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If you wore makeup in 2012 and 2016, you probably remember an era that was all about a full-face beat: dramatic contour, stark matte liquid lipsticks , and enough full-coverage foundation to hide a multitude of sins. I began my beauty editor career around that time, which makes me all the more grateful for the one I find myself in now: a soft-girl approach to makeup that feels like a breath of fresh air .

Of course, sheer makeup isn’t exactly new. But these days, it’s hitting differently. A mix of shifting tastes — partly shaped by the pandemic’s interruption of full-glam routines — and the natural ebb and flow of trend cycles has brought us to a place where less-is-more feels modern and refreshing. The look I keep coming back to centers on dewy, healthy skin and blurred, diffused pops of color.…