Scooty, remember to read between the lines - or in the margins - that's where people doodle - and everyone knows images mean more than words! Jokes and senseless jabber aside, I can't say where you're going wrong, but I can further explain what the "median" and black/white layer masking does.
In layperson terms, you do the following:
You copy the original layer (layer1) into a new one (layer2).
In the new layer (layer2), apply the "median" noise filter. This will make your image blurry as it takes an average/median between neighbouring pixels - you define how many pixels the average is calculated over at a time. This is to get a smooth skin texture effect.
Then, because you don't want the blurry layer to completely dominate your original image (remember, we just want to smooth the skin texture here and the details of the eyes still showing), you add a layer mask. The layer mask should be filled with black - this then means that nothing of this layer will show. Now add some white with a fair sized brush in this layer mask - you'll see that layer2 will start showing again. The idea here is to make layer2 show in the large areas of skin, while leaving the detailed areas like the eyes & mouth transparent (as in layer two - otherwise you get blurred blobs for eyeballs). So the white means this layer will show, while the black in the layer mask means it won't. It's like a flashlight of sorts - bits you shine the light (white) on, will show, while the black parts won't. Obviously everything in between will have varying degrees of "illumination".
I think at this point you'll start to get the picture.
