I've been straight shaving for ~ 2 yrs give or take. I have a bunch of shave creams and soaps I collected early on. While most them are much better than the canned goo I am finding I am ignoring some of them and focusing on what has a proven track record with me. I remember the senior members saying that it takes time to really know what is good, and I didn't believe them. Now I am part of their camp and still learning.

As for how I choose, I pick what works best and what I am in the mood for in a cologne, AS or shave cream/soap. Sometimes I feel adventurous and use some of the lesser performing stuff on hand. While it's a pleasant diversion I still find myself going back the the performers for the bulk of my shaves. While scent is the most obvious trait of a cream/soap, it is not where the rubber meets the road.