What does "matte" mean?

ClawShrimp, first let me say that I respect your willingness to be so brutally honest.  One thing I'd like people here to know about me is that I don't get offended easily.  Disappointed in the reception of my work, yes.  Unwilling to take various opinions and critiques into consideration and use them to improve my work, never.  Criticism is improvement waiting to happen.

Having said that, allow me to respond to some of your key points as well as some others' posts.

Honestly, I've seen V4 textures on sale here at 'Rosity that look more unrealistically smooth than the texture I've created.  One of my major goals was to avoid both that too-smooth look and the other extreme, 'cause I've also seen textures that look dry and almost cracked to me. 

This may look incredibly like my previous character because there are simply some characteristics that characterize my own particular style, and those characteristics are obviously standing out to you much more than the distinctions I've tried to give this character.

Regarding the level of deviation from a standard, out-of-the-box V4, let's do a direct comparison.

Admittedly, any mildly experienced Poser artist could probably tell that Natalie (my character) is based on V4.  While I agree that a certain amount of distinction is necessary and preferable, I don't think one should ever let the drive to hide the V4 base under a myriad of morphs and textures overshadow the more important goal of overall beauty.

I do use bump maps regularly.  My skin textures use bump maps, and there's also a very slight highlight applied to them.  I have no skills whatsoever with skin shaders and minimal skills in the Advanced Material Room.