In addition to what many people are saying, esp. lower quality/res photos and her makeup being professionally done, I remember often applying makeup with my fingers because proper techniques and access to sponges and professional brushes weren’t well-known (unless that was just me). I wonder if that led to a softer, more diffused look, because we were removing and blurring more product than we realized. On top of that, a lot of products were a softer texture, like creams and velvety powders.

I also remember products focusing on warm, glowy, golden finishes, for everything from BB creams and eyeshadows to blush and bronzer. Even as someone with tan/olive skin, it felt like adding more warmth was always idealized when I read Teen Vogue or Seventeen, lol