The stroping on jeans my have been the biggest problem jeans are pretty course and when stroping you don't need any pressure let the blade glide across it all your doing with stroping is smoothing out. As far as the shaving cream you can use it but you will get a more comfortable shave with soap and brush ith helps to prep the hair for shaving. Just read up on here and slow down just a little and you will get learn it and enjoy the experience. That being said I believe the excitement gets all of us as sometime. Congratulations on your first str8 shave and it will get better the more you do it.