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Reinvention isn’t new for entrepreneur Mahisha Dellinger. The founder behind the groundbreaking natural hair care line Curls is now in her second act.
She’s redefining how we approach cocktail hour with Huzzy Smart Sips, her breakthrough line of non-alcoholic functional cocktails launched in June 2024.
The Search For Better
“The demands of being an entrepreneur took an incredible toll on my mental and physical health. As the pressure mounted, my drinking intensified,” admits the Dallas-based businesswoman. “I leaned too heavily into alcohol, self-medicating. As I came out of it, I decided that I wanted to find a replacement that I could actually drink to give me a relaxed feeling, but also be good for my liver, good for my gut, good for my waistline.”
That search led to Dellinger’s new business venture, Huzzy Smart Sips, a brand that’s innovative in formulation and as well as in name. “The word ‘hussy’ was a term used to describe, by older generations, as a woman of low moral value. But as I’m redefining what the meaning of a cocktail is, I am redefining what the word ‘hussy’ means,” she shares.
So we’re transitioning that [word] to mean a strong, courageous woman who’s taking charge of her life,” details the businesswoman about the inspiration behind the non-alcoholic cocktail line’s name.
“I wanted to shift how we think about cocktails and how we think about the word ‘hussy.’”
Delivering Feel Good Vibes
As for how Huzzy Smart Sips delivers feel-good vibes without the alcohol, the star of the former OWN TV business show, “Mind Your Business with Mahisha,” attributes it to the drinks’ formula, which utilizes several nootropic and adaptogen ingredients.
“Nootropics and adaptogens are considered natural smart drugs,” explains the entrepreneur who developed the drinks with a beverage formulator over ten months.
She shares that the difference between the two types of ingredients is this: nootropics (like liver protectors Lion’s Mane mushrooms and jujube fruit among others) aim primarily to enhance brain function while adaptogens (like popular relaxant passionflower, holy basil, cordyceps just to name a few) are known as “mood enhancers” and help support the body’s ability to handle stress.
Likewise, antioxidants and “gut protectors” (among them chicory, turmeric and lemon balm) round out the Huzzy Smart Sips formula. “A key thing to note is that we are the only non-alcoholic functional cocktail that focuses on protecting your liver and your gut with those antioxidants. That’s a unique difference with us,” states Dellinger.
Dellinger notes that sipping Huzzy Smart Sips whenever the mood strikes is good. “I’ll drink it during the day, that’s the beauty of it. There’s no stigma attached [because] these are good ingredients for you,” she says about the non-alcoholic flavors.
What is and What’s Not in the Drinks
But what’s missing from the Huzzy Smart Sips formula is just as important as what’s in it. Dellinger says Ashwagandha, an evergreen shrub that grows in Asia and Africa and believed to help the body to resist stress, is not included in her non-alcoholic drink line.
She explains, “Since we are the one ‘mocktail’ in the category that’s formulated with prebiotics and liver protectors, we purposely removed that [Ashwagandha] because it’s something that our beverage formulator wanted to bring to the table. And over time, after using it [Ashwagandha] [for] more than three months, your liver can be impacted. So we didn’t want anything to do with that.”
While Dellinger acknowledges Huzzy Smart Sips falls within the non-alcoholic drink category, she also clarifies the drinks line is best described as a non-alcoholic functional beverage. “People who aren’t very familiar with functional beverages will bundle us under ‘mocktails.’ We’re not a mocktail,” clarifies Dellinger.
“Mocktails are those fruity sugar-laden drinks with absolutely no benefits added. Functional beverages and cocktails have nootropics, adaptogens, antioxidants and other benefits.”
New Choices For Everyone
Bundle in that Huzzy Smart Sips cocktails are designed to be low-calorie, gluten-free, vegan and non-GMO, and Dellinger believes she’s ready to disrupt the ever-growing non-alcoholic drinks arena.
“It’s booming,” she affirms about the beverage category. “People are moving away from alcohol…we’re more health conscious. We have more accessible options. People are really taking their health in their hands and being really diligent about it.”
The Huzzy Smart Sips founder continues, “What we’re looking for in this category is something that will help us relax more so from the daily pressures of life while still being healthy…Non-alcoholic functional cocktails give everyone an opportunity to participate in the social scene and still feel good. And those who still drink can also enjoy a functional beverage.”
Once more, she adds, “Adaptogens and nootropics have been used in different ways in the past. People use them in teas to increase productivity and mood. It’s not the same as alcohol. There’s no stigma attached to it. It’s just now the mixing [of these ingredients] in cocktails has created this new category.”
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Flavorful Huzzy Smart Sips
Huzzy Smart Sips comes in six tasty flavors that, says Dellinger, are inspired by top-selling liquor types and cocktails. “Our Berry Banger Margarita is our number one seller and is like a margarita—the number one selling cocktail in the world. Our Spill The Tea Long Island, that’s our version of the Long Island Iced Tea. So we looked at the top-selling cocktails and made our versions of those,” she details.
Rounding out the Huzzy Smart Sips flavors are Siesta Sip Sangria, Honey Pop Lemon Drop. Pow Wow Moscow Mule and Golden Elixir Whiskey Fixer.
Currently, Huzzy Smart Sips are available on the company’s website and on Amazon and will be coming soon to nationwide retailers this spring. While more flavors are in the works, Dellinger previews that Huzzy Smart Sips shots are on the horizon. “These are shots of just the functional ingredients, without the Huzzy Smart Sips flavors, and will be available in a three-ounce cans,” she notes.
“It’s a wholesome ingredient list,” attests Dellinger about the formula for Huzzy Smart Sips. “We added different ingredients that actually help detoxify your liver and help protect your gut as well. So, it is a real multitasking cocktail that’s good for you.”
Coming from a woman whose resume is a testament to multitasking, it’s no surprise her latest offering is one that is just as versatile and flavorful as she is.
For more information about Huzzy Smart Sips, visit online and follow Mahisha Dellinger on social media.
