We’d love to enter the fall looking like we spent the summer resting, hydrating, eating organic farmers market heirloom tomatoes, and lounging in the sauna. Unfortunately, for most, that’s not terribly realistic. Instead, freshly moisturized skin with a few touches of balmy sheen will have to fake the effect for us.

It’s a “fresh, conditioned-looking complexion with moisture and reflection placed only where it benefits the face,” Briceno says. “The cheekbones, temples, and outer planes of the face can look supple and softly reflective, while the forehead, sides of the nose, undereyes, and other areas that need control remain refined.” It sits somewhere between the blurred, velvet finishes of last season and a true glass skin effect.

The key is targeting the right areas. “People are realizing their skin isn’t one-dimensional and different areas of the face need different things,” says Atlanta-based makeup artist Tisha Thompson. “This looks and feels like real skin because you’re cheating balance and dimension.”

“Coverage, powder, and balm are all applied selectively,” Briceno agrees. “It is not an allover wet face, and it is not a layer of metallic highlighter. The important part is the balance between sheen and control.” It sits somewhere between the blurred, velvet finishes of last season and a true glass skin effect.

Briceno starts with moisturizer—more in dry zones, less in the oily spots—and applies foundation “where it earns its place. Some areas may need foundation, while others may need nothing. That variation is what keeps the result believable.” He likes Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation for its flexibility. He follows by warming a transparent balm like Chanel Baume Essentiel or Tower28 SuperDew between his fingers before pressing it onto the high points of the cheeks and temples.

G-rated smoky eye