Building DIP by Rejecting the Usual Beauty Playbook
In the interview, Kate shared how twenty years in beauty and a decade of studying sustainability pushed her to build something different. Instead of chasing influencer hype, fake reviews, and never ending ads, she built DIP around a simple idea. Real sustainability happens in local stores with real people guiding real purchases.
Kate talked about the early days of the brand when she worked alone and ignored almost every piece of advice she was given. Influencers who never paid for products. User generated content creators posing as super fans. Trend chasing formulas designed for aesthetics instead of performance. None of it aligned with what she wanted to build.
The turning point was recognizing that zero waste stores and refilleries were doing the honest work that digital marketing had abandoned. They tested every product before putting it on shelves. They educated their communities. They stood behind their recommendations. That became the backbone of DIP’s distribution model.
Small Retailers as the Antidote to Digital Noise
On the podcast, Kate described local refill shops as cultural translators. Instead of being driven by paid placement, small retailers earn every inch of shelf space by vetting products themselves. In a landscape filled with confusing reviews and AI written content, these store owners bring clarity and trust back to the shopping experience.
Kate talked about the exhaustion consumers feel when they spend hard earned money on products that do not perform. The endless research. The Reddit threads. The pressure to decode what is real. Local stores solve that fatigue because they have done the work already. They have tested everything and they stand behind what they sell.
That is why DIP invests in these stores instead of pouring money into digital ads. It is why DIP refuses to compete with them on giant marketplaces. It is why DIP has redirected millions of dollars in sales back into local economies instead of platform fees.
Generosity as a Business Strategy
One of the most moving parts of the episode was Kate sharing how generosity shaped DIP’s culture. Instead of spending money on influencer campaigns, she uses that budget on retailer retreats designed to rebuild connection and community.
She talked about taking store owners to Morocco to study sustainability from the source, from argan groves to village practices. She brought another group to the Dominican Republic for surf lessons and conversations about the ethics of manufacturing and waste. This year, she hosted a summer camp style retreat in the Catskills so store owners could finally relax and meet others who understand the pressures of small business.
Kate shared how this generosity was inspired by her Iranian father and stepmother, both of whom she lost this year. She spoke about passing their values forward through her work. In a business landscape defined by scarcity and competition, she chooses abundance and care. The result is a retailer network that feels more like a family than a sales channel.
The Products That Started It All
Michael asked what DIP actually makes, and Kate explained how the first shampoo and conditioner bars were born out of pure frustration. As a beauty industry veteran and a runner, she wanted bars that performed like luxury salon products without the waste. What she found on the market was disappointing, drying, and often unusable.
So she partnered with a chemist and created high performance bars that work for all hair types. The shampoo bar is gentle enough for athletes, health care workers, teachers, and anyone who showers often. The conditioner bar is designed to replace a year of traditional conditioner and save hundreds of dollars in the process.
From there the line grew to include the hair and body oil, Dip enzyme spray, face wash, and a wide range of scents. Today there are more than seventy products in the collection, all built on science, performance, and durability.
The Future of dip Haircare
The episode ended with a conversation about what is next for DIP. Kate spoke about her commitment to keeping the company small, profitable, and rooted in community. She wants to keep paying her team well, supporting independent stores, and encouraging people to shop in their own towns.
Her long term goal is simple. Grow awareness while strengthening the ecosystem of refill shops, salons, and eco minded retailers that keep neighborhoods vibrant. Continue creating products that last longer and perform better. Help people buy less and use more. Push back against misleading marketing and restore trust in personal care.
And above all, keep showing that sustainable business can feel human again.
If you would like to listen to the full conversation with Kate on the Independent Minds podcast, it is available now on all major podcast platforms.
