Slickness is functional, but cushion is pretty. Me personally, I lean toward functional.
In my opinion a quality shaving soap or cream needs to have balanced qualities. Not only slickness and cushion, but also good latherability and moisturizing properties and, very important, a stable lather that does not deteriorate once created on the brush.
I've come to prefer a wet, slick lather.
Let's just say my ideal lathers require me to go into it bare chested. Oh yeah, babe!I've come to prefer a wet, slick lather.
In my opinion a quality shaving soap or cream needs to have balanced qualities. Not only slickness and cushion, but also good latherability and moisturizing properties and, very important, a stable lather that does not deteriorate once created on the brush.
Both are important to me!
To me, trying to make either one more important than the other is like saying one blade of a scissors is more important than the other. They both have to work well together or the cream just won't provide a good shave or adequate protection.