Ahhh... the deep dark secret of cycling... butt lube!
I've never sued Chamois Creme itself, per se, though I know of some people who swear by it. I use Bag Balm on certain occasiona - (1) when I go for a long, 100 km + ride, (2) when my butt is sore from a previous ride, (3) when I ride offroad in wet conditions, (4) when I wear my Sugoi bibs with the unfortunate chamois stitching. I don't apply to the chamois, but to the part of my body that makes contact with the chamois the most.
The down side of Bag Balm is that it does tend to discolour the chamois [like I care].
You can use any of a number of products, from Chamois Butter to Bag Balm to hand lotion. The idea is the same -- it creates a thin lubricating layer between the chamois and your skin to prevent chafing. Back in the day, they used lard and olive oil, so go figure.