Sasha Pieterse Is The New Buzz

From The Magazine

Sasha Pieterse Is The New Buzz

Sasha Pieterse is redefining nightlife with Drink Hippie, blending wellness, mocktails, and the rise of daylife culture into a new kind of social experience.

Written By: Julianne Elise Beffa / Photography By: Brandon Espeleta / Videography By: Von Jackson
May 13, 2026

Something subtle is shifting in nightlife, and if you’ve been out lately, you’ve felt it. The music still pulses, the rooms are still packed, but the drinks in hand look a little different. Less vodka soda, more adaptogens. Less hangover, more intention. Somewhere between wellness and revelry, a new culture is emerging, and Sasha Pieterse is building right at its center.

Best known for growing up on-screen, Pieterse has spent decades navigating Hollywood’s evolving expectations. But today, her focus extends far beyond acting. As the co-founder of Drink Hippie, she’s tapping into one of the fastest-growing movements in hospitality: the rise of functional beverages, mocktails, and what insiders are calling “daylife nightlife.”

“I love going out. I love being social. That’s such a big part of who I am,” she told LOOP Mag at our inaugural print cover shoot at Viceroy Santa Monica. “But I wanted something that didn’t feel like a compromise.”

That word, compromise, comes up a lot when you talk about drinking culture. For years, the options felt binary: go out and drink, or stay in and opt out. Pieterse’s own early 20s mirrored that traditional model, filled with late nights, wild stories, and yes, getting kicked out of clubs. “I have amazing memories,” she laughs. “But it was a different kind of fun.”

What changed wasn’t her desire to go out. It was her relationship to how she wanted to feel.

After navigating health challenges, including PCOS, and becoming a mother, Pieterse began rethinking her habits. Alcohol, once a social default, started to feel misaligned with her lifestyle. But what she found frustrating was the lack of satisfying alternatives. “I didn’t want expensive juice,” she says plainly. “I wanted to feel something.”

That gap in the market is exactly where Drink Hippie lives. Positioned as both a wellness product and a social ritual, the brand leans into low-dose, functional ingredients designed to enhance mood without the crash. The concept is simple but powerful. Give people the same cadence of a night out, the sipping, the stacking, the buzz, without the downside.

It’s a philosophy that aligns perfectly with a broader cultural shift. The rise of sober curious consumers, combined with increasing awareness around mental health and longevity, has reshaped how younger generations approach nightlife. Day parties, wellness clubs, and alcohol-free events are no longer niche. They’re mainstream.

Pieterse sees this firsthand. “I’ve been to events where there’s no alcohol at all,” she says. “And people love it. They’re choosing that.”

Part of the appeal is control. Unlike traditional edibles or even cocktails, functional beverages offer a more measured experience. “It’s a choose-your-own-adventure,” she explains. “You can have one, see how you feel, and decide from there.”

I’ve been to events where there’s no alcohol at all and people love it. They’re choosing that.

But beyond the product itself, what makes Drink Hippie resonate is its lifestyle positioning. This isn’t about restriction. It’s about expansion. The brand moves fluidly between moments: brunch, beach days, dinner parties, and yes, the club. Pieterse herself now prefers day clubs, a growing trend that blends sunlight, music, and a more balanced energy.

“I still love a nightclub,” she says. “But daylife just hits differently.”

That feeling is exactly what’s redefining nightlife culture. Instead of escapism, the focus is shifting toward presence. Instead of excess, it’s about experience. And instead of rigid identities, party girl versus wellness girl, the lines are blurring.

Pieterse embodies that duality. She’s equally comfortable talking about late-night memories as she is advocating for hemp legislation in Washington. She’s a creative, a CEO, a mother, and she’s unapologetic about all of it.

“I think for so long, women were expected to reinvent themselves constantly,” she says. “Now it’s about being comfortable in who you are.”

That authenticity carries into how she builds her brand. Drawing from years as an actress, stepping into different perspectives and understanding emotional nuance, she approaches Drink Hippie with both empathy and intention. “What problem am I solving?” she asks. “That’s always the goal.”

In this case, the problem is bigger than one drink. It’s about reimagining what it means to go out, connect, and celebrate. It’s about creating spaces where wellness and fun aren’t at odds, but intertwined.

And perhaps most importantly, it’s about choice.

“I’m not against alcohol,” Pieterse says. “I think it’s great to have options. But I love that people are exploring something different.”

As nightlife continues to evolve, that sense of exploration is becoming the new luxury. Not just where you go, but how you feel when you’re there and the next morning.

For Pieterse, that balance is still a work in progress. “I don’t think balance is ever fully achievable,” she admits. “But striving for it matters.”

In a culture that once glorified burnout and excess, that mindset feels like a quiet revolution. And if the crowded day parties, curated mocktail menus, and rising demand for functional drinks are any indication, it’s only just getting started.