🎧 Listen to the full episode here: How to Build a Sustainable Brand & the Shift in the UGC Creator Space with Kate Assaraf of Dip Sustainable Hair Care
The Blurry Line Between UGC and Influencers
Social media has created a world where anyone can be a creator, but it has also blurred the line between authentic voices and paid promotion. For Dip founder Kate Assaraf, that blur is exactly what she’s working against. She believes reviews only matter when they’re real.
“I find it hard to take someone’s review seriously if they didn’t pay for the product,” Kate shared. “Paying for a product makes your review real.”
Instead of sending out free products or chasing influencer hype, Dip relies on real customers who choose the brand because they love it. That decision builds trust and trust is the foundation of sustainability.
Why Dip Doesn’t Do Free Products
Every day, Kate wakes up to hundreds of messages asking for free product. She doesn’t answer them. To her, sponsored reviews strip away authenticity. What makes Dip different is the refusal to play that game. Instead, Dip works with people who already use and love the bars customers like Precious, who wrote a heartfelt letter after Dip solved her type four hair struggles, or Nico, a surfer who has used Dip since the very beginning.
This strategy may mean slower growth, but Kate is intentional about that choice.
“I want people to have confidence when they see someone talking about Dip,” she explained. “I want them to know it’s not sponsored.”
The Real Cost of Entrepreneurship
Building a brand this way hasn’t been easy. Kate shared openly about the toll stress took on her health. Starting Dip brought weight fluctuations, sleepless nights, and the pressure of figuring out each step alone.
“No one prepared me for what cortisol would do to my body,” she admitted. But even with the challenges, she’s clear about why she keeps going: Dip has a mission bigger than herself.
Dip regularly donates to organizations like Surf Rider and Snipsa, and supports small refill stores across the country. That sense of purpose helps Kate push forward through the hard days.
Do It Yourself
When asked what advice she’d give new entrepreneurs, Kate didn’t hesitate: do it yourself. “No one will ever care about your business as much as you,” she said. “When it’s your passion, you can’t transfer that.”
For her, that means making tough choices, working directly with customers, and staying true to the mission, even if it means slower growth. The payoff is loyalty, trust, and a brand that stands for more than just products.
Building With Integrity
Dip’s story shows that sustainable growth is possible without selling out. By prioritizing authenticity, leaning on community, and refusing to follow the “free product” playbook, Kate is proving that there’s still room in the beauty industry for brands built with integrity.
