By Missouri you're never dry anywhere so you may as well use chamois cream.
I started cream free but by the later stages if I wasn't able to clean up and tape up I was using it to ease the pain of saddle contact. Probably should've tried the lidocane too just too see if it's any use.
I never use any stuff. Clean and dry ftw.
If I get sores I put germoline on after rides and that helps. Or if its really bad then before too.