I use an Art of Shaving sandlewood + 3 drops of glycerin, and a small dollop of the Bigelow shave cream sold at bath and body works. I like it because its awesome lather, and makes my expensive sandlewood soap last forever. As I don't have to do much.

Just a few seconds of lathering in the wood bowl and I am done.

Why do I do this you ask? Because its what I started with and still going strong after a 1.5 years of wet shaving, still on the same inventory I purchase back then, also still use a cheapo brush from Walgreens, because it just plain works... Nothing fancy.