Very well said.
Many people scoff at foam by saying "it's just full of air!" Well how do you think you get a thick, fluffy lather with a brush? By whipping the heck out of it with a brush and introducing... Uh oh.... Air! Another issue most people have with the canned products is that they do not have enough water... We'll look at your soap puck or your tube cream, not much water in there either, right? You have to add it yourself.
With proper hair hydration, and a little water added to the foam, there is no reason these types of products shouldn't produce a nice shave. As luxurious as a brush? Nope. Maybe a little on the drying side if you already have dry skin? Sure. But quick, easy, and effective? Absolutely! I personally have oily skin so I never found any issue using these products in terms of the commonly stated "drying" issue and as time goes on I find myself reaching for a can more often then a brush. For me, the "journey" is perfecting my razor technique and the reward is a stellar shave. The whole brush routine ads a variable that I personally just choose to not bother with all the time and save that for when I want to treat myself. Many new wet shavers are unable to focus on their razor technique, razor choice, and blade choice because they focus so hard on acquiring and using all the soaps, creams, and brushes they can and are actually doing a disservice to themselves. I've read so many posts from new or newer traditional shavers who can't figure out why they can't get a good shave even though they do build a great lather... The lather doesn't take your hair off, the razor does. When I come home from a 12 hr work day, haven't seen my wife or my dog since the night before, and still have to shower, shave, eat dinner, then go to bed simply to repeat the process the next day... It seems absolutely unreasonable and selfish of me to then spend an hour turning my bathroom into a mini day spa simply to get some scruff off my face, I'll save that for my Sunday mornings. If I can grab a trusty can, throw a gsb in my chosen slant of the day, and get darn near BBS in 2 quick passes still with minimal to no irritation afterwards and still have some time to hang out with my wife and puppy before going to bed I'll take that any day.
Another good example: I am a professional craft brewer. The product I produce averages around $6 a pint or $10 a 6pk where as your typical "macro" lager (bud, Miller, Coors) runs around $2 a pint and $5 a 6pk. In this case the macro is a can of foam and the micro craft is a $15 artisanal puck of soap... But do the same job and both serve a specific purpose. At the end of the day the vast majority of the market share chooses to consume macro lager for their affordability and consistency (the can of foam) and will treat themselves occasionally to a micro craft (the fancy artisanal soap). There is a small group who are craft purists who won't go near macro lager just as there is a small group who are brush purists and won't go near a can of foam. Put a $10 glass of a specialty tier 4 craft beer next to a $2 glass of tier 1 Budweiser...both are beer, both will provide the same results that one who chooses to consume a product like that are seeking, it's just that one is a little more fancy.
Now put a $15 Stirling puck next to a $1.29 can of barbasol...both are a shaving lather product, both benefit from the addition of water, both lubricate your skin while hydrating your beard, both require some ratio of air (be it propellant in can or air you ad with a brush), and most importantly: both will offer a good shave if used properly. The only difference: one of them is a little more "pinky up" while the other is a little more "blue collar".
Ok, I'll stop talking now
