This look is typically created in post-processing with selective color adjustments rather than a single global saturation change.

A common method is to use an HSL/HSV or Hue/Saturation tool and adjust colors by hue range independently. Instead of boosting all colors, you selectively increase saturation/luminance in some color bands and reduce it in others. That keeps the overall palette subdued, but the remaining colors appear brighter and more noticeable.

For example, you might raise reds, yellows, aquas, or magentas while lowering oranges, greens, blues, or purples, depending on the image. The exact mix varies, but the principle is the same: suppress some colors so the chosen ones stand out.

Ways to do it:

• Use HSL/HSV controls to edit individual color ranges
• Use Hue/Saturation targeting specific channels (like Reds or Blues)
• Select colors with a color-range tool, then adjust only that selection
• Manually mask/select areas and change saturation locally

So the effect is mainly selective saturation, sometimes combined with luminance adjustments, to produce bright-looking yet overall muted color.