What I find interesting about this discussion is that since I've been using SSS and full GC in Poser Pro 2012, my view on what normal skin should look like in a render has changed.  When I look at the older renders in my gallery, skin and hair look completely oversaturated.  These looked good at the time because that's what I'd grown accustomed to seeing.

The HSV node is exceedingly useful in creating variations on skin tone.  I've used the James skin shader to good effect, but I've also done a few of my own.  Once you've grown accustomed to working with SSS, it's really not that difficult to use.

Also, I've discovered that using by using an environment sphere and panoramic images, I often don't need light at all to achieve realistic results.  (Some of my panoramas have been blurry, though.  I'm not sure why.)  So, I encourage Mark, the OP, to keep experimenting with this.