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Yes, sometimes softlight, or overlay can give the right effect. This is the case because, believe it or not, shadows actually have slight amounts of color within them. Shadows do not produce color, but light does. Usualy the light source is a certain color or tint, but an object which the light is casting a shadow on is a different color. For example, you might have a natural blue light on an overcast day, and a person with skin tone. The shadow will then look brownish, or tan as well. Regular black, blurred shadows in PS tend to desaturate or washout with black. That is why it looks fake. To fix this, lighten up the shadow slightly, and give it a slight hue. Sometimes different blend modes will work, but not always. I hope you can understand.