If I could inject just one piece of advice as a rookie in training...............when trying to make bevel cuts, or cuts with a curve to it, use a piece of scrap first to practice on. If your blades even sticks slightly, change it or sharpen it. I tend to follow what all the pro's have said here already. I usually pass my blade over a sharpener before ANY cut and then will do it again mid way through depending on the size of the piece.
Please don't give up though, my very first DFT helmet looked just like yours and within a few months, my new one doesn't even look the same and is light years better in build. Just keep at it, you will only get better.