I'm into traditional wet shaving. I have a boar's brush (only thing available locally when I needed a brush), good shave cream (using Tayloy of Old Bond rose cream at the moment), and a double-edge "safety" razor with good blades (I've found Japanese Feather blades to work best on my beard).
On an average day, I'll do 2-3 passes: 1 x with the grain and 2 x across the grain
On a pampering day I'll seek a bbs: 1 x with, 1 x across (right to left), 1 x across (left to right), 1 x against, touch-ups as needed
With the right hydration, later, and technique, you'll find all those trouble spots disappear.
