Puff Herbals is not just a wellness brand - it's a transformative journey through the ritualistic and mystical world of smoke, envisioned and brought to life by a clinical herbalist. The Puff Herbals foundation is rooted in the ethos of holistic herbalism, a philosophy of which they proudly advocate for smokers of all plants.
The Puff Herbals mission is simple yet profound: to transform the everyday smoking ritual into a potent and purposeful wellness practice. By offering thoughtful alternatives to tobacco, Puff Herbals aspires to open both eyes and airways to the transformative power of plants while fostering an enriching educational environment surrounding herbalism and healthful habits for the wide spectrum of smokers.
"Puff into the present moment", the Puff Herbals tagline, encapsulates their belief in the profound potency of herbal smoke as a part of a holistic wellness practice. Puff Herbals sees smoking as a meditative ritual, where the rhythm of lighting, inhaling, and exhaling immerses one in an intimate communion with nature.
This belief underscores the symbiotic relationship between plants and people, a sacred reciprocity that Puff Herbals honors. As proud business members of United Plant Savers and The Floret Coalition, Puff Herbals strives to champion and support plant conservation and anti-racist equity initiatives, underscoring their commitment to the harmonious co-existence of plants and people.
Founding Story
When Lian first stepped into the world of herbalism back in 2014, it was a world draped in natural dyed linens smelling of homemade deodorant, dappled in golden hour sunlight peeking over a homestead garden. It was about sipping herbal tea, slowing down, and knitting by beeswax candlelight.
As she scrolled through meticulously staged scenes of sourdough loaves with adaptogenic rosehip jam, she wondered: What about the person in the city who missed their bus? The musician hauling gear across town to their third gig of the week? The person behind the bar on a Friday night making your drink after YOUR workweek was over? Not everyone has the luxury to relish a quiet evening with a handmade ceramic mug of herbal tea.
Lian thought the herbal market felt too insular. It catered to those already in the know – those familiar with the subtle notes of every herb, the discerning individuals who could tell their ashwagandha from their astragalus. Little glass bottles of some type of liquid with cute, hand drawn labels whispered their secrets only to those who already spoke their language. But what about the uninitiated? The ones who would, most likely, benefit from herbal medicine the most?
That’s when Puff Herbals came into existence. The brand that could help slow down those who weren’t already slow. Smoking, a universal gesture, became their medium. At Lian's local herbal conference, amidst rows of delicate concoctions, stood her table unapologetically with herbal cigarettes. People stopped, stared, and questioned. Some skeptically, some curiously. But they noticed.
People everywhere, regardless of culture or creed, seek solace in the act of smoking. Be it the occasional indulgence while drinking, a cigarette after sex, or the daily ritual to calm the nerves. Recognizing how reached-for plant smoke is in this world, Puff Herbals aims not just to provide an alternative but to shift the perception of herbalism entirely. Puff Herbals isn't here only for the enlightened, sandal-wearing hippies; they’re here for everyone else who smokes, too.
Lian Bruno is the founder and clinically-trained herbalist of Puff Herbals, an herbal wellness brand centered around the ritual of smoking. Her name is Chinese and pronounced like "lee-AHn."
She has a bachelor's in anthropology from Ithaca College and a master's in museum studies from the Harvard Extension School, writing her master’s thesis on storytelling through ethnobotanical collections. Before founding Puff Herbals, Lian held 5 roles over 8 years across different Harvard museums, including the university herbarium.
Lian completed a 3-year clinical herbalism apprenticeship at CommonWealth Holistic Herbalism in 2016. After seeing clients and selling herbal smoke blends as co-founder of Sterling Smokes, Lian founded Puff Herbals on the belief that working with herbs through smoke can be a vital and legitimate part of a holistic wellness practice.
Lian writes all of the content for Puff Herbals, is the author of an herbal smoking blends zine, and has had work published in media outlets like DoubleBlind. In 2020, she received the Cosmic Sister Emerging Voices Award as her herbal brand started gaining traction. Lian is also either art directing or actually producing all of the creative for Puff Herbals: branding, web design, packaging design, social media, product photography, you name it. Everything you read, see, or smoke from Puff Herbals comes from her.
