I Tried Skinny Mixes New Stix, Here's My Honest Review
- Janifer
- May 6
- 6 min read
Reviewed May 2026 · Skinny Mixes Refresher Stix & Protein Coffee Stix
Table of Contents
I'll be honest. When I first heard Skinny Mixes was dropping powder sticks, I was a little skeptical. Skinny Mixes has always been a syrup brand. That's what they're known for. So when they announced the Stix line in April 2026, I wanted to try them before saying anything about them.
"I'm glad I did. Here's everything."
What Are the Skinny Mixes Stix?
For anyone who doesn't know the brand, Skinny Mixes has been making sugar-free syrups since 2009. They built their name on giving people a way to flavor their drinks without the sugar and calories. The Stix are a completely different format: portable powder packets you tear open and pour directly into water. No syrup bottle, no measuring, no mixing into something you're already making. Just add water and drink.
They launched two separate products at the same time, Refresher Stix and Protein Coffee Stix, and they're going after two completely different use cases. I tried both.
Refresher Stix: My Review
Flavors: Mango Dragon Fruit · Tropical Punch · Watermelon Lime 0g Sugar · 10 to 15 Calories · 16 sticks per box · $24.99
I started with the Refresher Stix because, honestly, the flavors caught my eye first. Mango Dragon Fruit, Tropical Punch, and Watermelon Lime are all exactly what summer tastes like, and with the Starbucks refresher trend still going strong in 2026, I knew this was the product Skinny Mixes was really swinging for.
The format is simple. Tear a stick, pour it into 12 to 16 oz of water, and stir. That's it. No blending, no mess.
Mango Dragon Fruit was my first try, and it set the bar high. It's tropical, slightly sweet, and the dragon fruit adds an earthy depth that keeps it from tasting like candy. It genuinely reminded me of a café refresher, the kind you'd pay $5 for without thinking twice. Except I paid $1.56 for it and made it in my kitchen in 30 seconds.
Tropical Punch is the most crowd-pleasing of the three. It's vibrant, fruity, and works for basically everyone. I brought a few sticks to share, and they were gone immediately. Not the most complex flavor, but sometimes simple and delicious is exactly what you want.
Watermelon Lime was my personal favorite. The lime cuts through the sweetness and gives the watermelon a tartness that makes it feel more refreshing and less like flavored water. On a hot day, this one hits differently.
What I kept coming back to with all three is the ingredient story. These use real fruit juice powders, 50mg of caffeine from green tea extract, not synthetic caffeine, and 385mg of electrolytes from real sea salt and potassium. Naturally sweetened with monk fruit and stevia. No artificial colors, no artificial flavors, nothing synthetic. For a product in this category that's genuinely rare, and it shows in how clean they taste.
The caffeine level is worth noting, too. At 50mg, it's light, about half a cup of coffee. It's not going to wire you, but it gives you a real gentle lift that's perfect for afternoon hydration without messing with your sleep later. That's exactly the space these are designed to fill, and it works.
My Rating: 9/10 The value, the ingredients, the flavor, the convenience, all there. The only reason it's not a 10 is I wish there were more flavor options at launch.
Protein Coffee Stix (Proffee): My Review
Flavors: Salted Caramel · Toasted Marshmallow 20g Protein · 150mg Caffeine · 140 Calories · 2g Sugar · 6 sticks per box · $24.99
The Protein Coffee Stix, Skinny Mixes calls them Proffee, as in protein plus coffee, are a completely different beast, and I want to be upfront: I went in skeptical. Protein coffee products have a bad track record. Most of them taste like chalky protein powder mixed with something vaguely coffee-adjacent. Not what you want in the morning.
These are different.
The key is that they use real coffee extract, not just "coffee flavor." You can actually taste it. Combined with premium whey protein isolate, MCT oil powder, and 150mg of caffeine, each stick delivers 20g of protein, 140 calories, and just 2g of sugar. Naturally sweetened with monk fruit and stevia, no artificial anything.
Salted Caramel is the one I tried hot first, which is how I'd recommend starting with it. The caramel is sweet but not cloying, the salt note keeps everything balanced, and the coffee flavor is genuinely present, not an afterthought. It reminded me of a caramel latte that also happens to have 20g of protein in it. That's a win.
Toasted Marshmallow surprised me more. Iced, over a big glass of ice, this one is excellent. The toasty sweetness plays off the coffee bitterness in a way that's interesting and satisfying. Hot, it's good too, but the cold version is where it shines.
The thing I kept thinking about while drinking these is the math. If you're currently buying a protein shake and a coffee separately every morning, that's easily $6 to $9, depending on where you go. One Proffee Stix is $4.16 and combines both. It's a real convenience win for busy mornings or post-workout when you want something functional without fussing with multiple products.
My one honest criticism: six sticks per box is not enough. You get into a rhythm with these, and the box is gone too fast. I'd love to see a larger pack option.
My Rating: 8/10 Genuinely impressed by the taste, far better than most protein coffees I've tried. Docking two points because the per-box count is low and the price per serving is harder to justify if you're not already spending money on both protein and coffee daily.
What's Actually In Them: The Ingredient Breakdown
This is the part I care about most and where both products genuinely stand out. In a market full of products hiding behind proprietary blends and ingredient lists full of things you can't pronounce, Skinny Mixes went the opposite direction.
Refresher Stix: real fruit juice powders, green tea extract for caffeine, sea salt and potassium for electrolytes, monk fruit and stevia for sweetness. That's the core of it. No Red 40, no sucralose, no artificial anything.
Protein Coffee Stix: real coffee extract, whey protein isolate, MCT oil powder, potassium, monk fruit, and stevia. Every ingredient has a functional reason to be there.
For anyone who reads labels before buying, and in 2026, that's a lot of people, both products pass the test cleanly.
My Verdict: Are They Worth It?
Refresher Stix: Yes, absolutely. At $1.56 per serving, these are one of the best value functional refreshers I've tried. The flavors are genuinely good, the ingredients are clean, and the convenience is real. If you're spending money on Starbucks refreshers regularly, this is an easy switch that saves you money and is actually better for you.
Protein Coffee Stix: Yes, with context. If you're someone who's already buying protein and coffee separately every day, these make real sense. They taste better than most protein coffees on the market, the ingredients are clean, and the convenience is hard to argue with. If you're a casual buyer just curious, the six-stick box at $24.99 is a steeper entry point.
Both products represent something Skinny Mixes hasn't done before, a complete drink, not just a flavor add-on. They executed it well. I'll be reordering the Refresher Stix for sure, and the Proffee Stix whenever I want a quick, clean morning option without the coffee shop trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Skinny Mixes Stix?
Portable powder stick packets launched in April 2026. There are two lines, Refresher Stix for hydration and light energy, and Protein Coffee Stix (Proffee) for protein and caffeine. Both are sugar-free with no artificial colors or flavors, available at https://www.skinnymixes.com/pages/stix
What do the Refresher Stix taste like?
They come in Mango Dragon Fruit, Tropical Punch, and Watermelon Lime. All three taste like a clean, lighter version of a café refresher, fruity, slightly sweet, and genuinely refreshing. Watermelon Lime is the most refreshing, Tropical Punch is the most crowd-pleasing.
How much caffeine is in the Refresher Stix?
0mg per stick, sourced from green tea extract. A light, clean boost, about half a cup of coffee. Perfect for afternoon hydration without the jitters.
Are the Protein Coffee Stix actually good?
In my experience, yes, and I was skeptical going in. They use real coffee extract, which makes a noticeable difference. Salted Caramel hot and Toasted Marshmallow iced are both genuinely enjoyable.
Are Skinny Mixes Stix keto friendly?
Refresher Stix are fully keto friendly at 0g sugar. Protein Coffee Stix have 2g of sugar per serving, low, but worth factoring into strict keto macros.
How do you use the Stix?
Tear the stick open, pour into 12 to 16 oz of water, and stir. The Protein Coffee Stix also work with hot water if you prefer a hot drink.
Where can I buy them?
Currently available exclusively at https://www.skinnymixes.com/pages/stix
Are they better than a Starbucks refresher?
If you're like me and love making drinks at home, absolutely yes. At $1.56 per Refresher Stix versus $5+ at Starbucks, with zero sugar, real fruit, and clean caffeine, these win on almost every measurable point. Same great refresher vibe, better ingredients, made in my kitchen in under a minute. Honestly at this point I don't even think about stopping at Starbucks for a refresher anymore. Why would I?
Reviewed by: Janifer · May 2026