Much of the makeup sold in Japan is very lightweight — it's all about enhancing your natural beauty. Plus, Japan gets seriously hot in the summers (I was lucky I missed their epic heat wave by a week), so slathering on thick foundations would certainly pose a challenge.

I stocked up on tinted moisturizer and sheer lipsticks and used those while I traveled from city to city (here I am at a baseball game in Osaka rocking minimal makeup). I didn't have to worry about touching up my makeup on the go (or breaking out while I sweated my butt off in the humidity) and I realized that I felt a whole lot better about myself when I wasn't piled under tons of product. I've definitely embraced low-key makeup since returning to NYC. It's not only saved me major time on my beauty routine, but I also stress a whole lot less about how I look. Now that's a worthwhile lesson, even if I had to travel across the globe to learn it.

Image via Gregory Leporati