I started off bowl lathering -- at the time, I couldn't get face lathering to work right, possibly because the hard water where I lived made lathering incredibly difficult and bowl lathering made it easier to get just right. I live in an area with soft water now, so lathering's way easier, so I almost entirely face lather...shave brushes are probably my favorite category of wetshaving paraphernalia, so being able to feel the bristles against my face while I lather is a huge plus.