I have been wet shaving for a little over a year and have always built lather in a bowl. Face lathering was never considered. However, I wanted to change things up for the new year and I decided to give face lathering a try. I read the tutorial and gave it the ol' college try. I must say my first attempt went quite well. While I'm not a face lather convert (at least not yet), it is easier than I though it would be and provides another option for lathering.
Once you've mastered the art of face lathering, you'll wonder why you ever bothered with a bowl. Much more satisfying, and the beard get a really good length of time to soften. My bowl is gathering dust very nicely, thank you!
David