BP
Brad Pullan
Sep 24, 2026
After World War II, the surge in the classic family road trip seemed inevitable. Rising incomes, widespread car ownership, the Interstate Highway System, and paid vacation days. Let's face it: the opportunity to create family memories has always been highly alluring.
This was certainly the case for me in August 2023, when my family spent a week in Savannah, Georgia. The drive home was filled with the mixed emotions that come with the territory: a longing for home and routine, while simultaneously processing and coping with the reality that a piece of my heart will never truly leave the Savannah Cracker Barrel and Waffle House.
While passing through Virginia, we found ourselves grappling with a question many North Americans have been asking themselves since the Louisiana Purchase: Do we want to stay overnight in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, or Hagerstown, Maryland?
We promptly studied the pros and cons of each city. We couldn't argue that Hagerstown had a more prominent manufacturing industry, and we've always been suckers for a logistics-oriented economy. But at the end of the day, we were drawn to Harrisburg because it is the capital of Pennsylvania and offers a greater variety of travel agencies.
So alas, we arrived in Harrisburg at sunset and stayed the night, hoping to get some rest before completing the remainder of our drive the next morning.
After a comfortable night's sleep, we woke up, had breakfast, fueled up the vehicle, and I made a brief stop at Sephora in The Shoppes at Susquehanna Marketplace.
I walked into Sephora and promised myself I'd keep an open mind. I committed to being present, focused, and, of course, ready to learn about the vast array of beauty products available to a sojourner like myself.
Call it what you want, but even in the month of August, my skin had a long and distinguished history of being dry. The difference between an average moisturizer and a great moisturizer was not something I was prepared to gloss over.
I was greeted by Kristy. She was kind, eager to support my beauty journey, and gave every indication that she had personally played a role in electing Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams.
We started by looking at Dr. Jart and Caudalie moisturizers. I found the thickness of the Dr. Jart facial moisturizer compelling, particularly for cold winter months. However, the Caudalie Instant Brightening Moisturizer had a scent and texture that transported me directly to Southern France, and I simply couldn't leave.
I slowly meandered over to the fragrance section. A few other employees asked if I needed help. After confirming they weren't referring to professional help, I resisted the urge to unpack my childhood traumas and instead remained focused on the task at hand.
As something of a fragrance enthusiast, I found myself eager to sample the Jo Malone collection. I was particularly drawn to Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt. Critics of this fragrance will point out that the longevity and sillage are somewhat underwhelming for the price point. However, with Kristy's unofficial blessing, I applied the tester so liberally that even a casual observer would have assumed the fragrance industry had already been nationalized.
For the remainder of my drive home, I smelled like the finest combination of sage, sea notes, and grapefruit that one could ever hope to smell like.
I'm thankful I stopped here. I'm thankful for Kristy. I'm thankful for Sephora. I'm thankful for Harrisburg. And, you guessed it, I'm thankful for you, the reader and prospective Sephora visitor.
If you're on the fence, don't hesitate. Life is short. Why not stay moisturized?