Sounds like all's going smoothly (bad pun here)! One way to keep your lather warm is to use a shaving bowl/mug. I have an old ceramic bowl that I fill w/ hot water and soak my brush in while showering. When I'm ready to make my lather and drain off the water, the bowl is nice and warm. Just add your cream of choice, shake your brush out, and away you go. The lather typically stays toasty warm throughout the entire shave.