For a beginner the material room is very daunting. Reading the manual will tell you a lot, but putting into practice is another thing. Skin is not the place to start in my opinion. Though skin is the most important to most beginners. I would strongly suggest VSS with pr3 (?). I know the first time I used it pr2(?) I was amazed how good poser could look. I don't know if any one has a link to a pr3 prop with eye's, teeth and all the other great adds, but that would be a where I would point any new user. Look at Bagginsbill's signature.

 

Once you got skin working and know what something in your scene should look like, you can go about removing the glow from all you other object's materials.