🎧 Listen to the full episode here: Coffee with Cher with… Kate Assaraf, Founder
On a recent episode of Coffee with Cher, Kate Assaraf, founder of Dip Sustainable Haircare, opened up about her journey from New Jersey roots to shaking up the beauty industry with products that prioritize both performance and sustainability. With her signature honesty and humor, Kate pulled back the curtain on the realities of building a brand and shared why integrity, and a little Jersey grit, make all the difference.
Haircare for Real People, Not Just “Serious” Ones
Kate summed up Dip’s mission best:
“It’s very much just very serious haircare for not so serious people.”
Tired of sustainability being packaged with finger wagging guilt, she set out to create bars that weren’t just plastic free.. but actually worked. After years of trial and error with other haircare bars, Kate found herself surrounded by half used, disappointing products. That frustration sparked Dip: high performance shampoo and conditioner bars that could replace entire shelves of bottled products while still leaving hair silky, healthy, and manageable.
Solving Real Problems Families Face
One of Kate’s biggest goals was inclusivity and practicality. Families shouldn’t need a cluttered shower full of different products for every hair type. Dip’s bars were designed to work across a spectrum of textures, from curls to fine strands, while letting people choose the scent they love. The conditioner bar, in particular, is a game changer: lasting up to a year and doubling as a leave-in or curl cream replacement.
This versatility not only makes Dip practical but also helps families save money while cutting down on waste.
A Stand Against Inauthentic Marketing
Kate’s 20 years in the beauty industry taught her how the marketing machine really works, airbrushed “after” shots, smoke-and-mirrors campaigns, and mass production for unsustainable brands. With Dip, she flipped the script:
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No paid influencer fluff.
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No free product-for-reviews gimmicks.
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Just real customers sharing real results.
As Kate explained, when people post about Dip online, it’s genuine. They’ve bought the product, loved it, and chosen to share it. In an industry full of smoke and mirrors, that authenticity sets Dip apart.
Bigger Than Shampoo: Refill Culture and Collaboration
The conversation also touched on Dip’s collaboration with the band Guster and nonprofit Reverb, which helps reduce waste at concerts. By creating a co-branded bar, Dip is reaching audiences in unexpected places while sparking conversations about sustainability beyond the bathroom.
Kate’s vision? Inspire people to find their local refill shops and start small. Whether that’s shampoo, spices, or soap. Every refill is a win, and Dip is proud to be part of that cultural shift.
Kate’s Advice to Entrepreneurs: Trust Your Path
When asked what wisdom she’d give to new or struggling entrepreneurs, Kate was candid: be careful about the advice you take.
She shared how often people told her to put Dip on Amazon to 10x sales but for her, that wasn’t aligned with her mission of supporting small, independent retailers. As Kate put it:
“That carrot being dangled of success by being on Amazon comes with a lot of baggage. Like that carrot is being dangled from an anchor.”
Her reminder: only you truly know the heart of your business. Surface level advice might sound good, but it can’t replace the deep understanding you have of your own vision.
Wrapping Up
From “serious haircare for not so serious people” to standing firm against unsustainable industry practices, Kate Assaraf is proving that performance, integrity, and personality can all coexist in a beauty brand. Dip isn’t just about shampoo bars.. it’s about creating a more authentic, sustainable, and fun future for haircare.
