  aids and cosmetics and
increased sales of prestige fragrances,  which products generally have a  higher
profit margin than other merchandise sold by the Company.
 
    SG&A  expenses increased from $1,827,889 in  1994 to $2,016,412 in 1995. The
increase in  SG&A  expenses  in  1995  resulted  primarily  from  the  increased
professional  fees incurred by  the Company in  connection with the  IPO and its
status as a  public company and  increased payroll expenses  resulting from  the
Company's having hired additional employees following the IPO.
 
    As  a result of the increase  in the cost of sales  and the increase in SG&A
expenses, total  operating  expenses  increased  from  $10,142,420  in  1994  to
$10,884,978 in 1995.
 
    As  a result  of the  decrease in  the amount  of commission  income and the
increase in the  Company's operating expenses,  operating income decreased  from
$651,874 in 1994 to $595,157 in 1995.
 
    Other  income (expense) included income of $101,489  for the year 1995 and a
net expense of $71,392  for the year  1994. Other income  in 1995 was  primarily
comprised  of proceeds of approximately $49,000 resulting from the settlement of
an insurance  claim  and restitution  by  a former  employee  in the  amount  of
$52,000.  The expense  in 1994  of approximately  $71,000 represents  a one-time
charge for settlement of an insurance  claim including the amount of $23,000  of
loss  not  covered  by the  insurance  settlement,  fees paid  to  the insurance
adjuster and other expenses.
 
    The provision for income taxes of $70,000 in 1994 primarily represents taxes
owed by Lea Cosmetics, which was taxed as a C Corporation. During 1994,  Linette
Cosmetics and the Company were operated as S Corporations, and earnings of these
companies during such period were taxed for federal and certain other income tax
purposes  directly to their  shareholders. Upon the  consummation of the Linette
Merger, the  Company ceased  being  an S  Corporation and,  accordingly,  became
subject  to federal and  state income taxes.  The provision for  income taxes of
$234,000 in 1995 reflects taxes owed by the Company with respect to earnings  of
the  Company during the period  following the termination of  its status as an S
Corporation.
 
    LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
    During 1995, the Company completed the IPO, in which it sold an aggregate of
920,000 IPO Units, with each IPO Unit consisting of three shares of Common Stock
and three Warrants,  at a  price of  $5.00 per IPO  Unit for  gross proceeds  of
$4,600,000.
 
    After  deducting fees and  expenses of the  IPO of approximately $1,274,000,
the net proceeds of  the IPO were  used to repay  $850,000 of loans  outstanding
under  the  Company's then  existing  borrowing arrangement  with  a bank  and a
$250,000 note (the  "Bridge Note") which  had been issued  to a bridge  investor
(the  "Bridge Investor") in connection with  certain bridge financing secured by
the Company. The remaining $2,226,000 was added to working capital.
 
    In connection with the Company's IPO, the balance of loans to the Company by
related parties, which was $769,000 at  such time, was reduced by $300,000.  The
debt  of $300,000  was converted  into conversion  units (equivalent  to the IPO
Units) (the "Conversion Units") at the rate of $5.00 per Conversion Unit for  an
aggregate  of 60,000  Conversion Units,  consisting of  an aggregate  of 180,000
shares of  Common Stock  and  180,000 Warrants  (which Warrants  constitute  the
Selling  Security Holders' Warrants). The remaining $469,000 was scheduled to be
repaid by the Company with interest at an annual rate of 8% on January 20,  1997
out  of available  working capital, if  available, on  such terms as  were to be
determined by the  board of directors  of the  Company. On March  21, 1996,  the
Company  repaid such  remaining balance at  a discount of  $46,900 and increased
additional paid-in capital by a corresponding amount.
 
    Prior to the  consummation of the  Linette Merger, the  Company and  Linette
Cosmetics  were  treated  as  S  Corporations. As  a  result,  earnings  of such
companies during such period were taxed for federal and certain state income tax
purposes directly to  the shareholders of  the companies. On  May 17, 1995,  the
Company  declared a distribution  payable to the  shareholders of such companies
 
                                       20
<PAGE>
prior  to the Linette Merger in an amount equal to the taxes payable on earnings
of the Company during the period of its S Corporation status (the "S Corporation
Distribution"), which distribution was payable following the consummation of the
IPO after the amount  thereof had been determined.  In September and October  of
1995,  the Company paid  S Corporation Distributions in  the aggregate amount of
approximately $156,250.
 
    In May 1995, the Company borrowed, for working capital purposes and to pay a
portion of  the expenses  of the  IPO,  an aggregate  of $250,000  (the  "Bridge
Financing")  from the Bridge Investor,  an accredited investor unaffiliated with
the Company or any of its executives or directors. In connection with the Bridge
Financing, the Company issued to the Bridge Investor (i) the Bridge Note,  which
bore interest at the rate of 8% per annum and was due and payable on the earlier
of  the consummation of the IPO or November 23, 1995 and (ii) 1,000,000 warrants
(the "Bridge Warrants"), each of which  was exercisable until November 23,  1995
and  entitled the holder thereof to purchase  three shares of Common Stock at an
exercise price of $2.00 per share. Upon the consummation of the IPO, each Bridge
Warrant automatically converted  into a  warrant having  the same  terms as  the
Warrants.  The Company used  a portion of the  proceeds of the  IPO to repay the
entire principal amount of the Bridge Note, plus accrued interest thereon.
 
    On November 6, 1995, the Company entered into a Loan and Security  Agreement
(the  "Loan Agreement") with United Jersey Bank (the "Lender") pursuant to which
it obtained a revolving line of  credit for general working capital purposes  in
an  aggregate principal  amount up  to $2,000,000,  subject to  a borrowing base
limitation. The line  of credit bears  interest at fluctuating  rates per  annum
based  on the "Prevailing Base  Rate" (as defined in  the Loan Agreement) of the
Lender. As of the date hereof, the Company has an aggregate principal amount  of
$225,000  outstanding  under this  line  of credit.  Any  funds borrowed  by the
Company under the  Loan Agreement  are secured  primarily by  the inventory  and
receivables  of  the Company.  The Loan  Agreement terminates  on May  31, 1997.
Although the Company anticipates that it will renew the Loan Agreement upon  its
termination,  there can be no assurance that  the Loan Agreement will be renewed
at such time.
 
    At March 31, 1996,  the Company had working  capital of $4,184,706 and  cash
and short-term investments of $72,388.
 
    The  Company anticipates  that the proceeds  of the  Company Offering, which
will increase the Company's  available working capital  and cash, together  with
anticipated  cash  flow from  the Company's  operations,  will be  sufficient to
satisfy the Company's cash requirements for at least twelve months. In the event
the Company's plans  change (due  to unanticipated expenses  or difficulties  or
otherwise),  or  if  the  proceeds  of this  offering  and  projected  cash flow
otherwise prove insufficient to fund  operations, the Company could be  required
to  seek additional financing sooner than  currently anticipated. Except for the
Loan Agreement,  which expires  on May  31,  1997, the  Company has  no  current
arrangements  with respect to, or sources of, additional financing. Accordingly,
there can be  no assurance that  additional financing will  be available to  the
Company  when needed, on commercially reasonable terms, or at all. The Company's
inability to  obtain such  additional financing  could have  a material  adverse
effect  on  the  Company's  long-term liquidity  and  on  the  proposed business
expansion plans of the Company.
 
                                       21
<PAGE>
                                    BUSINESS
 
GENERAL
 
    The  Company  is  primarily engaged  in  the distribution  and  marketing of
consumer merchandise  to retail  sellers such  as mass  merchandisers,  discount
chain stores and electronic retailers. The Company's business presently consists
of the following activities: (i) opportunistic purchasing and secondary sourcing
(I.E.,   distributing  merchandise  on  a  wholesale  basis  outside  of  normal
distribution channels to retail  merchants) of a broad  range of name-brand  and
off-brand  products  such  as  health and  beauty  aids,  cosmetics, fragrances,
kitchen items and other household items, (ii) developing, marketing and  selling
the  Company's  own proprietary  brands of  budget-line  health, beauty  aid and
cosmetic  products,  which  are  manufactured   for  the  Company  by   contract
manufacturers,  (iii)  representing manufacturers  and  distributors as  a sales
agent, on a commission  basis, in connection with  the sale to mass  merchandise
retailers  of merchandise manufactured and distributed by such third parties and
(iv) developing,  marketing and  selling products  to be  promoted by  celebrity
spokespersons  and sold by the Company to mass merchandise retailers, as well as
products which will "tie  in" to specific  television shows and  be sold by  the
Company  on  television  in connection  with  those  shows, with  the  intent to
thereafter sell  such  products to  mass  merchandise retailers.  The  Company's
strategy is to capitalize on increased consumer demand for value and convenience
resulting  from  the increased  acceptance by  consumers of  mass merchandisers,
electronic retailers and other mass marketing retail outlets, as well as on  the
popularity of consumer products endorsed by celebrity spokespersons.
 
    The  Company, which was incorporated under the laws of the State of New York
in September 1993,  consummated the IPO  in July 1995.  Pursuant to the  Linette
Merger,  which was consummated on May 18, 1995, Linette Cosmetics, a corporation
founded in 1985 by Harold Markowitz, the  Chairman of the Board of the  Company,
and Jorge Lazaro, the Executive Vice President and Secretary of the Company, was
merged with and into the Company, with the Company as the surviving corporation.
Prior  to the Linette  Merger, all of  the outstanding capital  stock of Linette
Cosmetics was owned by Mr. Markowitz,  Mr. Lazaro and Paul Sharp, the  President
and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  the  Company,  who  together  comprised  the
shareholders of the Company until the IPO. In addition, immediately prior to the
consummation of the IPO, the  Company consummated the Lea Acquisition,  pursuant
to  which each of Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp and Lazaro contributed to the Company
his 20%  equity interest  in Lea  Cosmetics and  the Company  acquired from  the
remaining shareholder his 40% equity interest in Lea Cosmetics. As a result, Lea
Cosmetics  became a  wholly-owned subsidiary  of the  Company and,  on August 3,
1995, Lea Cosmetics was merged  with and into the  Company, with the Company  as
the surviving corporation.
 
    OPPORTUNISTIC  PURCHASING AND  SECONDARY SOURCING  ACTIVITIES.   The Company
acts as  a  secondary sourcer  of  a broad  range  of name-brand  and  off-brand
merchandise,  including health  and beauty aids,  cosmetics, fragrances, kitchen
items and  other household  products. The  Company acquires  its merchandise  in
negotiated  purchases either directly from  consumer goods manufacturers or from
wholesalers,   retailers,   financially    distressed   businesses,    duty-free
distributors  and other secondary sources located both in the United States and,
to a limited extent, in Europe, and  sells the merchandise to retail chains  and
other  mass  merchandisers  located  throughout  the  United  States  and,  more
recently, in  Canada. During  the  year ended  December  31, 1995,  the  Company
purchased  merchandise from over 50 different suppliers and sold the merchandise
to over 30  different retailers,  including, among others,  BJ's Wholesale  Club
(which accounted for approximately 26% of the Company's net sales in 1995), Ames
Department  Stores (which accounted  for approximately 11%  of the Company's net
sales in 1995)  and Bill's Dollar  Stores and Hills  Department Stores (each  of
which  accounted for between 4% and 5% of  the Company's net sales in 1995). The
Company believes that its longstanding relationships with many of its  suppliers
and customers are important to the secondary sourcing activities of the Company,
and that its relationship with its suppliers and customers are good.
 
                                       22
<PAGE>
    In  connection with its distribution activities, the Company has the ability
to repackage merchandise acquired by it or to provide other value-added services
at the  request of  a customer.  For example,  if the  Company were  to  acquire
merchandise  which had  been packaged  by the  manufacturer as  a four-pack item
(I.E., four  items to  the package),  the  Company could,  if requested  by  the
customer,  repackage  the item  as  a ten-pack  item  prior to  delivery  of the
merchandise to the customer. Likewise, at a customer's request, the Company  has
the  ability to  package several  different items together  to create  a gift or
bonus package. The Company believes that its ability to provide such value-added
services allows it to service the ongoing needs of its customers and to  enhance
its sales and customer relations.
 
    Because  the Company focuses on the opportunistic acquisition of merchandise
(other than designer  fragrances) such as  purchases of closed-out,  overstocked
and/or  change-of-packaging brand name  items, the Company  is generally able to
purchase such merchandise at a discount  below wholesale cost. The Company  then
sells  the merchandise  to discount retailers  and other  mass merchandisers who
seek to purchase products at discount prices in order to supplement their normal
inventory purchases or for special promotions. The merchandise is sold at prices
that are above the Company's cost,  although at prices that are still  generally
below  wholesale. Although the Company typically purchases merchandise before it
has located  customers  for such  merchandise,  it has  sold  substantially  all
merchandise acquired by it in each of the last three fiscal years.
 
    The  Company  purchases the  name-brand and  off-brand merchandise  which it
sells  to  retailers   from  over   50  suppliers,   including  consumer   goods
manufacturers,   wholesalers,  retailers,   financially  distressed  businesses,
duty-free distributors and other secondary  sources. The Company is  continually
seeking  to locate  new sources of  merchandise. Generally, the  Company will be
contacted by a  manufacturer or  other supplier  when such  supplier has  excess
merchandise   that  is  available  for  resale  through  the  secondary  market;
alternatively, the Company will also contact a supplier if it becomes aware that
the supplier  has  merchandise  which  it  desires  to  sell.  Although  certain
suppliers may have provided a majority or all of a particular type of product or
particular  category of merchandise, no supplier  accounted for more than 10% of
the Company's total merchandise purchases for  the year ended December 31,  1995
other  than Stealth International, which accounted for approximately 10% of such
total purchases. During the year ended  December 31, 1995, substantially all  of
the  Company's  secondary  sourcing  merchandise  was  purchased  from  domestic
suppliers, with the remainder being purchased from suppliers located in  Europe.
The  Company believes that the loss of any one of its suppliers would not have a
material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company  and  that  alternative  sources  of
merchandise  are readily available in all existing product categories as well as
additional product categories.
 
    All merchandise  is purchased  by  the Company  from its  suppliers  through
individually  placed purchase orders. The Company  does not have any contractual
relationships with any  of its suppliers  and depends, instead,  on its  ongoing
relationships  and prior dealings  with such suppliers  to obtain merchandise at
favorable prices when it becomes  available to secondary suppliers. The  Company
believes  that such ongoing relationships with  its suppliers have resulted from
its prior dealings with such  suppliers, in many cases  over a period of  years,
and  its  reliability  and strength  as  a  customer. Several  of  the Company's
principals have been involved in the opportunistic purchasing business for  more
than 20 years and have developed many on-going contacts with suppliers.
 
    Currently,  all  purchasing  and  pricing  decisions  with  respect  to  the
Company's opportunistic  purchasing activities  are made  by Messrs.  Markowitz,
Sharp  and Lazaro, who  locate sources of merchandise  and determine whether any
given product will be  suitable for wholesale  distribution to mass  merchandise
retailers  or other customers.  Generally, the Company believes  that it has the
ability to sell all merchandise that is  acquired by it. The Company has  credit
arrangements  with substantially all of its existing suppliers, thereby allowing
the  Company  to  purchase  merchandise  on  account.  Generally,  such   credit
arrangements  allow the Company  to purchase merchandise  with payment generally
due 30 days after the purchase.
 
                                       23
<PAGE>
    The Company  also acts  as  a wholesale  distributor of  prestige,  designer
fragrances.  Historically,  manufacturers  of such  fragrances  have  sold their
products primarily to leading department stores. As a result, mass merchandisers
have traditionally only been  able to obtain such  items from secondary  sources
such  as the  Company. Typically,  the Company  purchases these  fragrances from
other  secondary  sources  such  as  export  and  import  companies,   duty-free
distributors and department stores which are liquidating their excess inventory.
Unlike  other merchandise which  is acquired by  the Company at  prices that are
significantly below wholesale, the Company purchases the prestige fragrances  at
above-wholesale  prices (although still  well below their  normal retail price).
The Company,  in turn,  sells  such items  to  mass merchandisers.  The  Company
believes  that sales of such fragrances will continue to constitute a portion of
its sales, although there can be no assurance of such.
 
    The Company believes that a portion of the prestige fragrances purchased  by
it  may  include  trademarked  products manufactured  in  foreign  countries and
trademarked products manufactured in the United  States that may have been  sold
to  foreign distributors. From time to  time, United States trademark owners and
their  licensees   and  trade   associations   have  initiated   litigation   or
administrative  agency  proceedings seeking  to  halt the  importation  into the
United States of  such foreign manufactured  or previously exported  trademarked
products. Although the Company is not currently the subject of any such legal or
administrative  actions,  and  is not  aware  of  any such  threatened  legal or
administrative actions, there can  be no assurance  that the Company's  business
activities  will not become the  subject of such actions  in the future, or that
future judicial, legislative or administrative  agency action will not limit  or
eliminate  some or all of the secondary sources of supply of prestige fragrances
used by the Company. However, the Company believes that any future limitation on
or elimination of its sources of supply for prestige fragrances for sale to  its
customers  would not  have a  material adverse  effect on  the Company, although
there can be no assurance of such.
 
    SALE OF PROPRIETARY  BRAND NAME  PRODUCTS.   The Company  is also  currently
engaged in the development, marketing and sale of its own proprietary brand name
budget-line  health,  beauty  aid  and  cosmetic  products.  Prior  to  the  Lea
Acquisition, many of such products were developed and sold by Lea Cosmetics  and
purchased  by the Company,  who in turn sold  such products to  many of the mass
merchandisers included  in  its customer  base.  The Company's  beauty  aid  and
cosmetic  products include budget-line lipsticks, lip pencils, nail polishes and
eye pencils, which are manufactured  in a variety of  colors and are sold  under
the Linette-Registered Trademark-, Vea-Registered Trademark- and
Zia-Registered  Trademark- brand names (and, in  the past, under the "Lea" brand
name) to  retail chains  and  other mass  merchandisers located  throughout  the
United States. All of the Company's proprietary beauty aid and cosmetic products
and  all packaging  therefor are manufactured  and supplied by  third parties in
accordance  with  the  Company's  specifications.  The  Company  purchases   all
materials  for these  products (including  raw materials  and packaging) through
individually placed purchase orders to various suppliers. The Company has credit
arrangements with such suppliers that allow it to purchase merchandise on credit
with payment generally due 30 days after purchase. To date, the Company has  not
experienced any shortages of or difficulties in obtaining the raw materials used
in  its  products or  the  materials used  for  the packaging  of  its products.
Furthermore, the  Company believes  that alternate  sources of  supply for  such
materials  are readily available and  that the loss of  any one of its suppliers
would not have a material adverse effect. The Company believes that it has  good
relationships  with  the  suppliers  of  raw  materials  and  packaging  for its
proprietary products.
 
    Typically, all materials purchased by the Company for its proprietary beauty
aid and  cosmetic  products are  delivered  directly  by the  suppliers  to  the
Company's  contract  manufacturer, which  is  presently LPD  Packaging,  Inc., a
manufacturer engaged by the Company  to provide filling and packaging  services,
perform  quality control,  distribute the  finished products  and, if necessary,
warehouse the products. All products are manufactured pursuant to the  Company's
specifications on a purchase order basis. Although the Company believes that its
contract  manufacturer  has the  capacity to  produce  volumes of  the Company's
products sufficient  to meet  the Company's  foreseeable needs,there  can be  no
assurance of such. Furthermore, although the Company believes that it has a good
relationship with this manufacturer and that the Company will continue to obtain
its finished
 
                                       24
<PAGE>
beauty  aid  and cosmetic  products from  such  manufacturer in  the foreseeable
future, the Company does not have a written contract with this manufacturer  and
there  can therefore be no  assurance of such. In the  event the Company were to
experience  difficulties  with  or   the  loss  of   services  of  its   present
manufacturer,  the Company believes that it would be able to retain the services
of other manufacturers; however,  there can be no  assurance that such  services
could  be retained on a timely basis or  on terms as favorable as those with its
present manufacturer.
 
    As part of the Company's strategy of taking advantage of the growth in  mass
merchandising and value retailing, the Company will seek to continue introducing
its  own brand  name products,  thereby providing the  Company with  a supply of
products and making the Company less reliant on third party and/or opportunistic
sources of  merchandise.  The  Company  may  also  seek  to  acquire  rights  to
additional  proprietary product  lines through licensing  or other arrangements,
although there can be no assurance of such.
 
    COMMISSION  SALES.    In  addition  to  establishing  its  own  sources   of
merchandise,  the Company also acts as a sales agent for other manufacturers and
distributors of merchandise  which is sold  in the mass  merchandise market.  In
September  1994,  the  Company entered  into  a five-year  agreement  with Clyde
Duneier, Inc.  ("Duneier"),  a manufacturer  and  distributor of  fine  jewelry,
pursuant  to which the Company acts as the exclusive sales agent for Duneier for
its Ames Department  Store account, in  consideration for which  the Company  is
paid a fixed annual fee and royalty payments on net sales over certain specified
amounts.  The Company currently anticipates that,  in light of its present plans
to develop and sell more of its proprietary brand name products, the Company may
not enter into any additional arrangements pursuant to which it would sell, on a
commission basis,  products  that  are manufactured  and  distributed  by  third
parties. In addition, there can be no guaranty that the Company's agreement with
Duneier will be renewed upon the expiration of such agreement in September 1999.
 
    DEVELOPMENT  OF  "CELEBRITY"  PRODUCTS.    The  Company  believes  that  the
increasing popularity of consumer products  endorsed by celebrities may  provide
significant  future opportunities for  the Company. Accordingly,  the Company is
seeking to  develop products  for promotion  by celebrity  spokespersons,  which
products  will  be sold  by  the Company  to  mass merchandising  and electronic
retailers. In this connection,  the Company will seek  to enter into  agreements
with  celebrities for whom it  believes it will be  able to successfully develop
products which will have consumer appeal.
 
    In November 1993, the Company entered into an agreement with Jackie Collins,
the best-selling author of  such novels as HOLLYWOOD  WIVES, ROCK STAR,  SINNERS
and  LADY BOSS.  Pursuant to  this agreement,  the Company  developed a  line of
"Jackie Collins" products (including  fragrances, costume jewelry,  accessories,
sunglasses  and belts) which were sold to  Home Shopping Network and promoted by
Ms. Collins  on  Home Shopping  Network  in four  appearances  in 1994  and  one
appearance  in  1995.  The  Company  believes  that,  based  on  its  success in
developing products for Ms. Collins in connection with such appearances and  the
strength  of her appeal  to consumers, there is  significant opportunity for the
Company to  develop products  to be  promoted by  Ms. Collins  and sold  in  the
traditional  retail market.  Accordingly, the  Company has  developed a  line of
"Jackie Collins Wild" fragrances,  which were launched by  the Company into  the
retail  market in October 1995. The Company  is also currently in the process of
developing a line of bath products and  jewelry for Ms. Collins for sale by  the
Company  to mass market  merchandisers. However, there can  be no assurance that
the Company will be able to sell any additional amounts of such fragrances, that
it will be able  to successfully develop and/or  promote any other products  for
Ms.  Collins or that  any of the  products so developed  will meet with consumer
acceptance or generate any significant revenues.
 
    In November 1995, the Company entered  into an agreement with Direct  Access
Group/Television  Production Partners ("Direct Access") pursuant to which Direct
Access has  granted  the  Company  the  exclusive  right  to  develop  and  sell
cosmetics, fragrances and spa items in connection with "tie-in" product programs
developed  by Direct Access for television  networks and producers. Such product
programs involve  the development  of  products which  "tie in"  to  characters,
activities and/or themes of
 
                                       25
<PAGE>
a  specific television show.  Pursuant to its agreement  with Direct Access, the
Company has been authorized to develop and act as the exclusive manufacturer and
distributor of a cosmetic, fragrance  and skin care line  to be known as  "Jabot
for  the Young and Restless Generation," which  was inspired by and will be sold
in connection with,  the CBS daytime  drama THE  YOUNG AND THE  RESTLESS. It  is
anticipated  that such products, as well as  any other products developed by the
Company pursuant to the agreement, will be sold on a telemarketing basis  during
the  airing of the "tie-in"  show. The Agreement also  provides that the Company
will also be entitled to  sell any merchandise developed by  it for any of  such
television  shows through other retail  distribution channels, provided that the
Company pays a royalty in connection therewith at a negotiated amount either  to
Direct  Access  or  to  the  television  producer  or  network  for  which  such
merchandise has been developed.  The exclusive right granted  to the Company  to
develop  products for Direct Access will be  for a term of 24 months, commencing
upon the airing of the first television show on which merchandise is offered for
sale. The Company has advanced $50,000 to  Direct Access in order to secure  the
grant  of its  exclusive right.  As of  the date  hereof, Direct  Access has not
secured   air   time   for   the    promotion   and   sale   of   the    "Jabot"
products,  and there can be  no assurance of such. In  addition, there can be no
assurance that Direct  Access will be  able to successfully  negotiate with  any
television  networks or producers  for the development  of other program product
"tie-ins" or that Direct Access will be able to secure air time during which any
such products can be marketed and sold.
 
    The Company has also entered into agreements with other celebrities (or with
entities  with  which  such  celebrities  are  affiliated  or  personal  service
corporations  representing  such celebrities),  including actress  Barbara Eden,
fashion designer  Albert  Nipon  and Best  Buddies,  a  charitable  organization
founded  by Anthony Kennedy Shriver. To date,  the Company has not developed any
products for any of  such celebrities, and  there can be  no assurance that  the
Company will develop any such products in the future.
 
    Although  the Company is seeking to  develop the "celebrity" product area of
its business, including by marketing and distributing in the traditional  retail
market  merchandise which  is originally  offered for  sale on  television or by
developing products to  be promoted  by celebrities  and sold  directly in  such
traditional  markets,  there  can  be  no assurance  that  the  Company  will be
successful  in  its  endeavors.  To  date,  the  Company  has  not  generated  a
significant amount of revenues from such celebrity products, and there can be no
assurance that it will be able to successfully develop any such products or that
any  such products developed by the  Company will meet with consumer acceptance.
In addition, except as described above, as of the date hereof the Company has no
agreements, understandings or commitments related to such plan of development.
 
COMPETITION
 
    The areas of business  in which the Company  engages are highly  competitive
businesses.   The  secondary  sourcing  business  is  characterized  by  intense
competition, both in  the products sold  and in the  retaining of  relationships
with suppliers and customers. With respect to its ability to obtain merchandise,
the  Company competes  with other secondary  sources, as well  as with wholesale
distributors and retailers. The Company believes that its ability to purchase  a
broad  array of  merchandise at competitive  prices is critical  to its success.
With respect  to  sales  to  its customers,  the  Company  competes  with  other
secondary  suppliers  of merchandise,  as well  as  with manufacturers  who sell
directly to retail  merchandisers. In  addition, with respect  to products  sold
under the Company's Linette-Registered Trademark-, Vea-Registered Trademark- and
Zia-Registered  Trademark- brand  names, as  well as  the Company's  other brand
names, the Company competes with other  manufacturers at the retail store  level
for  shelf  space  and promotional  space.  Many  of the  Company's  existing or
potential competitors  are well  established  companies and  have or  will  have
substantially greater financial, marketing and other resources than the Company.
The  Company believes that it competes on the basis of value, product assortment
and availability, service to customers and  reputation, as well as on the  basis
of  its long-standing and well-established relationships with both its suppliers
and customers. Although  the Company believes  that it will  be able to  compete
effectively on the basis of such factors, there can be no assurance of such.
 
                                       26
<PAGE>
    In  connection with its "celebrity"  products business, the Company competes
or will compete  with manufacturers  and marketing organizations  that seek  out
celebrities  to  endorse products  and assist  in  marketing programs  for their
merchandise. In addition,  the Company believes  that virtually all  celebrities
have  agents  who  can negotiate  directly  with  retailers in  order  to secure
marketing contracts on their  behalf. The Company believes  that it competes  on
the  basis  of its  ability to  design  products which  are consistent  with the
celebrities' respective preferences and characters and to provide such  products
to  retailers at  competitive prices. Furthermore,  although the  Company is not
aware of  any other  entities  which currently  manufacture, market  or  develop
television  "tie-in" products  to be sold  on television in  connection with the
related program, the Company  believes that any such  products developed by  the
Company will compete with other products sold in the electronic retailing market
(including  through television infomercials  and interactive television shopping
networks), as well as other products sold in the traditional retail market which
relate to  characters or  themes  of television  shows  or movies.  The  Company
believes  that  it  will compete  on  the basis  of  the unique  nature  of such
television "tie-in" products, as well as on its ability to provide such products
at competitive prices.
 
TRADEMARK AND SERVICEMARK PROTECTION
 
    To date, products developed by the  Company (and by Linette Cosmetics  prior
to  the Linette Merger and Lea Cosmetics prior to the Lea Acquisition) have been
sold under  the  Linette-Registered Trademark-,  Vea-Registered  Trademark-  and
Zia-Registered  Trademark-  trademarks  and  the  "Lea"  mark.  The  Company has
registered the  Linette-Registered  Trademark-,  Vea-Registered  Trademark-  and
Zia-Registered Trademark- trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark
Office  (the "Trademark Office"). However, there  can be no assurance that these
marks do not or  will not violate  the proprietary rights  of others, that  such
marks  would be upheld if challenged or  that the Company would not be prevented
from using  its  trademarks.  The  Company  has  not  applied  for  a  trademark
registration of the "Lea" mark and has been advised that a trademark application
for  the "Lea" mark was  filed with the Trademark  Office by an unrelated entity
for use in connection with  the sale of skin  care and other cosmetic  products.
The  Company  has ceased  using  such mark  and does  not  intend to  market its
products using such mark in the  future. The Company believes that, because  the
proprietary  brand-name products  sold by the  Company are  "budget" items whose
appeal to consumers is based primarily on price, packaging and color  assortment
rather than on the product's name, the Company's inability to use any given mark
should  not have a  material adverse effect  on the Company.  Although no claims
have been made to date  against the Company alleging that  the use of the  "Lea"
mark violates the rights of any other party, there can be no assurance that such
mark does not violate the proprietary rights of any other party.
 
    The Company has also applied to the Trademark Office for the registration of
the trademark "Jackie Collins Wild," the trademark under which the Company sells
a fragrance developed for Ms. Collins. In addition, the Company has also applied
to the Trademark Office to register certain other trademarks which it intends to
use  in the future in  connection with its own  proprietary brand name products,
and intends to register other brand names chosen by the Company for its own line
of products. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to
register any such marks.
 
    The owner of the Jabot-Registered Trademark- trademark has granted to Direct
Access a license to use  such trademark in connection  with the "Jabot" line  of
products  to be developed and sold in  connection with the CBS daytime drama THE
YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. Pursuant to such license, Direct Access has the right to
grant to the Company, and accordingly has  granted to the Company, a license  to
use  such trademark in  connection with the  "Jabot for the  Young and Restless"
line of  products to  be  developed and  sold by  the  Company pursuant  to  its
arrangement with Direct Access.
 
PERSONNEL
 
    The  Company currently employs  14 full-time employees  and approximately 25
part-time employees (the  exact number  of which  fluctuates from  time to  time
based  on  the Company's  needs),  who are  hired  by the  Company  primarily to
repackage  products   and   perform  other   similar   services.  All   of   the
 
                                       27
<PAGE>
Company's  full-time  employees  are  paid  on a  salaried  basis.  None  of the
Company's  employees  are  covered  by  any  collective  bargaining  agreements.
Management believes that its employee relations are good.
 
INSURANCE
 
    To  date, no  material product liability  claims have been  made against the
Company; however, as a distributor  of merchandise, including health and  beauty
aids, cosmetics, fragrances and household items, the Company could be exposed to
possible liability claims from others for personal injury or property damage due
to design or manufacturing defects or otherwise. The Company maintains a product
liability  insurance policy  that has  a $1,000,000  per occurrence  limit and a
$2,000,000 aggregate limit, and a $3,000,000 umbrella liability insurance policy
to cover claims in excess of the  limits of its product liability insurance.  In
addition,  the Company believes  that the suppliers from  whom it purchases such
merchandise, including the  manufacturers thereof, maintain  adequate levels  of
product  liability  insurance.  The  Company  also  maintains  other  insurance,
including insurance relating to property and personal injury, which the  Company
believes  is similar to that maintained  by comparable businesses and in amounts
which the Company currently  considers adequate. The  Company believes that  its
insurance coverage, including without limitation its product liability coverage,
is  adequate in light of prior experience and future expectations. Nevertheless,
a partially or completely uninsured claim against the Company, if successful and
of sufficient magnitude, could have a material adverse effect on the Company.
 
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
 
    The Company,  Mr.  Markowitz  and Mr.  Mirsky  (collectively,  the  "Sel-Leb
Defendants")  have been named as defendants-in-counterclaim in an action pending
in the Supreme  Court of the  State of New  York, County of  New York,  entitled
GERSTEN, SAVAGE, KAPLOWITZ & CURTIN, LLP V. PETER Z. ROSNER AND HINDALENE ROSNER
(95/126559). The original action brought by Gersten, Savage, Kaplowitz & Curtin,
LLP ("Plaintiff") alleges nonpayment by the defendants ("Defendants") of certain
fees  owed  to  Plaintiff for  legal  work  performed by  it  for  Defendants in
connection with a  civil litigation matter  and bankruptcy proceeding  involving
Defendants.  Defendants have  asserted several  counterclaims against Plaintiff,
the Sel-Leb  Defendants and  the  Underwriter (collectively,  the  "Counterclaim
Defendants").  The counterclaims allege, among other things, that Mr. Rosner had
acted as a "finder"  in connection with  Company's IPO and  that he had  entered
into  an  oral  agreement  with  the  Company  and  the  Underwriter,  which was
represented by Plaintiff in the IPO,  pursuant to which he would be  compensated
for  his services out of  the proceeds of the IPO  and would receive warrants to
purchase Common Stock. Defendants seek damages in excess of $1.5 million against
the Counterclaim Defendants based on such counterclaims. Discovery is  currently
pending  in connection  with this litigation.  The counterclaims  brought by the
Defendants have been reviewed by counsel  and, based on such review,  management
of  the Company believes  that the counterclaims are  without merit. The Sel-Leb
Defendants  have  filed  answers  denying  the  allegations  set  forth  in  the
counterclaims  brought against them, and such  counterclaims will continue to be
vigorously defended  by the  Sel-Leb Defendants.  In addition,  counsel for  the
Sel-Leb  Defendants  has  been advised  by  counsel for  the  other Counterclaim
Defendants that such counsel believes that the counterclaims brought against the
other Counterclaim Defendants are without merit and that such other Counterclaim
Defendants have filed answers denying the allegations set forth therein.
 
    The Company is not a party or subject to any other legal proceedings,  other
than claims and lawsuits arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company
does  not believe that any such claims  or lawsuits will have a material adverse
effect on its financial condition or results of operations.
 
PROPERTIES
 
    The Company's principal  executive offices  are located at  1435 51  Street,
North  Bergen,  New Jersey,  07047. Such  premises include  approximately 18,000
square feet of office  and warehouse space, and  are leased on a  month-to-month
basis  at a monthly rent of $5,833. The Company also leases approximately 10,000
square feet  of  storage  space  in  Middletown,  New  York  from  the  contract
 
                                       28
<PAGE>
manufacturer of certain of the Company's beauty aid and cosmetic products, which
space the Company uses to warehouse materials and finished products. Pursuant to
the  Company's written agreement with such lessor, the Company leased such space
during the  period from  October 1995  to December  1995 at  an annual  rate  of
$30,000  and  will continue  to  lease the  space  during the  three-year period
commencing January  1, 1996  at an  annual  rent of  $35,000. In  addition,  the
Company leases approximately 500 square feet of office space located in Milford,
Massachusetts  on a month-to-month basis at a  monthly rent of $700. The Company
also leases public warehouse space from time  to time on an as-needed basis  for
the storage of inventory.
 
    The  Company believes that the space afforded by such properties is adequate
for the current needs of its business.
 
                                       29
<PAGE>
                                   MANAGEMENT
 
DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 
    The current directors and executive officers of the Company are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
              NAME                    AGE                                       POSITION
- --------------------------------      ---      --------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                               <C>          <C>
Harold Markowitz                          55   Chairman of the Board and Director
Paul Sharp                                46   President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Jan Mirsky                                55   Executive Vice President -- Finance, Chief Operating Officer and Director
Jorge Lazaro                              48   Executive Vice President, Secretary and Director
Jack Koegel                               44   Vice Chairman of the Board
Stanley R. Goodman                        66   Assistant Secretary and Director
Edward C. Ross                            52   Director
L. Douglas Bailey                         54   Director
</TABLE>
 
    HAROLD MARKOWITZ, a  co-founder of  the Company,  has been  Chairman of  the
Board  of the  Company since  December 1994.  Prior to  such time,  he served as
President and a director of the Company from its inception in September 1993  to
December  1994. Mr.  Markowitz was  also a  co-founder of  Linette Cosmetics and
served as a director of Linette Cosmetics  from its inception in 1985 until  the
Linette  Merger. In  1986, Mr. Markowitz  co-founded Beauty  Labs, Inc. ("Beauty
Labs"), a publicly-held company which  marketed cosmetics and other  accessories
to mass merchandisers, and served as the Chairman of the Board and a director of
Beauty  Labs  from 1987  to  1991. Since  1979, Mr.  Markowitz  has served  as a
director and President  and, together with  his wife, as  sole shareholders,  of
Sela  Sales Ltd., a  trading company founded  by Mr. Markowitz  which engaged in
secondary sourcing of  merchandise for  distribution into  major retail  outlets
until it ceased conducting such operations in November 1988.
 
    PAUL  SHARP has served as  Chief Executive Officer of  the Company since May
1995 and as President  and a director  of the Company  since December 1994.  Mr.
Sharp also served as Secretary and Treasurer and a director of Linette Cosmetics
from  1990 to December  1994. From 1987  to 1989, Mr.  Sharp served as Corporate
Vice President of Zayre Corporation, a mass merchandising retailer, where he was
responsible for the  fragrance, cosmetic  and health and  beauty product  lines.
Prior to 1987, Mr. Sharp served in various other capacities at Zayre Corporation
and  on the  Retail Advisory  Board of The  Gillette Company,  a manufacturer of
personal care products,  and was engaged  as a retail  marketing consultant  for
Smith-Kline  Beecham  Company,  a manufacturer  of  health and  beauty  aids and
pharmaceuticals.
 
    JAN MIRSKY has  served as  the Chief  Operating Officer  and Executive  Vice
President-Finance  of the Company  since January 1995  and as a  director of the
Company since December 1994. In addition, he acted as a marketing consultant  to
the  Company  from January  1994 to  January 1995,  at which  time he  became an
employee of the Company. From 1991 to January 1995, Mr. Mirsky was engaged as an
independent management,  marketing and  financial  consultant. Mr.  Mirsky  also
served  as  a director  of Builders  Transport,  Inc., a  publicly-held trucking
company, from 1992 to 1995, and from 1984 to 1991 served as the Chief  Financial
Officer  and  a  director  of Angio-Medical  Corporation,  a  publicly-held bio-
pharmaceutical company co-founded  by him  which ceased  conducting business  in
1991.
 
    JORGE LAZARO, a co-founder of the Company, has been Executive Vice President
of  the Company since May  1995 and the Secretary and  a director of the Company
since its inception in September 1993.  Mr. Lazaro also served as the  President
of  the Company from December  1994 to May 1995 and  as Treasurer of the Company
from its inception to December 1994. Mr. Lazaro was also a co-founder of Linette
Cosmetics and served as President and  a director of Linette Cosmetics from  its
inception  in 1985 until the Linette Merger, and has served as the Secretary and
Treasurer and as a director of Lea Cosmetics from its inception in October  1992
until  the merger of Lea Cosmetics with and into the Company in August 1995. Mr.
Lazaro  has  also  served,   since  1989,  as  a   director  and  President   of
 
                                       30
<PAGE>
H.  Howlin International Inc.,  a trading company  founded by Mr.  Lazaro and of
which he is the sole shareholder which, until it ceased conducting operations in
March 1993, imported and  marketed health and beauty  aids to the United  States
market.  In addition,  since 1991 Mr.  Lazaro has  served as a  director and the
Secretary and Treasurer of Lazmar Inc., a company co-founded by him which, until
it ceased conducting its day-to-day business operations in July 1993, acted as a
distributor of health and beauty aids and fragrances.
 
    JACK KOEGEL has served as the  Vice Chairman of the Company since  September
1995  and as  a director  of the  Company since  December 1994.  From 1993 until
September 1993, Mr. Koegel served as President of Retail Concepts 2000, Inc.,  a
retail consulting company founded by him. Mr. Koegel served as President of Twin
Valu  Stores (a division of Super Valu Inc.)  from 1991 to 1993 and as Executive
Vice President of ShopKo Stores/Twin Valu Stores (a division of Super Valu Inc.)
from 1989 to 1991.
 
    STANLEY R. GOODMAN has  served as Assistant Secretary  of the Company  since
May  1995 and as a  director of the Company  since December 1994. Since February
1994, Mr. Goodman has been a partner  at Goodman Saperstein & Cuneo, a law  firm
specializing  in  statutory  and regulatory  issues  concerning pharmaceuticals,
cosmetics and related consumer  products, and from 1989  to February 1994 was  a
partner  of Goodman  & Saperstein,  a predecessor to  his current  firm. He also
served as a director and General Counsel of Beauty Labs from 1987 until the time
of its merger with Robern Industries, Inc. in 1992.
 
    EDWARD C. ROSS has served as a director of the Company since December  1994.
Mr.  Ross has been a partner in the accounting firm of Finkle, Ross & Rost since
1975. He has also been involved as a principal in various start-up companies  as
well  as established operating businesses, ranging in type from manufacturing to
real estate to financial consulting. Mr.  Ross is a Certified Public  Accountant
in  New  York and  New Jersey,  and is  a  member of  the American  Institute of
Certified Public Accountants.
 
    L. DOUGLAS BAILEY was appointed as a director of the Company in March  1996.
Beginning  in 1996, Mr. Bailey became  the President and Chief Executive Officer
of Precision Fixtures and Graphics, a manufacturer of store fixtures, and  since
1995  he has served as President of Bailey & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm
for the retail industry. From  1993 to 1995, Mr.  Bailey served as President  of
Home  Shopping Club, Inc., a  subsidiary of Home Shopping  Network, Inc. and the
operator of Home  Shopping Network,  a live,  customer-interactive retail  sales
television network, and from 1970 to 1992 served as the Senior Vice President of
Eckerd Drug Company, a retail drug store chain.
 
    Officers are appointed by the Board of Directors and serve at the discretion
of  the Board. All directors hold  office for a term of  one year until the next
annual meeting  of shareholders  and  the election  and qualification  of  their
successors. Each director who is not an employee of the Company is paid $500 for
each  meeting of the Board  of Directors attended by  such director. The Company
also reimburses each such director for  all reasonable expenses incurred by  him
in  attending meetings. In  addition, non-employee directors  of the Company are
eligible to  participate  in the  Company's  1995 Nonemployee  Directors'  Stock
Option  Plan  (the  "Nonemployee  Directors'  Plan"),  pursuant  to  which  each
non-employee director is automatically granted  (i) upon becoming a director  of
the  Company, an option to  purchase 5,000 shares of  Common Stock and (ii) each
year, on the day of the Company's  annual meeting of shareholders, an option  to
purchase  5,000 shares of  Common Stock. On  the effective date  of the IPO, the
Company granted to  each of Messrs.  Goodman, Koegel and  Ross, pursuant to  the
Nonemployee Directors' Plan, an option to purchase 15,000 shares of Common Stock
at  an exercise price of $1.67 per share.  At the time of such grant, Mr. Koegel
was not an officer of  the Company. Upon becoming a  director of the Company  in
March 1996, Mr. Bailey was granted, pursuant to the Nonemployee Directors' Plan,
an option to purchase 5,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $6.50
per share. In connection with the Company's 1996 annual meeting, each of Messrs.
Goodman,  Ross and Bailey  were granted, pursuant  to the Nonemployee Directors'
Plan, an option to purchase 5,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of
$6.875 per share.
 
                                       31
<PAGE>
    The Company has  agreed, for  a period of  three years  commencing July  13,
1995,  to  nominate  and  use  its  best efforts  to  elect  a  designee  of the
Underwriter as a director of the Company, or, at the Underwriter's option, as  a
non-voting  advisor to the Company's Board of Directors. The Company's officers,
directors and shareholders have agreed to  vote their shares of Common Stock  in
favor  of such  designee. The  Underwriter has  not yet  exercised its  right to
designate such a person.
 
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
 
    The  following   table  sets   forth  certain   information  regarding   the
compensation  in each of the last three fiscal years of the person who served as
the Company's Chief Executive Officer during the fiscal year ended December  31,
1995,  and the Company's  four most highly compensated  officers (other than the
Chief Executive  Officer) who  were serving  as officers  at December  31,  1995
(collectively, the "Named Officers").
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         LONG TERM COMPENSATION
                                                                        ---------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                         PAYOUTS
                                                                                  AWARDS               -----------
                                      ANNUAL COMPENSATION (2)           ---------------------------
                              ---------------------------------------    RESTRICTED     SECURITIES
NAME AND PRINCIPAL                                     OTHER ANNUAL        STOCK        UNDERLYING        LTIP        ALL OTHER
POSITION             FISCAL                 BONUS      COMPENSATION       AWARD(S)     OPTIONS/SARS      PAYOUTS     COMPENSATION
(1)                   YEAR    SALARY ($)     ($)           ($)              ($)           (#)(3)           ($)           ($)
- -------------------  ------   -----------   ------   ----------------   ------------   ------------    -----------   ------------
<S>                  <C>      <C>           <C>      <C>                <C>            <C>             <C>           <C>
Paul Sharp            1995    125,000        -0-        9,427(4)          -0-              -0-    (5)    -0-            -0-
 President and        1994      -0-          -0-      135,333(6)(7)       -0-              -0-           -0-            -0-
 Chief Executive      1993      -0-          -0-      148,272(8)(9)       -0-              -0-           -0-            -0-
 Officer
Harold Markowitz      1995    125,000        -0-       13,889(10)         -0-              -0-    (5)    -0-            -0-
 Chairman of the      1994     31,250        -0-      100,126(7)(11)      -0-              -0-           -0-            -0-
 Board                1993      -0-          -0-      122,118(9)(12)      -0-              -0-           -0-            -0-
Jan S. Mirsky         1995    108,365        -0-        1,388(13)         -0-              477,000(14)   -0-            -0-
 Executive Vice       1994      -0-          -0-       -0-                -0-              -0-           -0-            -0-
 President --         1993      -0-          -0-       -0-                -0-              -0-           -0-            -0-
 Finance and Chief
 Operating Officer
Jorge Lazaro          1995    125,000        -0-        9,600(15)         -0-              -0-    (5)    -0-            -0-
 Executive Vice       1994    125,000        -0-        3,333(7)          -0-              -0-           -0-            -0-
 President and        1993    125,000        -0-        4,329(9)          -0-              -0-           -0-            -0-
 Secretary
Jack Koegel           1995     25,000(16)    -0-       28,600(17)         -0-              390,000(18)   -0-            -0-
 Vice Chairman of     1994      -0-          -0-       -0-                -0-              -0-           -0-            -0-
 the Board            1993      -0-          -0-       -0-                -0-              -0-           -0-            -0-
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------------
(1)  Mr.  Mirsky  was appointed  Executive Vice  President  - Finance  and Chief
     Operating Officer of the Company  in January 1995 and  did not serve as  an
     officer  or  employee  of the  Company  in  1994 or  1993.  Mr.  Koegel was
     appointed Vice Chairman of the Board  in September 1995, and did not  serve
     as  an officer or employee of the Company  in 1995 prior thereto or in 1994
     or 1993.
 
(2)  Annual compensation figures for Messrs. Sharp, Markowitz and Lazaro include
     compensation paid to such individuals by the Company and Linette  Cosmetics
     for  the period in 1995 prior to the  Linette Merger and for the years 1994
     and 1993.
 
(3)  All  share  numbers  have  been  adjusted  to  give  effect  to  the  Share
     Distribution.
 
(4)  Represents  amounts paid by  the Company with respect  to an automobile for
     use by Mr. Sharp in connection with his services to the Company.
 
(5)  In July 1995, the Company granted  to each of Messrs. Sharp, Markowitz  and
     Lazaro, pursuant to the Stock Option Plan, options to purchase an aggregate
     of  67,500 shares of Common Stock.  In September 1995, each such individual
     agreed to the cancellation of such options by the Company.
 
(6)  Includes $125,000 of sales commissions paid by the Company to Mr. Sharp and
     $7,000 for rent related to office use.
 
(7)  Includes $3,333 paid by the Company in 1994 for directors' fees.
 
(8)  Includes $135,543 of sales commissions paid by the Company to Mr. Sharp and
     $8,400 for rent related to office use.
 
                                       32
<PAGE>
(9)  Includes $4,329 paid by the Company in 1993 for directors' fees.
 
(10) Includes (i) $10,068 paid by the Company with respect to an automobile  for
     use  by Mr. Markowitz  in connection with  his services to  the Company and
     (ii) $3,821 for certain  membership fees paid by  the Company on behalf  of
     Mr. Markowitz.
 
(11) Includes $96,793 of consulting fees paid by Linette Cosmetics to Sela Sales
     Ltd.,  a company founded by Mr. Markowitz and  of which he and his wife are
     the sole shareholders.
 
(12) Includes $117,789  of consulting  fees paid  by Linette  Cosmetics to  Sela
     Sales Ltd.
 
(13) Represents  amounts paid by  the Company with respect  to an automobile for
     use by Mr. Mirsky in connection with his services to the Company.
 
(14) Includes 477,000 shares  underlying options  granted to Mr.  Mirsky by  the
     Company  in July 1995 pursuant to the Stock Option Plan. In September 1995,
     Mr. Mirsky agreed  to the  cancellation of additional  options to  purchase
     63,000  additional shares of Common Stock granted to him in July 1995 under
     the Stock Option Plan.
 
(15) Represents amounts paid by  the Company with respect  to an automobile  for
     use by Mr. Lazaro in connection with his services to the Company.
 
(16) Represents  salary paid to Mr. Koegel  pursuant to his employment agreement
     for the period  from October  1, 1995 to  December 31,  1995 following  his
     appointment as Vice Chairman of the Company.
 
(17) Includes  (i) $25,000 paid by the Company for the construction of an office
     for Mr. Koegel in St. Paul, Minnesota,  (ii) $1,200 paid by the Company  to
     Mr.  Koegel with respect to medical insurance purchased directly by him and
     (iii) $2,400 paid by the Company with  respect to an automobile for use  by
     Mr. Koegel in connection with his services to the Company.
 
(18) Includes  (i) 15,000 shares  underlying an option granted  to Mr. Koegel by
     the Company  in July  1995, prior  to  his becoming  Vice Chairman  of  the
     Company,  pursuant  to the  Nonemployee  Directors' Plan  and  (ii) 375,000
     shares underlying  an  option granted  to  Mr.  Koegel by  the  Company  in
     September 1995 pursuant to the Stock Option Plan.
 
OPTION/SAR GRANTS DURING FISCAL 1995
 
    The  following table provides information related  to options granted to the
Named Executive Officers during fiscal  1995. No stock appreciation rights  were
issued by the Company during fiscal 1995.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      % OF TOTAL
                      NUMBER OF      OPTIONS/SARS
                      SECURITIES      GRANTED TO
                      UNDERLYING     EMPLOYEES IN
                     OPTIONS/SARS       FISCAL      EXERCISE OR BASE   EXPIRATION
NAME                GRANTED (#)(1)     YEAR (2)     PRICE ($/SH)(3)       DATE
- ------------------  --------------   ------------   ----------------   ----------
<S>                 <C>              <C>            <C>                <C>
Paul Sharp........          -0- (4)        --             --                --
Harold
 Marowitz........           -0- (4)        --             --                --
Jan S. Mirsky.....       477,000(5)      45.2%         $1.67           7/12/05
Jorge Lazaro......          -0- (4)        --             --                --
Jack Koegel.......       375,000(6)      35.6%         $2.75           9/27/05
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------------
(1)  All  share  numbers  have  been  adjusted  to  give  effect  to  the  Share
     Distribution.
 
(2)  For purposes of calculating the Percentage of Total Options/SARs Granted to
     Employees in Fiscal  Year, the number  of options granted  to employees  in
     fiscal  year 1995  does not include  the options granted  to Messrs. Sharp,
     Markowitz, Mirsky and Lazaro in July 1995 which were subsequently cancelled
     in September 1995. See footnotes (4) and (5) below.
 
(3)  All exercise  prices  have  been  adjusted to  give  effect  to  the  Share
     Distribution.
 
(4)  In  July 1995, the Company granted to  each of Messrs. Sharp, Markowitz and
     Lazaro, pursuant to the Company's Stock Option Plan, options to purchase an
     aggregate of 67,500 shares  of Common Stock. In  September 1995, each  such
     individual agreed to the cancellation of such options by the Company.
 
(5)  Does  not include 63,000 shares underlying options granted to Mr. Mirsky by
     the Company in July 1995 pursuant  to the Stock Option Plan, which  options
     were cancelled in September 1995.
 
(6)  Does  not include 15,000 shares underlying options granted to Mr. Koegel by
     the Company in July  1995 pursuant to the  Nonemployee Directors' Plan  and
     prior to Mr. Koegel's becoming an officer of the Company.
 
                                       33
<PAGE>
AGGREGATED OPTION/SAR EXERCISES DURING FISCAL 1995 AND YEAR END OPTION/SAR
VALUES
 
    The following table provides information related to options exercised by the
Named  Executive Officers during fiscal 1995 and the number and value of options
and stock  appreciation rights  held  at fiscal  year  end which  are  currently
exercisable.  No  options or  stock  appreciation rights  were  exercised during
fiscal 1995.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                   VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
                                                     NUMBER OF SECURITIES              IN-THE-MONEY
                                                    UNDERLYING UNEXERCISED             OPTIONS/SARS
                       SHARES                     OPTIONS/SARS AT FY-END (1)         AT FY-END ($)(2)
                    ACQUIRED ON       VALUE       ---------------------------   ---------------------------
NAME                EXERCISE (#)   REALIZED ($)   EXERCISABLE   UNEXERCISABLE   EXERCISABLE   UNEXERCISABLE
- ------------------  ------------   ------------   -----------   -------------   -----------   -------------
<S>                 <C>            <C>            <C>           <C>             <C>           <C>
Paul Sharp........    --             --               --            --             --             --
Harold
 Markowitz........    --             --               --            --             --             --
Jan S. Mirsky.....    -0-            -0-              119,250      357,750        422,145       1,266,435
Jorge Lazaro......    --             --               --            --             --             --
Jack Koegel.......    -0-            -0-             93,750(3)     281,250        230,625         691,875
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------------
(1)  All  share  numbers  have  been  adjusted  to  give  effect  to  the  Share
     Distribution.
 
(2)  The   values  of  Unexercised   In-the-Money  Options/SARs  represents  the
     aggregate amount of  the excess  of $5.21, the  closing sales  price for  a
     share   of  Common  Stock  (as  adjusted   to  give  effect  to  the  Share
     Distribution) on December 29, 1995, over the relevant exercise price of all
     "in-the-money" options.
 
(3)  Does not include 15,000 shares underlying options granted to Mr. Koegel  by
     the  Company in July  1995 pursuant to the  Nonemployee Directors' Plan and
     prior to Mr. Koegel's becoming an officer of the Company.
 
1995 STOCK OPTION PLAN
 
    In order to  attract, retain  and motivate  employees (including  officers),
directors, consultants and other persons who perform substantial services for or
on behalf of the Company, the Company adopted the Stock Option Plan, pursuant to
which  stock options covering an aggregate  of 1,350,000 shares of the Company's
Common Stock  may be  granted to  such  persons. Under  the Stock  Option  Plan,
"incentive  stock options" ("Incentive  Options") within the  meaning of Section
422 of  the Internal  Revenue Code  of 1986,  as amended  (the "Code"),  may  be
granted  to  employees  (including officers),  and  non-incentive  stock options
("Non-incentive Options")  may be  granted to  any such  employee and  to  other
persons  (including directors) who perform substantial services for or on behalf
of the Company.  Incentive Options  and Non-incentive  Options are  collectively
referred to herein as "Options."
 
    The  Stock Option  Plan is administered  by the Stock  Option Committee (the
"Committee"),  which  is  vested  with  complete  authority  to  administer  and
interpret  the Stock Option Plan, to determine  the terms upon which Options may
be  granted,  to   prescribe,  amend  and   rescind  such  interpretations   and
determinations  and  to grant  Options.  The Committee  will  have the  power to
terminate the Stock Option Plan or amend the Stock Option Plan from time to time
in such respects as it deems advisable, except that no termination or  amendment
shall  materially adversely affect any outstanding Option without the consent of
the grantee, and the approval of the Company's shareholders will be required  in
respect  of any  amendment which  would (i)  change the  total number  of shares
subject to the  Stock Option Plan  or (ii)  change the designation  or class  of
employees   or  other   persons  eligible   to  receive   Incentive  Options  or
Non-incentive Options.
 
    The price at  which shares covered  by an Option  may be purchased  pursuant
thereto  shall be no less than the par value of such shares and no less than the
fair market value of such shares on the date of grant (the "Fair Market Value").
The Fair Market  Value is  generally equal  to the  last sale  price quoted  for
shares  of Common Stock on the Nasdaq SmallCap  Market on the date of grant. The
purchase price of shares issuable upon exercise of an Option may be paid in cash
or by delivery of shares with a value equal to the exercise price of the Option.
The Company  may also  loan the  purchase price  to the  optionee, or  guarantee
third-party  loans to  the optionee, on  terms and conditions  acceptable to the
Board of Directors.  The number of  shares covered  by an Option  is subject  to
adjustment  for stock  splits, mergers, consolidations,  combinations of shares,
reorganizations and recapitalizations.
 
                                       34
<PAGE>
Options are generally non-transferable except by will or by the laws of  descent
and  distribution, and in the case of employees, with certain exceptions, may be
exercised only so long as the optionee continues to be employed by the  Company.
If  the employee dies or becomes disabled,  the right to exercise the Option, to
the extent then vested, continues  for specified periods. Non-incentive  Options
may  be exercised within a period not exceeding 10 years from the date of grant.
The terms of Incentive Options  are subject to additional restrictions  provided
by the Stock Option Plan.
 
    As  of the date hereof, Options to  acquire an aggregate of 1,024,500 shares
of Common Stock at  exercise prices ranging  from $1.67 per  share to $2.75  per
share  have  been  granted under  the  Stock  Option Plan  to  officers  and key
employees of the Company, including Options to purchase 477,000 shares of Common
Stock at an exercise price of $1.67 per share granted to Mr. Mirsky in July 1995
and Options to purchase 375,000 shares of  Common Stock at an exercise price  of
$2.75  per share  granted to Mr.  Koegel in  September 1995. All  of the Options
currently outstanding under the Stock Option Plan vest over a three-year period,
with 25%  of  such Options  being  exercisable  immediately upon  grant  and  an
additional   25%  of  such  Options  becoming  exercisable  in  each  subsequent
anniversary of the date of grant.
 
DESCRIPTION OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS, SEVERANCE ARRANGEMENTS AND CHANGE OF
CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS
 
    EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS WITH MESSRS. MARKOWITZ, SHARP AND LAZARO.  On June 30,
1995, the  Company entered  into identical  employment agreements  with each  of
Messrs.  Markowitz,  Sharp  and  Lazaro. Pursuant  to  such  agreements, Messrs.
Markowitz, Sharp  and Lazaro  are employed  as the  Chairman of  the Board,  the
President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer,  and  an  Executive  Vice  President,
respectively, of the Company. The agreements provide that such individuals shall
devote substantially all of their working time and attention to the business  of
the  Company. Each such agreement  has an initial term  of five years commencing
July 20,  1995, and  shall be  automatically renewable  for successive  one-year
periods  unless  either the  Company or  the  employee elects  not to  renew his
employment. The employment  agreements provide that  each of Messrs.  Markowitz,
Sharp and Lazaro will receive an initial annual base salary of $125,000, subject
to such increases as shall be approved by the Board of Directors of the Company.
Pursuant  to the  employment agreements,  each of  Messrs. Markowitz,  Sharp and
Lazaro will be eligible to participate in any medical insurance, pension, profit
sharing or other employment benefit programs generally made available to  senior
executives of the Company.
 
    EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH JAN MIRSKY.  On June 30, 1995, the Company entered
into  an employment agreement with  Mr. Mirsky, pursuant to  which Mr. Mirsky is
employed as the Executive Vice President -- Finance and Chief Operating  Officer
of  the  Company and  is to  devote substantially  all of  his working  time and
attention to the business of the Company. Such agreement, which became effective
July 13,  1995, has  an initial  term of  eighteen months  and is  automatically
renewable  for  successive one-year  periods unless  either  the Company  or Mr.
Mirsky elects not  to renew  his employment. The  employment agreement  provides
that  Mr. Mirsky will receive an initial annual base salary of $115,000, subject
to such increases as shall be approved by the Board of Directors of the Company.
The agreement further provides that Mr.  Mirsky will be eligible to  participate
in  any medical insurance,  pension, profit sharing  or other employment benefit
programs generally made available to senior executives of the Company.
 
    EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH JACK KOEGEL.  Pursuant to the Company's employment
agreement with Mr. Koegel, which became effective September 27, 1995, Mr. Koegel
is employed by the Company as the Vice Chairman of the Company, and is to devote
substantially all of his working time and
 
                                       35
<PAGE>
attention to the business of the  Company. The agreement provides that  services
performed   by  Mr.  Koegel  shall  be  rendered  in  the  St.  Paul,  Minnesota
metropolitan area,  provided that  Mr. Koegel  shall be  required to  travel  as
reasonably  required  by the  business  of the  Company.  Such agreement  has an
initial term of thirty-six months and is automatically renewable for  successive
one-year periods unless either the Company or Mr. Koegel elects not to renew his
employment.  The employment agreement  provides that Mr.  Koegel will receive an
initial annual base salary  of $100,000, subject to  such increases as shall  be
approved  by  the  Board of  Directors  of  the Company.  The  agreement further
provides that Mr. Koegel will be eligible to participate in any pension,  profit
sharing  or other employment benefit programs generally made available to senior
executives of the Company  other than medical  insurance benefits. However,  the
agreement  provides that the Company will pay Mr. Koegel $400 per month to cover
costs incurred by  him in  purchasing medical insurance  directly. In  addition,
pursuant  to  the agreement,  the  Company provides  Mr.  Koegel with  a monthly
automobile allowance of $800 and has agreed  to pay an aggregate of $25,000  for
the construction of an office for him in St. Paul, Minnesota.
 
    Pursuant  to the employment  agreement, Mr. Koegel was  granted an option in
September 1995 to purchase an aggregate of 375,000 shares of Common Stock at  an
exercise  price of $2.75 per share. In addition, the agreement provides that, in
the event the Company grants options, either under the Stock Option Plan or  any
other  stock option  plan adopted by  the Company, to  Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp,
Mirsky and Lazaro during the term  of Mr. Koegel's employment, Mr. Koegel  shall
be  entitled to  receive a  proportionate amount  of additional  options on such
terms as may be established by the Board of Directors.
 
    SEVERANCE ARRANGEMENTS.   Each  of the  employment agreements  with  Messrs.
Markowitz,  Sharp,  Lazaro,  Mirsky  and  Koegel  provides  that  the employee's
employment shall terminate (i) for "cause" (as defined in each of the respective
agreements), (ii) by reason of the employee's disability, resignation or  death,
(iii)  upon the  expiration of the  employment agreement in  accordance with its
terms or (iv) in  the event the  employee is no longer  employed by the  Company
after  a "Change of Control" (as defined  below). Each of the agreements further
provides that, in the event the employee's employment terminates for any  reason
(other  than  termination  without  cause  or in  connection  with  a  Change of
Control), the employee shall be entitled to receive his annual base salary,  and
any  expense  reimbursements,  due  and  owing  to  him  at  the  time  of  such
termination. In the event the employee is terminated without cause, the employee
shall be entitled to receive annual base salary and expense reimbursements  then
due and owing to him, as well as a lump-sum severance payment in an amount equal
to  his then annual  base salary for the  balance of the  term of the employment
agreement.
 
    CHANGE OF  CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS.   Each  of the  employment agreements  with
Messrs.  Markowitz, Sharp, Lazaro, Mirsky and Koegel provides that, in the event
of a Change of Control  of the Company, each such  employee will be entitled  to
receive  a lump-sum severance payment equal to  three times his then annual base
salary if he is discharged for any  reason (other than for cause) or  terminates
his  employment for "Good Reason" prior to  the first anniversary of such Change
of Control, and shall  be entitled to  receive a lump-sum  payment equal to  his
then  annual base salary if he voluntarily  leaves the employ of the Company for
reasons other than discharge or for  Good Reason prior to the first  anniversary
of  such  Change of  Control. As  used  in the  employment agreements,  the term
"Change of  Control"  means  (a)  any  transaction  or  series  of  transactions
(including,  without limitation,  a tender  offer, merger  or consolidation) the
result of which is that any "person" or "group" (within the meaning of  Sections
13(d)  and 14(d)(2) of  the Exchange Act), other  than Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp,
Mirsky and Lazaro (and,  in the case of  Mr. Koegel's employment agreement,  Mr.
Koegel)  or certain related parties and any "person" or "group" solicited by any
of such persons or  their related parties, (i)  becomes the beneficial owner  of
more  than 50% of the total aggregate voting  power of all classes of the voting
stock of the Company  and/or warrants or options  to acquire such voting  stock,
calculated  on a fully diluted basis, (ii)  acquires all or substantially all of
the assets of the Company or (iii) enters into a contract with respect to any of
the foregoing, or (b)  during any period of  two consecutive years,  individuals
who   at  the  beginning   of  such  period   constituted  the  Company's  Board
 
                                       36
<PAGE>
of Directors cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the directors then
in office, unless such majority of the directors then in office has been elected
or nominated by Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp, Mirsky and Lazaro (and, in the case of
Mr. Koegel's employment agreement,  Mr. Koegel) or  certain related parties.  In
addition,  as used in the agreements, the  term "Good Reason" means (i) a change
in the status  or position  of the  employee which  reflects a  change from  the
status  and  position(s) as  were in  effect  immediately prior  to a  Change of
Control, (ii) the assignment to the  employee of any duties or  responsibilities
which,  in the employee's reasonable judgment,  are inconsistent with his status
or position(s), (iii) the removal of  the employee from his current position  or
reduction  in his pay  or requiring him to  relocate or (iv)  the removal of the
employee, without  his consent,  to any  location outside  of the  New  York/New
Jersey metropolitan area (or, in the case of Mr. Koegel, the St. Paul, Minnesota
metropolitan area) for a continuous period of more than 30 days.
 
ELIMINATION OF LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
 
    The  Company's  Certificate  of Incorporation,  as  amended,  eliminates the
liability of a director of the Company  for monetary damages for breach of  duty
as  a director, subject  to certain exceptions. In  addition, the Certificate of
Incorporation, as amended, provides for the Company to indemnify, under  certain
conditions,  directors  and  officers  of  the  Company  against  all  expenses,
liabilities and  losses  reasonably  incurred  by  such  persons  in  connection
therewith.  The  foregoing provisions  may reduce  the likelihood  of derivative
litigation against  directors  and  may  discourage  or  deter  shareholders  or
management  from suing directors for breaches of their duty of care, even though
such an  action, if  successful, might  otherwise benefit  the Company  and  its
shareholders.
 
                                       37
<PAGE>
                             PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
 
    The  following table sets  forth, as of  the date of  this Prospectus and as
adjusted to reflect the  sale by the  Company of shares of  Common Stock in  the
Company Offering, the beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock by (i) each
person who is known by the Company to own more than 5% of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock, (ii) each Named Officer and (iii) all of the Company's officers
and directors as a group:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                           PERCENT
                                                               AMOUNT AND     PERCENT BENEFICIALLY      BENEFICIALLY
                                                               NATURE OF         OWNED PRIOR TO        OWNED FOLLOWING
NAME AND ADDRESS OF                                            BENEFICIAL         OFFERING AND           THE COMPANY
BENEFICIAL OWNER (1)                                        OWNERSHIP (2)(3)    COMPANY OFFERING        OFFERING (4)
- ----------------------------------------------------------  ----------------  ---------------------  -------------------
<S>                                                         <C>               <C>                    <C>
Harold Markowitz..........................................       1,560,000(5)            20.8%                 11.3%
Paul Sharp................................................       1,560,000(6)            20.8%                 11.3%
Jorge Lazaro..............................................       1,560,000(7)            20.8%                 11.3%
Jan Mirsky................................................         609,939(8)             7.6%                  4.2%
Jack Koegel...............................................         108,750(9)             1.4%                *
Stanley R. Goodman........................................          20,000(10)           *                    *
Edward C. Ross............................................          20,000(11)           *                    *
L. Douglas Bailey.........................................          10,000(12)           *                    *
All officers and directors as a group (8 persons).........       5,448,689(5  12)            65.0%             37.2%
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
  * Less than 1%
 
 (1)The  address for each  such person is  c/o Sel-Leb Marketing,  Inc., 1435 51
    Street, North Bergen, New Jersey 07047.
 
 (2)A person is  deemed to be  the beneficial  owner of securities  that can  be
    acquired by such person within 60 days from the date of this Prospectus upon
    the  exercise  of options  or warrants.  Each beneficial  owner's percentage
    ownership is determined by assuming that  options or warrants that are  held
    by  such  person (but  not those  held by  any other  person) and  which are
    exercisable within  60 days  from  the date  of  this Prospectus  have  been
    exercised.  Unless otherwise  noted, the  Company believes  that all persons
    named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all
    shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by them.
 
 (3)The number of shares beneficially owned  by each individual gives effect  to
    the Share Distribution.
 
 (4)These  percentages assume the issuance and sale of all securities offered in
    the Company Offering.
 
 (5)Includes 60,000 shares of  Common Stock issuable  upon exercise of  Warrants
    (which  Warrants  constitute  a  portion of  the  Selling  Security Holders'
    Warrants) included  in  the Conversion  Units  issued to  Mr.  Markowitz  in
    connection with the IPO.
 
 (6)Includes  60,000 shares of  Common Stock issuable  upon exercise of Warrants
    (which Warrants  constitute  a  portion of  the  Selling  Security  Holders'
    Warrants) included in the Conversion Units issued to Mr. Sharp in connection
    with the IPO.
 
 (7)Includes  60,000 shares of  Common Stock issuable  upon exercise of Warrants
    (which Warrants  constitute  a  portion of  the  Selling  Security  Holders'
    Warrants)  included  in  the  Conversion  Units  issued  to  Mr.  Lazaro  in
    connection with the IPO.
 
 (8)Includes (i) 490,689  shares of  Common Stock  issuable upon  exercise of  a
    warrant  granted to  Mr. Mirsky  by the Company  and (ii)  119,250 shares of
    Common Stock issuable upon exercise of  options granted to Mr. Mirsky  under
    the  Company's Stock Option Plan. Does  not include 357,750 shares of Common
    Stock issuable upon  exercise of  options granted  to Mr.  Mirsky under  the
    Stock  Option Plan which are  not exercisable within 60  days of the date of
    this Prospectus.
 
                                       38
<PAGE>
 (9)Includes (i) 15,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options
    granted to Mr. Koegel under the Nonemployee Directors' Plan and (ii)  93,750
    shares  of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options granted to Mr.
    Koegel under  the Stock  Option Plan.  Does not  include 281,250  shares  of
    Common  Stock issuable upon exercise of  options granted to Mr. Koegel under
    the Stock Option Plan which are not  exercisable within 60 days of the  date
    of this Prospectus.
 
(10)Includes  20,000 shares  of Common Stock  issuable upon  exercise of options
    granted to Mr. Goodman under the Nonemployee Directors' Plan.
 
(11)Includes 20,000 shares  of Common  Stock issuable upon  exercise of  options
    granted to Mr. Ross under the Nonemployee Directors' Plan.
 
(12)Includes  10,000 shares  of Common Stock  issuable upon  exercise of options
    granted to Mr. Bailey under the Nonemployee Directors' Plan.
 
                                       39
<PAGE>
                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
 
    Immediately  prior  to  the  consummation  of  the  IPO  in  July  1995, Mr.
Markowitz, Mr.  Sharp and  H. Howlin  International Inc.  ("Howlin"), a  company
founded  by  Mr.  Lazaro  and  of  which  he  is  currently  President  and sole
shareholder, had outstanding  loans to the  Company in the  amount of  $289,667,
$189,667  and $289,667, respectively (collectively, the "Shareholder Loans"). In
connection with the IPO, $100,000 of each of the Shareholder Loans was converted
by the Company into Conversion Units,  each Conversion Unit consisting of  three
shares  of Common Stock and three Warrants,  at the rate of $5.00 per Conversion
Unit. Pursuant  to this  conversion, an  aggregate of  60,000 Conversion  Units,
consisting  of  an  aggregate of  180,000  shares  of Common  Stock  and 180,000
Warrants (which  Warrants constitute  the Selling  Security Holders'  Warrants),
were  issued to Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp and Lazaro (as designee of Howlin). The
balance of each  of the Shareholder  Loans was  repaid by the  Company in  March
1996.  In connection with the IPO and at the request of the Underwriter, each of
Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp and Lazaro agreed  not to sell or otherwise dispose  of
any  of their shares of Common Stock  (including the 180,000 aggregate shares of
Common Stock issuable upon exercise of  the Warrants included in the  Conversion
Units) for a period of eighteen months commencing July 13, 1995. The Company and
the Underwriter's have subsequently agreed to allow Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp and
Lazaro  to include the 180,000 shares of  Common Stock issuable upon exercise of
the Warrants included  in the Conversion  Units in the  Selling Security  Holder
Prospectus. See "Concurrent Registration of Securities."
 
    In  July 1995,  the Company repaid  the entire amount  outstanding under its
then existing borrowing  arrangement with a  bank. All amounts  borrowed by  the
Company  pursuant to this arrangement had  been jointly and severally guaranteed
by Messrs.  Markowitz,  Sharp and  Lazaro,  who had  subordinated  an  aggregate
principal amount of $700,000 of the Shareholder Loans to the bank.
 
    In October 1992, Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp and Lazaro and a fourth individual
founded Lea Cosmetics. In connection with the Lea Acquisition, immediately prior
to  the consummation of the  IPO in July 1995,  each of Messrs. Markowitz, Sharp
and Lazaro contributed to the Company his 20% equity interest in Lea  Cosmetics,
and the Company acquired from the additional shareholder his 40% interest in Lea
Cosmetics.  As a result,  Lea Cosmetics became a  wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Company and, in August 1995,  was merged with and  into the Company. During  the
period  from  January  1, 1995  to  the date  of  the Lea  Acquisition  and, the
twelve-month period ended December 31, 1994, the Company purchased $532,330  and
$723,615,  respectively, of merchandise from Lea Cosmetics, which purchases were
made on  an  arm's-length  basis.  During such  periods,  any  products  of  Lea
Cosmetics  which were sold by  the Company were purchased  from Lea Cosmetics at
the Company's selling price and, accordingly, the Company realized no profits on
the sale of such merchandise.
 
    Prior to the Linette Merger, the Company and Linette Cosmetics were  treated
as  S  Corporations for  federal and  certain  state income  tax purposes.  As a
result, earnings of  such companies during  such period were  taxed directly  to
Messrs.  Markowitz, Sharp and  Lazaro, who comprised all  of the shareholders of
the Company and Linette Cosmetics during such period, rather than to the Company
or Linette Cosmetics, as the case may be. On May 17, 1995, the Company  declared
the  S Corporation Distribution payable to  such shareholders in an amount equal
to the taxes payable on the earnings  of the Company during the period from  the
date  of  its formation  on  September 21,  1993 (and,  in  the case  of Linette
Cosmetics, from January 1, 1994) to the date of the consummation of the  Linette
Merger,  such distribution to  be payable following the  consummation of the IPO
after the amount thereof had been determined. In September and October 1995, the
Company paid  the S  Corporation Distribution  to Messrs.  Markowitz, Sharp  and
Lazaro in an aggregate amount of approximately $156,250.
 
    In  January  1994,  the  Company  issued and  sold  to  Jan  Mirsky,  then a
consultant to the Company and currently the Executive Vice President -- Finance,
Chief Operating Officer and a director of the Company, the Consulting Warrant to
purchase 490,689  shares  of  Common  Stock,  in  consideration  for  a  $21,000
non-interest bearing promissory note payable to the Company, due March 31, 1995,
and the
 
                                       40
<PAGE>
performance  by him of  services as a  marketing consultant to  the Company. The
Company subsequently agreed to  extend until May  17, 1995 the  due date of  the
promissory  note,  and  on May  17,  1995  Mr. Mirsky  paid  the  entire $21,000
principal amount  thereof. The  Consulting Warrant  is exercisable  at any  time
through  March 31, 2000 at an aggregate  exercise price of $315,000. Pursuant to
the Consulting Warrant, Mr. Mirsky has been granted certain demand and piggyback
registration rights (subject to certain limitations) with respect to the  shares
of  Common Stock issuable upon  exercise of the Warrant.  In connection with the
IPO and at the request of the Underwriter, Mr. Mirsky has waived such rights for
a period of eighteen months commencing July 13, 1995, and has agreed not to sell
during such  eighteen-month period  any  shares of  Common Stock  issuable  upon
exercise  of  the  Consulting  Warrant other  than  in  connection  with certain
transactions. See "Description of Securities -- Registration Rights."
 
    During the  year ended  December 31,  1994, the  Company made  approximately
$421,000  of inventory purchases from Linette Cosmetics. Also, Linette Cosmetics
made advances to, or paid expenses on behalf of, the Company of $639,247  during
such  period, and the Company made repayments to, and paid expenses on behalf of
Linette Cosmetics, resulting in a balance  due to Linette Cosmetics at  December
31,  1994 of $46,854. During the period from  January 1, 1995 to the date of the
Linette Merger, the Company made  no inventory purchases from Linette  Cosmetics
and  Linette Cosmetics made no  advances to, and paid  no expenses on behalf of,
the Company. As of the date of the Linette Merger, the Company had a balance due
to Linette Cosmetics of $69,004.
 
    In March  1993,  Howlin  ceased conducting  operations  and,  in  connection
therewith,  transferred its inventory  to the Company  pursuant to a consignment
arrangement whereby the Company sold the inventory on Howlin's behalf,  remitted
to  Howlin an amount equal to  the original cost to Howlin  of the goods sold by
the Company and retained for its own account any profits received from the  sale
of such goods. During 1995, the Company purchased from Howlin all inventory then
held  by  the Company  pursuant  to such  arrangement  for a  purchase  price of
approximately $13,800, which amount represented  the original cost to Howlin  of
such inventory.
 
    In  March 1993, Lazmar Inc.  ("Lazmar"), a company in  which Mr. Lazaro owns
50% of the outstanding stock, delivered  inventory to the Company pursuant to  a
consignment arrangement similar to the Company's arrangement with Howlin. During
1995,  the Company purchased from Lazmar all  inventory then held by it pursuant
to such arrangement for a purchase price of approximately $70,000, which  amount
represented the original cost to Lazmar of such inventory. At March 31, 1996 and
December 31, 1995, the Company had an account payable to Lazmar of approximately
$69,820 and $80,000, respectively.
 
    The  Company  will not  make  any loans  to  any officers,  directors  or 5%
shareholders, or any affiliates  of any of the  foregoing, except in  connection
with  bona fide  business purposes.  In addition,  all future  transactions with
officers, directors and 5% shareholders will be on terms no less favorable  than
could  be obtained  from unaffiliated  third parties and  will be  approved by a
majority of the disinterested directors of the Company.
 
               SELLING SECURITY HOLDERS AND PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
 
    This Prospectus  relates to  the  offer and  sale  by the  Selling  Security
Holders  of (i) up to  180,000 Selling Security Holders'  Warrants held by them,
(ii) in  the event  of the  exercise of  such Warrants,  up to  180,000  Selling
Security  Holders' Shares to be issued to the Selling Security Holders upon such
exercise or (iii) a combination thereof. The Company has agreed to register  the
public  offering of the Selling Security  Holders' Warrants and Selling Security
Holders' Shares under the Securities Act concurrently with the Company  Offering
and  to  pay  certain expenses  in  connection therewith.  The  Selling Security
Holders' Shares have been included in  the Registration Statement of which  this
Prospectus  forms  a part.  None of  the Selling  Security Holders'  Warrants or
Selling Security Holders'  Shares may be  sold by the  Selling Security  Holders
during  the period of eighteen months commencing July 13, 1995 without the prior
written  consent  of  Duke  &   Co.  The  Selling  Security  Holders   currently
 
                                       41
<PAGE>
serve  as officers and  directors of the Company.  See "Management." The Company
will not receive  any of  the proceeds  from the  sale of  the Selling  Security
Holders'  Warrants or Selling  Security Holders' Shares  by the Selling Security
Holders.
 
    The following  table sets  forth  certain information  with respect  to  the
Selling Security Holders:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF  BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF
                                              SHARES OF COMMON STOCK   SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
SELLING SECURITY HOLDERS                         PRIOR TO SALE (1)         AFTER SALE (2)
- --------------------------------------------  -----------------------  -----------------------
<S>                                           <C>                      <C>
Harold Markowitz, ..........................           1,560,000                1,500,000
 Chairman of the Board and Director of the
 Company
Paul Sharp, ................................           1,560,000                1,500,000
 President, Chief Executive Officer and
 Director of the Company
Jorge Lazaro, ..............................           1,560,000                1,500,000
 Executive Vice President, Secretary and
 Director of the Company
                                                      ----------               ----------
    Total...................................           4,680,000                4,500,000
                                                      ----------               ----------
                                                      ----------               ----------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) Assumes  no additional shares are acquired. See "Principal Shareholders" for
    additional information regarding security ownership of the Selling  Security
    Holders.
 
(2) Assumes  (i) all of the  Selling Security Holders' Warrants  are sold by the
    Selling Security Holders or (ii) in  the event any of such Selling  Security
    Holders'  Warrants are exercised by the Selling Security Holders, all of the
    Selling Security Holders' Shares issuable upon exercise thereof are sold  by
    the Selling Security Holders.
 
    The Selling Security Holders' Warrants, the Selling Security Holders' Shares
issuable  upon exercise  thereof or a  combination of  Selling Security Holders'
Warrants and Selling Security Holders' Shares may be offered and sold from  time
to  time  as  market  conditions  permit  in  the  over-the-counter  market,  or
otherwise, at  prices and  terms then  prevailing or  at prices  related to  the
then-current market price, or in negotiated transactions. Such securities may be
sold  by one or more of the following methods, including without limitation: (a)
a block trade in which  a broker or dealer so  engaged will attempt to sell  the
shares  as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal
to facilitate the transaction; (b) purchases by a broker or dealer as  principal
and resale by such broker or dealer for its account pursuant to this Prospectus;
(c)  ordinary  brokerage  transactions  and  transactions  in  which  the broker
solicits purchases;  and  (d)  face-to-face  transactions  between  sellers  and
purchasers  without  a broker/dealer.  In  effecting sales,  brokers  or dealers
engaged by the Selling Security Holders may arrange for other brokers or dealers
to participate. Such  brokers or  dealers may receive  commissions or  discounts
from  Selling Security  Holders in  amounts to  be negotiated.  Such brokers and
dealers and  any other  participating brokers  or dealers  may be  deemed to  be
"underwriters" within the meaning of the Securities Act, in connection with such
sales.
 
                     CONCURRENT REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES
 
    Concurrently  with this  offering, the Company  is offering  pursuant to the
Company Prospectus an  aggregate of  5,940,000 shares of  Common Stock  issuable
upon  the  exercise  of  outstanding Warrants  (including  the  Selling Security
Holders' Warrants), 240,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Underwriter's Warrants and 240,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise
of the Warrants included therein.
 
                                       42
<PAGE>
                           DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
 
GENERAL
 
    As of  the date  of this  Prospectus, the  authorized capital  stock of  the
Company consists of 40,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share,
of  which 7,440,000 shares are outstanding  (not including the 180,000 shares of
Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants held by the Selling Security
Holders, which  shares constitute  the Selling  Security Holders'  Shares).  The
following description of the securities of the Company and certain provisions of
the  Company's Certificate of  Incorporation and By-Laws, each  as amended, is a
summary and is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of the Certificate of
Incorporation and  By-Laws as  currently in  effect. As  of July  10, 1996,  the
Company's Common Stock was held of record by 16 shareholders.
 
COMMON STOCK
 
    Holders  of Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all
matters  submitted  to  a  vote  of  shareholders,  including  the  election  of
directors.  Accordingly, holders  of a  majority of  the shares  of Common Stock
entitled to vote in  any election of  directors may elect  all of the  directors
standing for election if they choose to do so. The Certificate of Incorporation,
as  amended, does not provide for preemptive rights or for cumulative voting for
the election of directors. Holders of  Common Stock will be entitled to  receive
ratably  such dividends,  if any, as  may be declared  from time to  time by the
Board of Directors out of funds legally available therefor, and will be entitled
to receive, pro rata,  all assets of the  Company available for distribution  to
such  holders  upon liquidation.  Holders of  Common  Stock have  no preemptive,
subscription or redemption rights. All  outstanding shares of Common Stock  are,
and the Common Stock offered hereby, upon issuance and sale, will be, fully paid
and nonassessable.
 
REDEEMABLE WARRANTS
 
    Each  Warrant entitles the registered holder thereof (the "Warrant Holders")
to purchase one share of Common Stock at a price of $2.00 subject to  adjustment
in  certain circumstances, for  a period of  three years commencing  on July 13,
1996 until 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on July 12, 1999.
 
    The Warrants are redeemable  by the Company at  any time commencing on  July
13,  1996,  upon notice  of not  less than  30 days,  at a  price of  $.0167 per
Warrant, provided that the closing bid  quotation of the Common Stock on  NASDAQ
or  last sale  price if  quoted on a  national securities  exchange has exceeded
$3.33 per share (subject to adjustment)  for a period of 20 consecutive  trading
days  during  the period  in  which the  Warrants  are exercisable.  The Warrant
Holders shall  have the  right to  exercise their  Warrants until  the close  of
business  on the date fixed  for redemption. The Warrants  have been issued (and
any Warrants issued upon exercise of the Underwriter's Warrants will be  issued)
in  registered  form  under  a  warrant  agreement  by  and  among  the Company,
Continental  Stock  Transfer  &  Trust  Company,  as  warrant  agent,  and   the
Underwriter  (the "Warrant Agreement"). The exercise  price and number of shares
of Common Stock  or other securities  issuable on exercise  of the Warrants  are
subject  to adjustment  in certain  circumstances, including  in the  event of a
stock dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation of the
Company. In addition, the  Warrants are subject to  adjustment for issuances  of
Common  Stock at  prices below the  market price of  a share of  Common Stock on
NASDAQ. Reference is made to the Warrant  Agreement (which has been filed as  an
exhibit to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part) for
a  complete description  of the  terms and  conditions therein  (the description
herein contained being qualified in its entirety by reference thereto).
 
    The Warrants may be exercised upon  surrender of the Warrant certificate  on
or  prior to the expiration  date at the offices of  the warrant agent, with the
exercise form  on the  reverse side  of the  Warrant certificate  completed  and
executed  as indicated,  accompanied by full  payment of the  exercise price (by
certified check or bank draft payable to  the Company) to the warrant agent  for
the  number of  Warrants being  exercised. The Warrant  Holders do  not have the
rights or privileges of holders of Common Stock.
 
                                       43
<PAGE>
    No Warrant will be  exercisable unless at the  time of exercise the  Company
has  filed a  current registration  statement with  the Commission  covering the
shares of Common Stock  issuable upon exercise of  such Warrant and such  shares
have  been registered or qualified  or deemed to be  exempt from registration or
qualification under the securities laws of the state of residence of the  holder
of  such Warrant. The Company will use its  best efforts to have all such shares
so registered or  qualified on or  before the  exercise date and  to maintain  a
current  prospectus  relating  thereto  until the  expiration  of  the Warrants,
subject to  the  terms of  the  Warrant Agreement.  While  it is  the  Company's
intention to do so, there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so.
 
    No  fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the Warrants. However,
if a Warrant  Holder exercises all  Warrants then  owned of record  by him,  the
Company  will  pay  to such  Warrant  Holder, in  lieu  of the  issuance  of any
fractional share which  is otherwise issuable,  an amount in  cash based on  the
market  value of the Common Stock on the  last trading day prior to the exercise
date.
 
    The Company has agreed to pay to the Underwriter a warrant solicitation  fee
(the  "Warrant Solicitation  Fee") in connection  with the  exercise of Warrants
under certain circumstances and subject to certain conditions and  restrictions.
See "Warrant Solicitation."
 
DIVIDENDS
 
    Other  than the S Corporation Distribution,  the Company has not declared or
paid a cash dividend on its Common Stock since its inception. The payment by the
Company of dividends, if any, is within the discretion of the Board of Directors
and will depend on the Company's earnings, if any, its capital requirements  and
financial  condition, as well as other  relevant factors. The Board of Directors
does not intend to declare any dividends in the foreseeable future, but  instead
intends  to  retain  earnings,  if  any,  for  use  in  the  Company's  business
operations.
 
REGISTRATION RIGHTS
 
    In connection with the IPO, the Company granted to Duke & Co. certain demand
and piggyback registration rights with respect  to the 240,000 shares of  Common
Stock  and 240,000 Warrants issuable upon exercise of the Underwriter's Warrants
and the  240,000  shares of  Common  Stock issuable  upon  the exercise  of  the
Warrants  included in the  Underwriter's Warrants. All  480,000 shares of Common
Stock underlying the Underwriter's  Warrants have been  included in the  Company
Prospectus.  In addition, the Company  has granted to Mr.  Mirsky, a director of
the Company,  certain  demand  and piggyback  registration  rights  (subject  to
certain  limitations) with respect  to the shares of  Common Stock issuable upon
exercise of  the Consulting  Warrant. In  connection  with the  IPO and  at  the
request  of Duke & Co.,  Mr. Mirsky waived such rights  for a period of eighteen
months commencing July 13, 1995. See "Certain Transactions."
 
NASDAQ AND BOSTON STOCK EXCHANGE LISTING
 
    The Common Stock and Warrants are listed on NASDAQ. In order to continue  to
be  listed on  NASDAQ, however,  the Company  must maintain  $2,000,000 in total
assets, a $200,000  market value  of the public  float and  $1,000,000 in  total
capital and surplus. In addition, continued inclusion requires two market-makers
and  a minimum  bid price  of $1.00  per share;  provided, however,  that if the
Company falls  below  such  minimum  bid price,  it  will  remain  eligible  for
continued  inclusion in  NASDAQ if the  market value  of the public  float is at
least $1,000,000 and  the Company  has $2,000,000  in capital  and surplus.  The
failure  to meet  these maintenance  criteria in  the future  may result  in the
delisting of the Company's  securities from NASDAQ. In  such event, trading,  if
any,  in the Units, Common  Stock and Warrants would  thereafter be conducted in
the over-the-counter markets through the  so-called "pink sheets" or the  NASD's
"Electronic  Bulletin  Board."  Consequently,  the  liquidity  of  the Company's
securities could be impaired, not only  in the number of securities which  could
be  bought and  sold, but  also through  delays in  the timing  of transactions,
difficulty in  obtaining accurate  quotations  as to  the  market value  of  the
securities  and  reductions  in  the security  analysts'  and  the  news media's
coverage of the  Company. Delisting of  the Company's securities  may result  in
lower prices for the Company's securities than might otherwise prevail.
 
                                       44
<PAGE>
    The Common Stock and Warrants are also listed on the Boston Stock Exchange.
 
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
 
    The  Company's Transfer Agent and Registrar  is Continental Stock Transfer &
Trust Company, 2 Broadway, New York, New York 10004.
 
REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS
 
    The  Company  has  registered  the  Common  Stock  and  Warrants  under  the
provisions  of Sections 12(b) and 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and has agreed that
it will use its  best efforts to  continue to maintain  such registration for  a
minimum of five years from July 13, 1995. Such registration requires the Company
to  comply  with  periodic  reporting,  proxy  solicitation  and  certain  other
requirements of the Exchange Act.
 
                        SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
 
    Upon the  consummation  of  the  Company Offering,  the  Company  will  have
13,860,000  shares of  Common Stock  outstanding, of  which 9,000,000  shares of
Common  Stock  will   be  freely  tradeable   without  restriction  or   further
registration  under the  Securities Act, except  for any shares  purchased by an
affiliate of the Company  (in general, a person  who has a control  relationship
with  the Company), which  shares will be  subject to the  resale limitations of
Rule 144 under  the Securities  Act. All of  the remaining  4,860,000 shares  of
Common  Stock are deemed to be "restricted  securities," as that term is defined
under Rule 144 promulgated  under the Securities Act,  in that such shares  were
issued  and sold by the  Company in private transactions  not involving a public
offering and in the future may only be sold pursuant to a registration statement
under the Securities Act,  in compliance with the  exemption provisions of  Rule
144,  or pursuant to another exemption under the Securities Act. An aggregate of
180,000 of such restricted shares are being registered by the Company under  the
Securities  Act pursuant to this Prospectus.  In addition, commencing in October
1995, an  aggregate  of 4,500,000  of  the 4,860,000  restricted  shares  became
eligible  for sale under Rule 144,  subject to the volume limitations prescribed
by Rule 144 and to the contractual restrictions described below. The balance  of
the  restricted shares will become eligible for  sale under Rule 144, subject to
the volume limitations prescribed by Rule 144, commencing in July 1997.
 
    In  general,  under  Rule  144  as  currently  in  effect,  subject  to  the
satisfaction  of certain other  conditions, a person,  including an affiliate of
the Company (or persons whose shares  are aggregated), who has owned  restricted
shares  of Common Stock beneficially for at least two years is entitled to sell,
within any  three-month period,  a number  of shares  that does  not exceed  the
greater of 1% of the total number of outstanding shares of the same class or, if
the  shares of  Common Stock  are quoted on  NASDAQ, the  average weekly trading
volume during the four calendar weeks preceding  the sale. A person who has  not
been  an affiliate  of the  Company for  at least  the three  months immediately
preceding the sale and who has beneficially owned shares of Common Stock for  at
least  three years is entitled to sell such shares under Rule 144 without regard
to any of the limitations described above.
 
    All of the Company's officers and directors and certain shareholders of  the
Company  have agreed not to sell or  otherwise dispose of their shares of Common
Stock (an aggregate of 4,860,000  shares (including the 180,000 shares  included
in  this Prospectus)) for a  period of eighteen months  commencing July 13, 1997
(other than pursuant to private transfers) without the prior written consent  of
Duke & Co.
 
                              WARRANT SOLICITATION
 
    The  Company has  agreed, in  connection with  the exercise  of the Warrants
pursuant to solicitation, to pay to  the Underwriter a warrant solicitation  fee
of  5% of the exercise price for each Warrant exercised; provided, however, that
the Underwriter will  not be entitled  to receive such  compensation in  Warrant
exercise  transactions in which (i) the market price of Common Stock at the time
of exercise is lower than the exercise price of the Warrants; (ii) the  Warrants
are held in any discretionary
 
                                       45
<PAGE>
account;  (iii) disclosure of compensation arrangements is not made in documents
provided to holders of the Warrants at  the time of exercise; (iv) the  exercise
of  Warrants  is unsolicited  by  the Underwriter;  or  (v) the  solicitation of
exercise of the Warrants  was in violation of  Rule 10b-6 promulgated under  the
Exchange Act.
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
    The  legality of the securities  offered hereby will be  passed upon for the
Company by Zimet, Haines, Friedman & Kaplan, New York, New York.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
    The financial statements of Sel-Leb Marketing, Inc. as of December 31,  1995
and  for the two  years in the period  ended December 31,  1995 included in this
Prospectus have been included  in reliance upon the  reports of Goldstein  Golub
Kessler  & Company, P.C.,  independent certified public  accountants, given upon
the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
                                       46
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
 
                         INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                              <C>
FINANCIAL STATEMENT AT DECEMBER 31, 1995 AND
 FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1995 AND 1994
 
Independent Auditor's Report...................................................      F-2
 
  Balance Sheet................................................................      F-3
  Statement of Income..........................................................      F-4
  Statement of Shareholders' Equity............................................      F-5
  Statement of Cash Flows......................................................      F-6
  Notes to Financial Statements................................................  F-7 - F-13
 
FINANCIAL STATEMENT AT MARCH 31, 1996 AND
 FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 1996 AND 1995 (UNAUDITED)
 
  Balance Sheet (Unaudited)....................................................     F-14
  Statement of Income (Unaudited)..............................................     F-15
  Statement of Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited)................................     F-16
  Statement of Cash Flows (Unaudited)..........................................     F-17
  Notes to Financial Statements (Unaudited)....................................  F-18 - F-19
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-1
<PAGE>
                          INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT
 
The Board of Directors
Sel-Leb Marketing, Inc.
 
    We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Sel-Leb Marketing, Inc. as
of December 31, 1995 and the related statements of income, shareholders' equity,
and  cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 1995.
These financial statements are the  responsibility of the Company's  management.
Our  responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based
on our audits.
 
    We conducted  our  audits in  accordance  with generally  accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence  supporting
the  amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the  accounting  principles used  and  significant estimates  made  by
management,  as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
    In our opinion, the financial  statements referred to above present  fairly,
in  all material respects, the financial  position of Sel-Leb Marketing, Inc. as
of December 31, 1995 and  the results of its operations  and its cash flows  for
each  of the two years in the period  ended December 31, 1995 in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles.
 
    As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, the financial statements
of Sel-Leb  Marketing, Inc.  for the  year  ended December  31, 1994  have  been
restated to include the results of operations of Linette Cosmetics, Inc. and Lea
Cosmetics,  Inc., entities which merged with and into Sel-Leb Marketing, Inc. in
1995.
 
GOLDSTEIN GOLUB KESSLER & COMPANY, P.C.
New York, New York
 
March 3, 1996, except for the first paragraph of Note 9,
 as to which the date is March 12, 1996
 
                                      F-2
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
                                 BALANCE SHEET
                               DECEMBER 31, 1995
 
                                     ASSETS
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                              <C>
Current Assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents (Note 1)...........................................  $  832,970
  Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $100,000........   2,175,813
  Inventory (Note 1)...........................................................   2,470,086
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets....................................     353,557
  Deferred income tax asset, net of valuation allowance (Note 10)..............      52,000
                                                                                 ----------
    Total current assets.......................................................   5,884,426
 
Property and Equipment -- at cost, net of accumulated depreciation (Notes 1 and
 3)............................................................................     270,703
Goodwill (Note 2)..............................................................     280,823
Other Assets...................................................................       3,611
                                                                                 ----------
    Total Assets...............................................................  $6,439,563
                                                                                 ----------
                                                                                 ----------
 
                           LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
Current Liabilities:
  Accounts payable and accrued expenses (Note 4)...............................  $  941,242
  Due to affiliates (Note 9)...................................................     118,310
  Income taxes payable (Note 10)...............................................     269,525
                                                                                 ----------
    Total current liabilities..................................................   1,329,077
Long-term Debt -- related parties (Note 9).....................................     469,000
                                                                                 ----------
    Total liabilities..........................................................   1,798,077
                                                                                 ----------
Commitments and Contingency (Notes 5, 6 and 12)
Shareholders' Equity (Notes 7 and 8)
  Common stock -- $.01 par value; authorized 40,000,000 shares, issued and
   outstanding 7,440,000 shares................................................      74,400
  Additional paid-in capital...................................................   4,136,563
  Retained earnings............................................................     430,523
                                                                                 ----------
    Total shareholders' equity.................................................   4,641,486
                                                                                 ----------
    Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity.................................  $6,439,563
                                                                                 ----------
                                                                                 ----------
</TABLE>
 
                       See Notes to Financial Statements
 
                                      F-3
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
                              STATEMENT OF INCOME
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                                   ------------------------------
                                                                                        1995            1994
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
<S>                                                                                <C>             <C>
Revenue:
  Net sales (Notes 1 and 11).....................................................  $   11,286,114  $   10,401,907
  Commission income (Note 1).....................................................         194,021         392,387
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
Total revenue....................................................................      11,480,135      10,794,294
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
Operating expenses:
  Cost of sales (Note 9).........................................................       8,868,566       8,314,521
  Selling, general and administrative expenses (Note 5)..........................       2,016,412       1,827,899
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
Total operating expenses.........................................................      10,884,978      10,142,420
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
Operating income.................................................................         595,157         651,874
Interest expense, net of interest income of $34,972 in 1995 (Note 9).............         (83,809)       (120,471)
Other income (expenses)..........................................................         101,489         (71,392)
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
Income before provision for income taxes and minority interest in earnings of
 subsidiary......................................................................         612,837         460,011
Provision for income taxes (Note 10).............................................        (234,000)        (70,000)
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
Income before minority interest in earnings of subsidiary........................         378,837         390,011
Minority interest in earnings of subsidiary (Note 1).............................         (39,414)        (31,574)
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
Net income.......................................................................  $      339,423  $      358,437
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
Pro forma information (unaudited) (Notes 1 and 13):
  Net income.....................................................................  $      341,423  $      253,437
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
  Primary earnings per share.....................................................  $          .05  $          .05
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
  Fully diluted earnings per share...............................................  $          .04  $          .05
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
                                                                                   --------------  --------------
</TABLE>
 
                       See Notes to Financial Statements
 
                                      F-4
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
                       STATEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
                                    (NOTE 1)
 
                     YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1995 AND 1994
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         RECEIVABLE IN
                                                                                           CONNECTION
                                                                                          WITH SALE OF
                                                                             RETAINED     COMMON STOCK
                                          COMMON STOCK        ADDITIONAL     EARNINGS       PURCHASE
                                      ---------------------    PAID-IN     (ACCUMULATED   WARRANT AND    SHAREHOLDERS'
                                        SHARES     AMOUNT      CAPITAL       DEFICIT)     COMMON STOCK      EQUITY
                                      ----------  ---------  ------------  ------------  --------------  -------------
<S>                                   <C>         <C>        <C>           <C>           <C>             <C>
Balance at December 31, 1993........   4,320,000  $   1,000  $     52,096   $  (11,982)    $   (2,000)    $    39,114
Sale of stock warrants (Note 8).....      --         --            21,000       --            (21,000)        --
Capital contribution of imputed
 interest on noninterest bearing
 loans (Note 9).....................      --         --            14,703       --             --              14,703
Net income..........................      --         --           --           358,437         --             358,437
                                      ----------  ---------  ------------  ------------  --------------  -------------
Balance at December 31, 1994........   4,320,000      1,000        87,799      346,455        (23,000)        412,254
Adjustment of par value.............      --         42,200       (42,200)      --             --             --
Capital contribution of imputed
 interest on noninterest bearing
 loans (Note 9).....................      --         --             4,225       --             --               4,225
Collection of receivable............      --         --           --            --             21,000          21,000
Issuance of stock warrants (Note
 8).................................      --         --            10,000       --             --              10,000
Adjustment resulting from
 termination of S Corporation status
 (Note 10)..........................      --         --           255,355     (255,355)        --             --
Issuance of common stock in
 connection with acquisition of
 subsidiary (Notes 1 and 2).........     180,000      1,800       380,575       --              2,000         384,375
Conversion of long-term debt into
 common shares (Note 9).............     180,000      1,800       298,200       --             --             300,000
Net proceeds from sale of stock
 (Note 7)...........................   2,760,000     27,600     3,298,852       --             --           3,326,452
Distribution to shareholders (Note
 10)................................      --         --          (156,243)      --             --            (156,243)
Net income..........................      --         --           --           339,423         --             339,423
                                      ----------  ---------  ------------  ------------  --------------  -------------
Balance at December 31, 1995........   7,440,000  $  74,400  $  4,136,563   $  430,523         --         $ 4,641,486
                                      ----------  ---------  ------------  ------------  --------------  -------------
                                      ----------  ---------  ------------  ------------  --------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
                       See Notes to Financial Statements
 
                                      F-5
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
                            STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                          YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                                         -------------------------
                                                                                             1995         1994
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
<S>                                                                                      <C>           <C>
Cash flows from operating activities:
  Net income...........................................................................  $    339,423  $   358,437
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating
   activities:
    Depreciation and amortization......................................................        25,947        5,490
    Deferred income tax benefit........................................................       (52,000)     --
    Allowance for doubtful accounts....................................................        40,000      --
    Imputed interest contributed to capital............................................         4,225       14,703
    Interest expense related to issuance of warrants...................................        10,000      --
    Minority interest in earnings of subsidiary........................................        39,414       31,574
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
      Increase in accounts receivable..................................................      (400,026)    (641,127)
      (Increase) decrease in inventory.................................................    (1,301,391)     137,873
      Increase in due from affiliates..................................................       --          (152,939)
      Increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets............................      (220,491)     (32,401)
      Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued expenses.....................      (310,669)     306,068
      Increase (decrease) in due to affiliates.........................................       (56,630)       1,436
      Increase in income taxes payable.................................................       183,877       52,135
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
        Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities............................    (1,698,321)      81,249
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
Cash flows from investing activities:
  Repayments from affiliates                                                                  122,510      --
  Purchase of property and equipment                                                         (275,515)     (16,000)
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
        Net cash used in investing activities..........................................      (153,005)     (16,000)
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
Cash flows from financing activities:
  Advances to affiliate................................................................       --           (50,000)
  Net proceeds from (repayments of) notes payable -- bank..............................      (800,000)      50,000
  Net proceeds from sale of stock and warrants.........................................     3,440,003      --
  Distributions to shareholders........................................................      (156,243)     --
  Collection of receivable in connection with sale of common stock purchase warrant....        21,000      --
  Deferred offering costs..............................................................       --          (113,550)
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
        Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities............................     2,504,760     (113,550)
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents...................................       653,434      (48,301)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year.........................................       179,536      227,837
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year...............................................  $    832,970  $   179,536
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
  Cash paid during the year for:
    Interest...........................................................................  $    112,568  $   110,763
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
  Income taxes.........................................................................  $     16,475  $     5,769
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
                                                                                         ------------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
Supplemental schedule of noncash investing and financing activities:
 
    In May 1995, the Company issued warrants to purchase 3,000,000 shares of the
Company's common stock and  charged operations for  $10,000 of interest  expense
(Notes 7 and 8).
 
    The  Company issued 180,000 shares of  the Company's common stock, valued at
$384,375, in connection with the 40% acquisition of Lea (Note 2).
 
    In July 1995, shareholders converted $300,000 of long-term debt into 180,000
shares of the Company's common stock and warrants to purchase 180,000 shares  of
the Company's common stock.
 
                       See Notes to Finanical Statements
 
                                      F-6
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
 
                         NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
1.  ORGANIZATION, PRESENTATION, PRINCIPAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY AND SIGNIFICANT
    ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
    Sel-Leb  Marketing, Inc. ("Sel-Leb") was incorporated  under the laws of the
State of New York  on September 21,  1993. On May  18, 1995, Linette  Cosmetics,
Inc.  ("Linette"), a company  having the same ownership  as Sel-Leb, merged with
and into Sel-Leb.  On July  13, 1995,  the shareholders  of Sel-Leb  contributed
their  60%  interest  in Lea  Cosmetics,  Inc.  ("Lea") to  Sel-Leb  and Sel-Leb
purchased the remaining  40% interest (the  "40% Interest") (see  Note 2). As  a
result,  Lea became  a wholly owned  subsidiary of Sel-Leb  and was subsequently
merged with and into Sel-Leb.  The merger of Linette  with and into Sel-Leb  and
the  contribution of the 60%  interest in Lea to  Sel-Leb, have been reported at
historical cost in a manner similar to  a pooling of interests. The purchase  of
the  40% Interest in  Lea by Sel-Leb has  been accounted for  as a purchase. All
significant intercompany transactions  and balances among  Sel-Leb, Linette  and
Lea  (collectively  the "Company")  through  the dates  of  the mergers  and the
acquisition of the 40% Interest have been eliminated.
 
    The statement of income for Sel-Leb for the year ended December 31, 1994 has
been restated to include  the results of operations  of Sel-Leb and Linette  for
the  12 months ended December 31, 1994 and  the results of operations of Lea for
the 12 months ended  September 30, 1994.  The effect of  the restatement was  to
increase  net  income for  the  year ended  December  31, 1994  by approximately
$211,000. The statement of  income for the Company  for the year ended  December
31,  1995 includes the results  of operations of Sel-Leb  and Linette for the 12
months ended December 31, 1995 and the  results of operations of Lea for the  15
months  ended  December 31,  1995. The  results  of operations  for Lea  for the
3-month period  from October  1, 1994  to  December 31,  1994, included  in  the
statement of income for 1995, were not material.
 
    The  Company is a secondary sourcer (distributing merchandise on a wholesale
basis outside normal distribution channels to retail merchants) of a broad range
of  name-brand  and  off-brand  merchandise.  The  Company  also  packages   and
wholesales  beauty aid and cosmetic products.  In addition, the Company develops
marketing programs to sell  consumers products through television  home-shopping
networks  and other electronic  media by using  celebrity spokespersons. Revenue
from marketing programs for the years ended December 31, 1995 and 1994 were  not
significant.
 
    The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  generally
accepted accounting  principles  requires the  use  of estimates  by  management
affecting  the  reported  amounts  of assets  and  liabilities  and  revenue and
expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results
could differ from those estimates.
 
    Inventory, consisting primarily of finished goods, is stated at the lower of
cost, determined by the first-in, first-out method, or market.
 
    Depreciation of property and equipment is provided for by the  straight-line
method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets.
 
    Sales revenue is recognized on the date the merchandise is shipped.
 
    Commission income is recognized upon the sale of the related product.
 
    Cash equivalents consist of money market accounts.
 
    Pro  forma earnings  per share  are computed  based on  the weighted average
number of shares actually outstanding plus the shares that would be  outstanding
assuming  the exercise of dilutive stock options  and warrants, all of which are
considered common stock  equivalents, using the  modified treasury stock  method
for 1995 and the treasury stock method for 1994. For the pro forma fully diluted
computation for 1995, the weighted average number of shares outstanding includes
the
 
                                      F-7
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
 
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
number  of shares that  would be issued  from the exercise  of stock options and
warrants reduced by the  number of shares which  would have been purchased  from
the  proceeds of such exercise at the market price of the Company's common stock
on December 31, 1995, because those  prices were higher than the average  market
prices  during the year. For the 1994 pro forma earnings per share, the weighted
average number of common  shares outstanding has been  increased to reflect  the
number  of  shares  whose  proceeds  would  have  been  necessary  to  fund  the
distribution to shareholders  paid from  the proceeds of  the Company's  initial
public  offering ("IPO") (see Note 7). For the year ended December 31, 1995, the
number of shares used in the computation of primary earnings per share and fully
diluted earnings per share were  8,429,726 and 8,491,491, respectively. For  the
year  ended December 31, 1994,  the number of shares  used for both calculations
amounted to 4,969,089.
 
    The Company maintains  cash in  bank accounts  which, at  times, may  exceed
federally  insured limits. The  Company has not experienced  any losses on these
accounts.
 
    The Company adopted  Statement of  Financial Accounting  Standards No.  121,
"Accounting for the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and for Long-Lived Assets to
Be  Disposed Of,"  on January  1, 1996.  Management believes  the effect  of the
adoption will not be significant to the financial statements.
 
    The Company intends to elect to continue to measure compensation cost  using
Accounting  Principles  Board Opinion  No. 25  as is  permitted by  Statement of
Financial  Accounting   Standards   No.   123,   "Accounting   for   Stock-Based
Compensation,"  effective for  financial statements with  fiscal years beginning
after December 15, 1995.
 
2.  ACQUISITION
 
    In July  1995, Sel-Leb  purchased the  40%  Interest in  Lea in  a  business
combination  accounted for as a purchase.  The purchase price was 180,000 shares
of newly issued, unregistered shares of Sel-Leb's common stock, 90,000 of  which
were  issued in January 1996 upon Lea's achieving certain sales volume for 1995.
The accompanying financial statements  reflect the issuance  of these shares  of
common  stock as if they were issued on December 31, 1995. The fair value of the
assets acquired, including approximately  $281,000 allocated to goodwill,  which
is  being  amortized  over  10 years,  amounted  to  approximately  $384,000 and
liabilities assumed  amounted to  approximately $101,000.  Amortization  expense
related  to goodwill and  charged to operations  in the year  ended December 31,
1995 amounted to $2,445.
 
    The  Company  reviews  the  carrying   value  of  goodwill  for   impairment
periodically  and whenever events or changes  in circumstances indicate that the
amount may  not  be  recoverable.  The review  for  recoverability  includes  an
estimate by the Company of the future undiscounted cash flows expected to result
from  the  use  of  the  assets  acquired  and  their  eventual  disposition. An
impairment will be recognized  if the carrying value  of the assets exceeds  the
estimated future undiscounted cash flows of those assets.
 
                                      F-8
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
 
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
3.  PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
 
    Property  and equipment, at cost, consists  of the following at December 31,
1995:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                            ESTIMATED
                                                                                           USEFUL LIFE
                                                                                          --------------
<S>                                                                          <C>          <C>
Machinery and equipment....................................................  $   114,236    5 to 7 years
Display fixtures...........................................................      182,387    2 to 3 years
Computer equipment.........................................................       18,440         5 years
                                                                             -----------
                                                                                 315,063
Less accumulated depreciation..............................................       44,360
                                                                             -----------
                                                                             $   270,703
                                                                             -----------
                                                                             -----------
</TABLE>
 
4.  ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND ACCRUED EXPENSES
 
    Accounts payable and accrued expenses  consist of the following at  December
31, 1995:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                        <C>
Trade accounts payable...................................................  $ 807,320
Accrued interest.........................................................      3,127
Accrued professional fees................................................     93,279
Accrued commissions......................................................     32,320
Accrued payroll..........................................................      5,196
                                                                           ---------
                                                                           $ 941,242
                                                                           ---------
                                                                           ---------
</TABLE>
 
5.  COMMITMENTS
 
    The Company leases warehouse and production facilities under a noncancelable
operating lease which expires December 31, 1998.
 
    The future minimum rental payments under the lease are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                        <C>
Year ending December 31,
    1996.................................................................  $  35,000
    1997.................................................................     35,000
    1998.................................................................     35,000
                                                                           ---------
                                                                           $ 105,000
                                                                           ---------
                                                                           ---------
</TABLE>
 
    The  Company  leases  additional  offices  and  warehouse  facilities  on  a
month-to-month basis.
 
    Rent expense for  the years  ended December 31,  1995 and  1994 amounted  to
$74,207 and $80,450, respectively.
 
    The  Company has entered into employment agreements with five officers which
expire at various times through July 2000.
 
    The aggregate minimum commitment for future salaries is as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                      <C>
Year ending December 31,
    1996...............................................................  $  565,000
    1997...............................................................     475,000
    1998...............................................................     475,000
    1999...............................................................     375,000
    2000...............................................................     188,000
                                                                         ----------
                                                                         $2,078,000
                                                                         ----------
                                                                         ----------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-9
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
 
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
    The Company has various promotional agreements whereby it pays royalty  fees
to  celebrities  based  upon  a  percentage of  net  sales  attributable  to the
celebrities' appearances.
 
    During the year  ended December 31,  1994, the Company  charged $300,000  to
operations  in connection  with an  agreement with  a celebrity  for selling and
promotional activities. The  agreement was  for one  year and  expired in  March
1995.
 
6.  LINE OF CREDIT
 
    The  Company has a  line of credit with  a bank expiring  May 31, 1996 which
provides for borrowings  not to exceed  the lesser of  $2,000,000 or  prescribed
levels  of eligible  accounts receivable  and inventory,  as defined. Borrowings
under the line of  credit bear interest  at a bank's  prevailing base rates,  as
defined  in the agreement. As of December  31, 1995, no amounts were outstanding
under the line of credit.
 
7.  SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
    Accumulated earnings  during  the period  in  which  the Company  was  an  S
Corporation  (see  Note 10)  have been  included  in the  accompanying financial
statements as additional paid-in capital.
 
    On January 4, 1995, the Company increased its authorized number of shares to
10,000,000 shares of  common stock, effected  a 17,760.8 for  1 stock split  and
changed  the par value of its  common stock from no par  to $.01 par. On May 18,
1995, the Company effected a .810706 reverse stock split. In February 1996,  the
Company increased its authorized number of shares to 40,000,000 shares of common
stock  and effected a 3 for 1 stock split. The increase in authorized shares and
the stock  splits  have  been  given  retroactive  effect  in  the  accompanying
financial statements.
 
    On  July 13, 1995, the Company completed  its IPO of 2,760,000 shares of the
Company's common stock and 920,000 warrants. Each warrant entitles the holder to
purchase three shares  of the  Company's common stock  at an  exercise price  of
$2.00  per share. The net proceeds  to the Company were approximately $3,326,000
after deducting underwriters'  commissions and  expenses of  the offering  which
totaled approximately $1,274,000.
 
8.  OPTIONS AND WARRANTS
 
    In  1995, the Company adopted the 1995 Stock Option Plan (the "Option Plan")
in which 1,350,000  common shares have  been reserved for  future issuance.  The
Option   Plan  provides  for  the  issuance   of  incentive  stock  options  and
nonincentive stock options for the sale  of shares of common stock to  employees
of  the Company at a price not less than  the fair market value of the shares on
the date of the option grant, provided that the exercise price of any  incentive
stock  option granted  to an  employee owning more  than 10%  of the outstanding
common shares of the Company may not be less than 110% of the fair market  value
of  the shares on the date of the incentive stock option grant. The term of each
option and the  manner of  exercise are determined  by the  Board of  Directors.
Employees  are fully vested in  the options 3 years after  the date of grant and
the options are exercisable up to 10 years after the date of grant. At  December
31,  1995, options to purchase 1,054,500  shares of common stock are outstanding
under the Option Plan.
 
    In 1995, the Company  adopted the 1995  Nonemployee Directors' Stock  Option
Plan  (the "Directors' Plan") in which  300,000 common shares have been reserved
for future issuance.  The Directors'  Plan provides for  the sale  of shares  of
common  stock to nonemployee directors  of the Company at  a price not less than
the fair market value of the shares on the date of the option grant. The term of
each option and the manner of exercise is determined by the Board of  Directors,
but in no case can the options be exercisable 10 years beyond the date of grant.
Upon  election  to the  Board  of Directors,  and  after each  re-election, each
nonemployee director  is granted  an  option to  purchase 15,000  common  shares
exercisable  upon the date of  grant. At December 31,  1995, options to purchase
60,000 shares of common stock are outstanding under the Directors' Plan.
 
                                      F-10
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
 
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
    Transactions relating to all  stock options granted  and outstanding are  as
follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           NUMBER OF
                                                                          SHARES UNDER
                                                                             OPTION     PRICE PER SHARE
                                                                          ------------  ---------------
<S>                                                                       <C>           <C>
Granted during the year ended December 31, 1995.........................    1,380,000    $1.67 - $2.75
Canceled................................................................     (265,500)       $1.67
                                                                          ------------  ---------------
    Balance at December 31, 1995........................................    1,114,500    $1.67 - $2.75
                                                                          ------------  ---------------
                                                                          ------------  ---------------
</TABLE>
 
    On January 5, 1994, the Company sold a warrant to purchase 490,689 shares of
the  Company's common stock for $21,000 to a consultant who became an officer of
the Company. The warrant  is exercisable through March  21, 2000 at an  exercise
price of $315,000.
 
    In  May  1995, the  Company borrowed  $250,000 from  an investor,  which was
subsequently repaid out of the proceeds of  the IPO (see Note 7). In  connection
with this financing, the Company issued the investor 1,000,000 warrants, each of
which entitles the holder to purchase three shares of common stock at a price of
$2.00  per share, exercisable for a  three-year period commencing July 13, 1996.
Upon issuance of  the warrants the  Company charged operations  for $10,000  and
increased additional paid-in capital by a corresponding amount.
 
    Upon  consummation  of the  Company's  IPO (see  Note  7), the  Company sold
warrants to purchase up to 240,000 units at an exercise price of $2.50 per  unit
to  the underwriter  and its  designees for  an aggregate  of $10.00.  Each unit
consists of one  share of common  stock and  a warrant entitling  the holder  to
purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $2.00 per share.
 
    At December 31, 1995, common stock was reserved for the following reasons:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                        <C>
Exercise of common stock options.........................................  1,114,500
Exercise of common stock warrants........................................  6,910,689
</TABLE>
 
9.  RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
 
    The  Company had loans payable to  its shareholders and/or entities owned by
such shareholders  amounting  to  $769,000 of  which  $169,000  was  noninterest
bearing.  Interest on that amount was imputed, charged to operations and treated
as a contribution  to capital. Immediately  prior to the  IPO, $300,000 of  such
loans  was converted into 60,000 conversion units, each unit consisting of three
shares of common stock  and one warrant entitling  the holder to purchase  three
shares  of common stock at an exercise price  of $2.00 per share. The balance of
$469,000 at December 31, 1995  now bears interest at an  average rate of 8%  per
annum and was to be repaid on January 13, 1997 out of available working capital.
On March 12, 1996, the Company agreed to repay the loans. The Company received a
discount  of $46,900 on the outstanding balance and increased additional paid-in
capital by a corresponding amount. Interest expense for the years ended December
31, 1995 and 1994 amounted to $49,602 and $66,712, respectively.
 
    In 1993, H. Howlin International, Inc. ("Howlin"), a company owned 100% by a
shareholder of the  Company, transferred  all of  its inventory  to the  Company
under  an arrangement which was  being accounted for as  a consignment. In 1995,
the Company purchased the consigned inventory from Howlin. Purchases from Howlin
amounted to $13,782 and $107,795 for the years ended December 31, 1995 and 1994,
respectively. At December 31, 1995, there were no amounts due to Howlin.
 
    At December 31, 1994,  the Company had goods  on consignment from a  company
which  is  50% owned  by  a shareholder  of the  Company.  In 1995,  the Company
purchased the consigned inventory from this company. Purchases from this company
amounted to $69,768 and $5,560 for the  years ended December 31, 1995 and  1994,
respectively. At December 31, 1995, the amount due to this company was $80,065.
 
                                      F-11
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
 
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
    During  the  year  ended  December  31,  1994,  the  Company  made  sales of
approximately $671,000 to third  parties utilizing the  names Sela Sales,  Ltd.,
and  Polvo  Distributors,  Inc., companies  owned  100% by  shareholders  of the
Company.
 
    During the  year ended  December 31,  1994, the  Company made  purchases  of
approximately $185,000 from third parties utilizing the name Sela Sales, Ltd.
 
10. INCOME TAXES
 
    The  shareholders of Sel-Leb and Linette  had consented that each company be
taxed as a small  business corporation (S Corporation)  under the provisions  of
the  federal income tax  laws. On May 18,  1995, the merger  of Linette with and
into Sel-Leb (see Note 1) terminated the S Corporation status of both  entities.
The   Company  distributed   $156,243  to   these  shareholders   following  the
consummation of the  Company's IPO  (see Note  7). This  amount represented  the
taxes payable on the earnings of Sel-Leb from its inception through the date its
S  Corporation status was terminated and on the earnings of Linette from January
1, 1994 through the date its S Corporation status was terminated.
 
    Deferred income tax asset at December 31, 1995 consists of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                        <C>
Capital loss carryforward................................................  $  84,000
Allowance for bad debts..................................................     40,000
Other....................................................................     12,000
                                                                           ---------
                                                                             136,000
Valuation allowance......................................................    (84,000)
                                                                           ---------
    Net deferred income tax asset........................................  $  52,000
                                                                           ---------
                                                                           ---------
</TABLE>
 
    The provision for income taxes consists of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                  YEAR ENDED DECEMBER
                                                                                          31,
                                                                                 ----------------------
                                                                                    1995        1994
                                                                                 -----------  ---------
<S>                                                                              <C>          <C>
Federal income taxes:
  Current......................................................................  $   222,000  $  26,000
  Deferred.....................................................................      (40,000)    --
                                                                                 -----------  ---------
    Total federal income taxes.................................................      182,000     26,000
                                                                                 -----------  ---------
State income taxes:
  Current......................................................................       64,000     44,000
  Deferred.....................................................................      (12,000)    --
                                                                                 -----------  ---------
    Total state income taxes...................................................       52,000     44,000
                                                                                 -----------  ---------
    Total provision for income taxes...........................................  $   234,000  $  70,000
                                                                                 -----------  ---------
                                                                                 -----------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
    The provision for income  taxes differs from the  amount computed using  the
federal statutory rate of 34% as a result of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                          YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                                          ------------------------
                                                                                             1995         1994
                                                                                             -----     -----------
<S>                                                                                       <C>          <C>
Tax at federal statutory rate...........................................................         34%          34%
Flow-through of S Corporation taxable income (loss) to shareholders.....................          1          (34)
State income taxes, net of federal income tax effect....................................          7           15
Other items, net........................................................................         (4)       --
                                                                                                 --           --
                                                                                                 38%          15%
                                                                                                 --           --
                                                                                                 --           --
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-12
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
 
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
11. SIGNIFICANT CUSTOMERS
 
    During  the year ended December  31, 1995, approximately 26%  and 11% of the
Company's sales were to two customers. During the year ended December 31,  1994,
approximately 27% of the Company's sales were to one customer.
 
12. LITIGATION
 
    The  Company, certain of its officers  and directors, the underwriter of the
Company's IPO and  counsel for the  underwriter (collectively the  "Counterclaim
Defendants")  are  included as  defendants in  a counterclaim  to an  action not
involving the  Company.  This counterclaim  alleges  the existence  of  an  oral
agreement to compensate certain individuals for their efforts in connection with
the  Company's IPO. This counterclaim seeks damages in excess of $1,500,000 from
the Counterclaim Defendants. Management and  its legal counsel believe that  the
litigation  has no basis in law or fact, and intend to vigorously defend against
the claim. The  financial statements do  not include any  adjustment related  to
this claim.
 
13. PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)
 
    The  pro forma net  income in the  accompanying statement of  income for the
years ended  December 31,  1995 and  1994 includes  a pro  forma adjustment  for
income taxes on a C Corporation basis as indicated below.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                                ------------------------
                                                                                   1995         1994
                                                                                -----------  -----------
<S>                                                                             <C>          <C>
Income before provision for income taxes and minority interest in earnings of
 subsidiary before pro forma adjustment for income taxes......................  $   612,837  $   460,011
                                                                                -----------  -----------
Pro forma provision for income taxes:
  Federal.....................................................................      180,000      137,000
  State.......................................................................       52,000       38,000
                                                                                -----------  -----------
                                                                                    232,000      175,000
                                                                                -----------  -----------
Income before minority interest in earnings of subsidiary.....................      380,837      285,011
Minority interest in earnings of subsidiary...................................      (39,414)     (31,574)
                                                                                -----------  -----------
    Pro forma net income......................................................  $   341,423  $   253,437
                                                                                -----------  -----------
                                                                                -----------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
    The  pro forma  provision for  income taxes differs  from the  amount of pro
forma income tax determined by  applying the applicable federal statutory  rates
primarily because of the effect of state and local taxes.
 
                                      F-13
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
                            UNAUDITED BALANCE SHEET
                                 MARCH 31, 1996
 
                                     ASSETS
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                              <C>
Current Assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents....................................................  $   72,388
  Accounts receivable -- net...................................................   2,260,823
  Inventory....................................................................   3,289,298
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets....................................     175,866
  Deferred income tax asset, net of valuation allowance........................      52,000
                                                                                 ----------
    Total current assets.......................................................   5,850,375
 
Property and equipment -- net..................................................     316,872
Goodwill.......................................................................     273,741
Other assets...................................................................       3,611
                                                                                 ----------
    Total assets...............................................................  $6,444,599
                                                                                 ----------
                                                                                 ----------
 
                           LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
Current Liabilities:
  Accounts payable and accrued expenses........................................  $1,343,634
  Due to affiliates............................................................      90,067
  Income taxes payable.........................................................     231,968
                                                                                 ----------
    Total current liabilities and total liabilities............................   1,665,669
                                                                                 ----------
Common Stock -- $.01 par value; authorized 40,000,000 shares, issued and
 outstanding 7,440,000 shares (Note 1).........................................      74,400
Additional paid-in capital.....................................................   4,183,464
Retained earnings..............................................................     521,066
                                                                                 ----------
    Shareholders' equity.......................................................   4,778,930
                                                                                 ----------
    Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity.................................  $6,444,599
                                                                                 ----------
                                                                                 ----------
</TABLE>
 
                       See Notes to Financial Statements
 
                                      F-14
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
                         UNAUDITED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31,
                                                                                      ----------------------------
                                                                                          1996           1995
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                                   <C>            <C>
Revenue:
  Net Sales.........................................................................  $   3,070,765  $   2,354,848
 
Operating Expenses:
  Cost of sales.....................................................................      2,283,866      1,777,363
  Selling, general and administrative expenses......................................        645,511        432,887
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
    Total operating expenses........................................................      2,929,377      2,210,250
 
Operating income....................................................................        141,388        144,598
Interest income.....................................................................          9,902              0
Interest expense....................................................................        (12,242)       (37,953)
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
Income before provision for income taxes and minority interest in earnings of
 subsidiary.........................................................................        139,048        106,645
Provision for income taxes (Note 4).................................................         48,505         14,000
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
                                                                                             90,543         92,645
Minority interest in earnings of subsidiary.........................................       --               10,620
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
Net income..........................................................................  $      90,543  $      82,025
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
Pro forma information
  Net income (Note 4)...............................................................  $      90,543  $      49,100
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
Primary earnings per share..........................................................  $        0.01  $        0.01
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
Fully diluted earnings per share....................................................  $        0.01  $        0.01
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
                       See Notes to Financial Statements
 
                                      F-15
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
                       STATEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        COMMON SHARES        ADDITIONAL
                                                    ----------------------     PAID-IN      RETAINED    SHAREHOLDERS'
                                                      SHARES      AMOUNT       CAPITAL      EARNINGS       EQUITY
                                                    -----------  ---------  -------------  -----------  -------------
<S>                                                 <C>          <C>        <C>            <C>          <C>
Balance at December 31, 1995......................    7,440,000  $  74,400  $   4,136,563  $   430,523  $   4,641,486
Discount in connection with repayment of related
 party debt.......................................                  --             46,901      --              46,901
Net income........................................                  --           --             90,543         90,543
                                                    -----------  ---------  -------------  -----------  -------------
Balance at March 31, 1996.........................    7,440,000  $  74,400  $   4,183,464  $   521,066  $   4,778,930
                                                    -----------  ---------  -------------  -----------  -------------
                                                    -----------  ---------  -------------  -----------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
                       See Notes to Financial Statements
 
                                      F-16
<PAGE>
                            SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC.
                       UNAUDITED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH
                                                                                                   31,
                                                                                        --------------------------
                                                                                            1996
                                                                                        ------------      1995
                                                                                                      ------------
                                                                                                        (NOTE 1)
<S>                                                                                     <C>           <C>
Cash flow from operating activities:
  Net income..........................................................................  $     90,543  $     82,025
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by (used in) operating
   activities:
    Imputed interest on noninterest bearing loans.....................................             0         4,225
    Depreciation......................................................................        25,126           425
    Minority interest in earnings of subsidiary.......................................             0        10,620
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
      (Increase) decrease in accounts receivable......................................       (85,010)      146,926
      Increase in inventories.........................................................      (819,212)     (244,687)
      Increase in due from affiliates.................................................             0       (28,226)
      Decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets...........................       177,690        32,141
      Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued expenses....................       354,593       (21,969)
      Increase (decrease) in due to affiliates........................................       (18,000)      118,315
                                                                                        ------------  ------------
        Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities...........................      (274,270)       99,795
Cash flow from investing activities:
  Net (advances to) repayments from affiliates........................................       (64,213)       60,000
                                                                                        ------------  ------------
Cash flow from financing activities:
  Net proceeds from notes to bank.....................................................             0       150,000
  Net repayment of long term debt to related parties..................................      (422,099)            0
  Deferred offering costs paid........................................................             0       (43,250)
                                                                                        ------------  ------------
        Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities...........................      (422,099)      106,750
                                                                                        ------------  ------------
Net increase (decrease) in cash.......................................................  $   (760,582) $    266,545
                                                                                        ------------  ------------
                                                                                        ------------  ------------
Cash at beginning of period...........................................................  $    832,970  $    179,536
                                                                                        ------------  ------------
                                                                                        ------------  ------------
Cash at end of period.................................................................  $     72,388  $    446,081
                                                                                        ------------  ------------
                                                                                        ------------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
                       See Notes to Financial Statements
 
                                      F-17
<PAGE>
                             SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
         (THE INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE THREE MONTH PERIODS ENDING
                     MARCH 31, 1995 AND 1996 ARE UNAUDITED)
 
1.  BASIS OF PRESENTATION, EVENTS, AND INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING
 
    The  financial  statements  of  Sel-Leb  Marketing,  Inc.,  ("the  Company")
included herein have  been prepared  pursuant to  generally accepted  accounting
principles  and have not been examined by independent public accountants. In the
opinion of management  all adjustments which  are of a  normal recurring  nature
necessary to present fairly the results of operation have been made. Pursuant to
Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  ("SEC")  rules  and  regulations, certain
information and footnote disclosures  normally included in financial  statements
prepared  in accordance with generally  accepted accounting principles have been
condensed or omitted from these statements unless significant changes have taken
place since the end  of the most recent  fiscal year. The disclosures  contained
herein  should be  read in conjunction  with the financial  statements and notes
included in the Company's Form 10-KSB filed with the SEC on March 31, 1996.  The
results  of operations for the  three month period ended  March 31, 1996 are not
necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.
 
    The Company completed its  initial public offering ("IPO")  in July 1995  of
920,000  units, each  unit consisting  (after giving  effect to  a 3-for-1 stock
split effected in the form  of a share distribution  in February 1996) of  three
shares  of common stock and  one warrant entitling the  holder to purchase three
shares of common stock  at an exercise  price of $2.00  per share. The  warrants
will  be  exercisable for  a three  year  period commencing  July 13,  1996. The
Company used a portion of the net proceeds  of the IPO to repay bank and  bridge
loans outstanding as of the date of the IPO.
 
    On January 4, 1995, the Company increased its authorized number of shares to
10,000,000  shares of common  stock, effected a  17,760.8 for 1  stock split and
changed the par value of its  common stock from no par  to $.01 par. On May  18,
1995,  the Company effected a .810706 reverse stock split. In February 1996, the
Company increased its authorized number of shares to 40,000,000 shares of common
stock and consummated  a 3  for 1  stock split, which  was effected  as a  share
distribution  pursuant to which each holder of  a share of common stock received
two additional shares for each share held. The increase in authorized shares and
the stock  splits  have  been  given  retroactive  effect  in  the  accompanying
financial statements.
 
    On  May 18, 1995,  the Company and Linette  Cosmetics, Inc. ("Linette"), two
companies with the  same ownership interests,  merged, with the  Company as  the
surviving   corporation.  In  addition,  certain  shareholders  of  the  Company
contributed their 60% interest in Lea Cosmetics, Inc. ("Lea") to the Company  in
connection with the IPO. The Company purchased the remaining 40% interest in Lea
immediately  prior to  consummation of its  IPO and Lea  was subsequently merged
into the Company in August 1995. The purchase price for the 40% interest in  Lea
consisted  of 180,000  shares of  common stock, 90,000  of which  were issued in
January 1996 upon Lea's achieving certain sales volume for 1995.
 
    The merger of Linette with and into the Company and the contribution of  the
60%  interest in Lea to the Company, have  been reported at historical cost in a
manner similar to a pooling  of interests. The purchase  of the 40% interest  in
Lea by the Company has been accounted for as a purchase.
 
2.  EARNINGS PER SHARE
 
    Earnings  per  share  amounts are  computed  based on  the  weighted average
numbers of shares actually outstanding plus the shares that would be outstanding
assuming exercise  of dilutive  stock options  and warrants,  all of  which  are
considered to be common stock equivalents. The number of
 
                                      F-18
<PAGE>
                             SEL-LEB MARKETING, INC
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
         (THE INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE THREE MONTH PERIODS ENDING
                     MARCH 31, 1995 AND 1996 ARE UNAUDITED)
shares  that would be issued from the exercise of stock options and warrants has
been reduced by the  number of shares  that could have  been purchased from  the
proceeds of such exercise at the average market price of the Company's stock.
 
    Pursuant  to  the  modified  treasury stock  method,  the  number  of shares
purchased has been limited to 20% of  the outstanding shares and the balance  of
funds  has  been  hypothetically  invested  in  U.S.  government  securities  or
commercial paper with appropriate recognition of any income tax effect.
 
    For the three months ended March 31, 1996, the number of shares used in  the
computation  of primary earnings per share and fully dilutive earnings per share
were 13,977,189 and 14,154,955, respectively. For the comparable period in  1995
the number of shares used for both calculations amounted to 4,969,089.
 
3.  ACQUISITION
 
    In  July 1995, the Company  purchased the 40% interest  in Lea in a business
combination accounted for as a purchase.  The purchase price was 180,000  shares
of  newly issued, unregistered  shares of the Company's  common stock, 90,000 of
which were issued in January 1996 upon Lea's achieving certain sales volume  for
1995. The accompanying financial statements reflect the issuance of these shares
of  common stock as if they were issued  on December 31, 1995. The fair value of
the assets  acquired, including  approximately $281,000  allocated to  goodwill,
which  is being amortized over 10  years, amounted to approximately $384,000 and
liabilities assumed  amounted to  approximately $101,000.  Amortization  expense
related  to goodwill and charged to operations  amounted to $7,082 for the three
months ended March 31, 1996.
 
    The  Company  reviews  the  carrying   value  of  goodwill  for   impairment
periodically  and whenever events or changes  in circumstances indicate that the
amount may  not  be  recoverable.  The review  for  recoverability  includes  an
estimate by the Company of the future undiscounted cash flows expected to result
from  the  use  of  the  assets  acquired  and  their  eventual  disposition. An
impairment will be recognized  if the carrying value  of the assets exceeds  the
estimated future undiscounted cash flows of those assets.
    PROVISION FOR INCOME TAX
 
    The provision for income tax for the three month period ended March 31, 1996
and  the pro  forma provision for  the three  month period ended  March 31, 1995
reflects the Company's earnings taxed for  Federal and certain State income  tax
purposes  at statutory rates. Prior  to the merger of  Linette with and into the
Company, the Company was  treated as an S-Corporation,  with its earnings  taxed
for federal and certain state income tax purposes directly to its shareholders.
 
                                      F-19
<PAGE>
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    NO  DEALER,  SALESPERSON OR  OTHER PERSON  HAS BEEN  AUTHORIZED TO  GIVE ANY
INFORMATION OR TO MAKE  ANY REPRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN  THOSE CONTAINED IN  THIS
PROSPECTUS  AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE,  SUCH INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT
BE RELIED UPON AS  HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY  THE COMPANY. THIS PROSPECTUS  DOES
NOT  CONSTITUTE  AN OFFER  TO SELL  OR A  SOLICITATION  OF AN  OFFER TO  BUY ANY
SECURITY OTHER THAN THE  SECURITIES OFFERED BY THIS  PROSPECTUS, OR AN OFFER  TO
SELL  OR A SOLICITATION  OF AN OFFER  TO BUY ANY  SECURITY BY ANY  PERSON IN ANY
JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. NEITHER  THE
DELIVERY  OF  THIS  PROSPECTUS NOR  ANY  SALE  MADE HEREUNDER  SHALL,  UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES, IMPLY THAT THE  INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS  IS CORRECT AS  OF
ANY TIME SUBSEQUENT TO THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS.
 
                            ------------------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   PAGE
                                                 ---------
<S>                                              <C>
Prospectus Summary.............................          3
Risk Factors...................................          7
Use of Proceeds................................         14
Certain Market Information.....................         15
Capitalization.................................         16
Selected Financial Data........................         17
Management's Discussion and Analysis or Plan of
 Operation.....................................         19
Business.......................................         22
Management.....................................         30
Principal Shareholders.........................         38
Certain Transactions...........................         40
Selling Security Holders and Plan of
 Distribution..................................         41
Concurrent Registration of Securities..........         42
Description of Securities......................         43
Shares Eligible for Future Sale................         45
Warrant Solicitation...........................         45
Legal Matters..................................         46
Experts........................................         46
Index to Financial Statements..................        F-1
</TABLE>
 
                                    SEL-LEB
                                 MARKETING,INC.
 
                          180,000 REDEEMABLE WARRANTS,
                         EACH TO PURCHASE ONE SHARE OF
                                  COMMON STOCK
 
                        180,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK,
                         ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THE
                              REDEEMABLE WARRANTS
 
                             ---------------------
 
                                   PROSPECTUS
                             ---------------------
 
                                 JULY 12, 1996
 
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