"*VSS has a bulit-in gamma setting which, by default, is set to 2.2.  If you are using Gc in your render settings, the gamma in VSS must be changed to 1.  Otherwise, you will get double the effect on the skin texture.*"

I think this is the crucial step I am missing... How would I do this?!?

This is the render w/ GC and VSS applied... I also changed the diffuse of my prop to .8, but you can see the color of the figure off... By "off", I mean rendered image should match or be close to what the texture/image looks like in photoshop.

There are 3 kinds of people in the world. Those that can count, and those that can't..