Powder bronzer is slowly on its way out, and in its place comes the cream format in a stick - and this is not an industry whim, but simple logic. Cream textures melt into the skin instead of sitting on top of it, they go on gradually and leave a fresher look, without that heavy muddy mask that powder can create when there is too much of it.

The secret is not in the product, but in where it is applied. The idea is to emphasise exactly those parts of the face where the sun naturally hits - the top of the cheekbones, the temples, the hairline, the bridge of the nose, and for a monochromatic effect the eyelids too. Not everywhere, but where a real touch of sun would leave a trace.

Make-up artists recommend a simple sequence: find the highest point of the cheekbone, draw strokes upward from the centre of the face toward the ears, continue toward the forehead, nose and jaw, and - most importantly - blend it all well so there are no visible lines. A little terracotta-coloured blush on the lower part of the cheeks on top, and the look is done. The warm tones, they say, create an "instant optical effect of rest and light".

That the trend is taking root can be seen in who is wearing it. Hailey Bieber recently released exactly this kind of cream bronzer in a stick for her brand, and the same technique is used by Kaia Gerber and others. But behind the whole story sits something more down to earth than the stars: after a long stretch when the goal was to look like we had just come back from holiday, cosmetics is finally admitting that the most beautiful tan is the one that looks like skin, not like a layer on top of it. Less product, a more natural result - rarely does fashion give such advice.