Flat / Matte: No shine. Good for touching up without flashing. Not recommended for scrubbing. Walls show less imperfections. This is the most common sheen used.
Eggshell: Very little shine. Not good for touching up or scrubbing. Not available in many products.
Satin: Basic Shine. Not good for touching up. Good for light scrubbing. Usually used in wet areas like bathrooms.
Semi Gloss: Decent Shine. Not good for touching up. Scrubbable. Typically used on Interior Trim.
Gloss: Shiny. Not good for touching up. Scrubbable. Not used frequently.
Color Issues:
Sheen Affect: Color swatch decks are represented in flat. Higher sheens will make the color appear darker. Flat will be the best representation of the color deck sample. It will appear darker with eggshell, then satin, then semi gloss, then gloss.
Touch Ups: Dark colors are not as likely to touch up if the walls are damaged. Even flat paints will flash (show touch up) when attempted in dark colors. Colors are usually ranked by the base of the paint that is being tinted. Extra White is the lightest, then Medium Base, then Deep Base, then Ultra Deep Base.
