News

Hey Everyone, If you're reading this and you are new to Dip, or frustrated that you can't but it on Amazon, I'd like to give you a little bit of context why as a brand Dip is so hyper-focused on supporting independently owned stores. Earlier this year, while exhibiting at the Surf Expo in Orlando, I was expecting lots of small surf stores around the country to flock to our booth. Of course some came, but the rumblings among the exhibitors was “where are all the indie store buyers?”  The sad news is:  there are less and less every year. You know who did come to our booth?  Six different Amazon vultures looking for new brands to bring onto the platform.  When I explained that I wanted to keep our Dip shampoo and conditioner bars off of Amazon and in small stores, I was met with pity-loaded-laughter, mocked, and called “a charity worker”.  I'm pretty sure that was supposed to be an insult, but I’ll never hear it that way :) In a world dominated by e-commerce giants and sprawling retail conglomerates, our company has made a deliberate choice to steer clear of the Amazon.com juggernaut and big-box stores. It's a bold move, but we are ok with it. Instead, we've chosen to align ourselves with the heartbeat of communities – the small stores that dot the landscapes of towns and cities across the country. In this blog, we delve into our unconventional reasons behind our decision and explore why small store owners are the antidote for inauthentic digital marketing in an oversaturated digital world.  We partner with refill stores like Ware in Asheville, salons like Scisters in San Diego, and small surf shops like Gnarly Barnacles in NJ.   1. Local Love and Community Connections: Dip’s commitment to local stores stems from a deep appreciation for the unique character they bring to their communities. Unlike impersonal online transactions or sterile big-box environments, local stores cultivate a sense of belonging and community connection. Building relationships with these establishments allows us to contribute to the vibrant tapestry of each locality.   Gillie from Ware knows that if she needs me, I am a short text away.  2. Face-to-Face Transactions: One of the key distinctions I want you to think of between small stores and online behemoths is the personal touch. When you step into a local shop, you're not just a faceless customer in a sea of orders. Small store owners have to look you in the face, understand your needs, and tailor their offerings accordingly. This face-to-face interaction creates a genuine and personalized shopping experience that is often lost in the digital realm. 3. The Authenticity Test: This one is big for me. In an era saturated with phony advertising and influencer marketing, small store owners serve as the frontline defenders of authenticity. They can't rely on digital metrics alone; instead, they have to invest their dollars in products they genuinely believe in. This hands-on approach ensures that every item on their shelves has passed the authenticity test, offering customers a curated selection that reflects the store owner's commitment to quality. 4. Tried and Tested: Unlike the vast inventory of online marketplaces, small store owners meticulously curate their offerings. They aren't simply clicking "add to cart" based on algorithms; they're physically trying and testing each item before it finds its place on the shelves. Do you know why Dip is on Ware's shelves?  Because Gillie tested it and decided it was worthy of her customers. This dedication to quality assurance results in a selection of products that have been tried, tested, and approved by someone who cares about their customers' satisfaction. 5. Supporting Local Economies: By choosing to partner with small stores, Dip actively contributes to the economic vibrancy of local communities. Supporting stores like Ware means supporting local jobs, fostering entrepreneurship, and ensuring that dollars circulate within the community, strengthening the local economy.  I trust Gillie to use her profits in an ethical way.  I can't (and won't) ever say that about Jeff Bezos. If it's still a mystery to you, that's ok--but I predict this is the year that people return to shopping small, trusting small, and making big changes.    Our decision to prioritize small stores over Amazon.com and big-box giants is rooted in a belief that genuine, community-driven commerce is the cornerstone of a thriving society. In an age where digital interactions can sometimes feel detached, small store owners remain the authentic and trustworthy purveyors of products that stand the test of time. Join us in celebrating the spirit of local businesses, where every purchase is a meaningful exchange that goes beyond the transactional. Thanks for listening, Kate Assaraf Founder & Chief Detangler at Dip :)

How does Dip Hair Care arrive on so many shelves?  Conditioner bars are one of those low-waste products that even seasoned sustainable shoppers will claim “just don’t work on my hair.” And then they try Dip conditioner bars and come to understand that there is as much variation in quality and efficacy in solid hair care as there is in liquid.

In today’s world, where beauty is often associated with glamour and sensuality, Dip introduces a game-changing product that challenges the norms of the haircare industry. "The Secret Sauce" is not your typical beauty product; it's a completely natural wet hair treatment designed for anyone in need of hair cleansing in compromised situations. The message is clear: this is the product people didn't know they needed.

Vanity metrics are like the glitter and glam of the internet world. They may look all sparkly and impressive, but they're not as meaningful as they seem. They lack the juicy details, like the story behind those numbers or whether they actually indicate that a business is: selling stuff, or just giving it away to boost followership, or even just buying bots to give the impression of success. Even virality on tiktok can be purchased pretty easily. Think of it like this: having a gazillion Instagram followers might make a business look like a success, but are people actually buying their products or loving their content?

Let's dive into the best practices for taking care of vivid hair color at home.  Not all of us can make it to the salon for frequent touchups so the best we can hope for is to use products that help keep the color in as long as possible.  That's where we shine.  Our founder, Kate, even made her hair vivid pink during testing & development to make sure these bars were the real deal. So here are her tips to help maintain color vibrancy while using dip shampoo bars and the dip conditioner bar as a hair mask: 1. Firstly, it's crucial to maintain the hair color by washing it less often. As we know, frequent washing fades the color more quickly. So, try to stretch out your washes as long as possible, and when you do wash your hair, use lukewarm or cool water instead of hot. You can use dip shampoo bars that are specifically formulated for colored hair, as they are sulfate-free and gentle on your hair, helping to keep your color looking bold and beautiful.

We all know that Fahrenheit 451 tells the story of Guy Montag and his transformation from a book-burning fireman to a book-reading rebel. But we're here to chat about Dip's imaginary prequel: Fahrenheit 450 --a made up story also about heat, and how to still be a rebel & unbottle your routine :) You know what they say, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the styling chair. Honestly, that is the worst advice ever because high heat from your styling tools can do some serious damage to your hair, leaving it dry, brittle, and lifeless.  That's right, folks. If you're not careful, you could end up with a head full of frizzled (or is it frazzled?) hair.

There is Squalene and then there is Squalane. There’s a difference.  Squalene is maybe the cosmetic industry’s most controversial ingredient at the moment and that’s because it’s possibly one of the deadly as well.  Squalene is an oil that comes from the liver of a shark. There are roughly 2.7 million sharks killed per year solely for this ingredient and it’s contributing to the endangerment of an entire species. 

What is the best way to use the Dip conditioner bar for each hair type? Hey, what's up folks! It's Kate here, founder and Chief Detangler here at Dip.  Some of you ask:  How can the Dip conditioner bar work for all hair types?!   Some of you ask:  Don't I need special ingredients that are specific to my hair type? And to that I say, your hair is personal to YOU, but it isn't special.  Hair is chemically similar between different hair types, so in my opinion, dividing our Dip shampoo and conditioner bars into different hair types would be just "marketing". Specifically, I'm gonna share some tips on how to use conditioner bars for different hair types.

As a sustainable Persian business owner, Nowruz presents an excellent opportunity to reflect on our practices and ensure that we are operating in a way that is environmentally conscious and socially responsible. I'd like to share the importance of being a sustainable Persian business owner and how Nowruz ties into our cultural heritage as well as the role of hair in Persian history and how it has influenced Persian culture today.  We learn through the tradition of Sizdah Bedar where families must gather outside: on this day fields, plains, parks and gardens are filled with families, old and young, who leave their homes to spend the day outdoors, preferably by a river or a stream.  It is embedded in our culture that going outside is essential to our happiness & luck for the new year.  

"I have curly hair so a conditioner bar just won't work for me." We hear this over and over, yet our curly customers are our biggest advocates since the Dip conditioner bar can replace so many plastic bottled products including detangling sprays, leave in conditioners, hair masks, air-dry creams, curl creams, and deep conditioning masks. Conditioner bars have become increasingly popular as a sustainable alternative to traditional liquid conditioners. However, choosing the best conditioner bar for curly hair can be a daunting task... ...especially when you have a graveyard of conditioner bars that you've already tried and been disappointed by. Sound familiar?  It usually does.