I am just here to say that.... wow. I found this thread an hour ago via a Google search. BM has samples 50% off right now for 1/2 a pint so its like 2.99 a piece and with Free Shipping.. Sounded like a really good deal, as i paid $18 (on sale, in addition to borrowing my dad's small discount he recieves for using his store loyalty rewards card) for a pint this morning of another equally consistently good paint that ive used. I have been flipping furniture and doing a lot of DIY type things, as well as am an artist with an educational background in color and how paints have historically been created (and marketed)- for extra money since the pandemic happened. And yes - paint has gotten so expensive. I understand the quality and work that goes into developing the higher end paints and the skill in those that use it for way bigger jobs than i do. And in totally respect that. But In regards to what I need it for- I simply cannot pay $30-80 a quart. I will buy samples and mess-ups all day long as cheap as I can find them. I will literally choose the color I am going to use based soley on what's cheapest. And that's only because this is like a hobby that occasionally will make me some really good extra money. I don't depend on it as my main job- so I'm definitely not in the same position many of you are. But when I saw the discrepancy in price, it made me pause and do some googling. i think i typed in "why are bm samples so cheap and are they the same paint they sell?" And the very first link Google gave me was this thread. I have learned more in the last 1.5 hours (9 years for you guys) about paint most people will ever know. Like, EVER. Y'all are some dedicated and highly intelligent people and I never knew there was so much misinformation to customers, unregulated practices among businesses, opposing opinions among companies and professionals, nor did i know there were people like Lori who is still showing up after 9 years to answer people's questions and provide answers and solutions. I'm just very impressed with this whole thread right now. I work in the Anti-trafficking movement and I though we were persistent 🤣 It's just super cool to see people caring so much about their work, each other, their industry and its just nothing like I ever would've expected. keep up the good fight. We'd love to have some of you bring this dedication and commitment to excellence and holding your industry accountable on over to help us fight. We could all learn from folks like you 🥰

Did you apply at least two coats of both the 'sample paint' and 'real paint'? I've had colors look completely different before their final coat due to bleed through. Compare both colors to the paint chip. Whichever one matches the paint chip is correct. In general samples are accurate but may act a bit different due to paint line or may have a different sheen then you desire, though you said the sheen was the same. The color itself should match the paint chip. How does your Benjamin Moore do their samples? The paint store I go to has rent-a-quarts, where they give you a partially full of paint with a screwtop attached for $5, you do whatever you need to do to sample and test, and then you bring it back to them in a week. I suppose it's possible some twit could contaminate one before returning it, though I would expect a paint store to check for that before putting back. As for what to do, once you figure out which matches the chip, talk to the paint store about the issue. They may want to see the mismatch for themselves. If the sample was the mismatch, if you can't bring something painted with the sample paint, show them a picture of everything together (sample and real abutting with chip on top); bring the sample paint if you have it. If the 'real paint' is the mismatch, bring something painted with it and dried for comparison with a chip and the paint. I'd probably bring all the paint either way - I hate making two trips, so I'd rather have it with me to make fixing the issue simplest.

Pure Performance egg is my favorite. It's not shiny but it has slip. However, darker colors do show up a smidge shinier. Which is normal because that's what colorant does but it's still not too shiny. SW's Cashmere lo lustre is my second favorite. Not as much slip as PP but I still find it pretty durable to clean. It also touches up nicely with a dampened then dipped sponge brush. Multiple thin coats, never a fat coat. Close second/third is Aura matte. If all else fails, you can touch it up. Again dampened then dipped sponge brush works best. Multiple thin coats, never a fat coat.

I just got a bunch. The texture is perfect, the true color is perfect. The only major disadvantages compared to the can are: they are behind on shipping at the moment so it takes like 7-10 days; and it's only one square of 12 inches. I have taped mine up and I'm moving it around. But usually I like to paint a big swatch in several places. However I think the color is WAY more accurate, and less messy. I previously got a sample can of Rainwashed and painted it on poster board (years ago, and couldn't find it recently) and the color is very different from the even, saturated samplize square. The cans use a white base and they're small, so if you need a light color, you are talking recipes calling for like a fraction of a drop of something, and if it's dark, the white base won't be what the eventual color will use which is usually a deep base. I mean it might be close enough.