I've noticed that Herban Cowboy (I have musk) is foamy but may not set in as a solid lubricant quickly. I have put on an initial layer of foam, wetted my hand and wiped it around to get a solid layer of slickness and then re-applied and used it. I don't think it is up to the level of Mama Bear or "Chelsea's Garden" (eBay) or a few of the creams I've tried, but it can be improved by that basic step. I think putting the first application of shaving soap before the first heat/moist towel treatment is prudent, considering Herban Cowboy's weakness. It foams up readily, but that physical structure means less in contact with the skin.

I found big foamers to really come through towards the end of the shave, which led me to believe it takes longer to "set in". Obviously using less water and making a thicker soap on the brush and layering on the face for a while and then wetting the brush and lathering up on the face is another route to true facial slickness. Whatever works, this is just IMHO. I used a 100% natural bristle brush for this, don't know how it compares to yours but it worked well enough (and didn't feel scratchy).

Actually, I like Herban Cowboy most after it's been on my face for a few minutes. And rewetting by hand, for the last 2 minutes of shaving, without more soap, just water, has shown Herban's highest lubricant ability. My face is slickest and most shave-ready at the end of shaving when I use Herban Cowboy, a common (for me) lamentation when washing the stuff off my face.

Now that I think about it, I have used the brush as an applicator at times, not a lathering goal but a tool to get it on, then slicked up with water. Kind of a soap-as-cream applied with a brush.