Arko Barber"s Shaving Cream stick is the king of the inexpensive soaps. To use this stuff properly, thoroughly wet your face and rub the stick with a bit of pressure on the stubble until you can see a layer forming (you shouldn"t use the stick to build lather). Then, take a wet brush and build the lather on your face. There"s no need for a mug. Just keep in mind that this stuff requires a bit of water to get going properly. It has the most slippery, effective lather is one that is wet almost to the point of being runny. The scent is a classic barbershop note. This soap moisturizes well, lathers well, and provides enough lubrication that you can use it with any of your razors. It does require some fine-tuning as far as figuring out how much water to use when lathering. But it"s fantastic stuff -- especially given its price -- once you make it work the way you want.