How A Plastic-Free Hair Brand Won Hearts And Shelves with Kate Assaraf (part 1)

What if sustainable hair care didn’t feel like a compromise? We sit down with entrepreneur Kate Assaraf, founder of Dip Hair Care, to explore how a plastic-free brand can deliver salon-worthy results without sacrificing joy, simplicity, or your standards. Kate’s story starts at the pain point so many of us know: early eco-friendly bars that promised the planet and gave us crunchy, straw-like hair. Instead of settling, she drew on two decades in beauty and collaborated with a veteran chemist to craft bars designed to perform first—and just happen to be plastic-free.

We unpack the full arc from idea to retail: dozens of iterations tested across hair textures from type 1 to type 4, a clear thesis that science is an ally and plastic is the real enemy, and a ground campaign that took before-and-afters straight to refilleries and zero-waste shops. Kate shares the outreach scripts, the rejections, and the moments when a single customer call—like a dad celebrating ouchless detangling—reignited her resolve. We also dig into cost and longevity, breaking down why a single conditioner bar can outlast bottles and save serious money while simplifying your routine.

Brand and community bring it all together. Dip’s playful, nostalgic packaging nods to Trapper Keepers and Sweet Valley High, proving sustainability can be bright, witty, and welcoming. Customers help name characters, spread the word town by town, and redefine what “eco” can look like when performance leads the way. If you’ve been on the fence about plastic-free hair care—or you’re a founder navigating the emotional rollercoaster—this conversation offers practical tactics, honest encouragement, and a roadmap for building products people love to use and love to share.

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Chapters

• 0:06 Opening: Reigniting The Fire
• 0:18 Show Welcome And Host Intro
• 0:59 Post-Event Recap And Reflections
• 2:12 Live Event Highlights And Community
• 3:26 Sponsor Thanks And Serendipitous Outfit Moment
• 3:59 Introducing Guest Entrepreneur Kate Asiraff
• 4:26 The Problem With Early Eco Hair Bars
• 6:11 Building Dip: Customer Love Over Marketing
• 6:52 Naming The Brand: From “Inconvenience Soap” To Dip
• 8:11 Formulation Journey With A Veteran Chemist
• 9:31 From Iterations To A Universal Hair Solution
• 12:03 Getting To Market: Retailer Pitches And Rejections
• 14:05 Philosophy: Science-Friendly, Plastic-Hostile
• 15:20 Motivation, Lows, And Customer Bright Spots
• 18:13 Emotional Resilience And Real Coping
• 19:12 Brand And Packaging: 80s-90s Nostalgia
• 21:07 Community Playfulness And Sustainable Joy
• 22:18 Cost, Longevity, And “Girl Math”
• 26:40 Closing And Listener CTA