This is precisely how I do it and have since I first started wet shaving 3 years or so ago. IMHO, VDH Deluxe performs well over its price range and is a permanent member of my soap rotation. There are plenty of fancier, more expensive soaps out there but (again, IMHO) few that perform as consistently well as VDH Deluxe. Your lather will improve with time and practice so don't sweat that. VDH brushes are another underrated piece of shaving kit. They sometimes have quality issues or tend to shed but generally they too are a relable piece of affordable and locally available gear. I too reach for my VDH boar brush often, in fact it's probably the most used brush in my fleet. Glad to hear your first shave was a beauty! Welcome to the dark side!