Meet Valerian: The Herb That Smells Like Old Socks (And We Still Love Him)

Let's just get this out of the way: Valerian stinks. There's no dressing it up. Crack open a jar of dried valerian root and your first thought will not be "ah, lovely." It'll be closer to "did something die in here."

And yet. People have been steeping this stinky little root at bedtime since ancient Greece and Rome. Centuries of civilizations, all agreeing to overlook the smell for the sake of a good wind-down cup. That's either really committed devotion or really good marketing — probably a little of both.

Here's the thing about Valerian that I love: he doesn't apologize for it. He's not trying to be the pretty one. Chamomile gets to be sweet, Lavender gets to smell like a spa day, and Valerian just shows up smelling like a gym bag and says "trust the process." Respect.

The smell actually comes straight from the root's natural oils — the same compounds people have been reaching for for a couple thousand years. It's not a flaw so much as it's just... his whole thing.

That's exactly why he's in our Rough Day Serenity blend, alongside Chamomile, Passionflower, and a touch of Calendula — the "everybody sit down and put your feet up" crew. Valerian works the night shift so the rest of the blend can do the sweeter, calmer talking.

So next time you steep a cup and catch that earthy, slightly funky smell — that's not a mistake. That's a few thousand years of people deciding it was worth it.

Find Valerian in Rough Day Serenity → RDS