The woman I just started seeing is complaining about beard burn from my moustache and goatee. She just sent an email saying that the skin around her mouth is starting to peel and that she wants me to shave it off. This has never been a problem for me before. Maybe she’s extra sensitive (or maybe we’re extra passionate!). She likes the beard, and I am loathe to shave it off. Is there anything else I can do? Are there any “beard conditioners” that would soften the beard? It’s very short and close-cropped, would it help if I grew it longer? Have any of you successfully dealt with this problem?
When I was dating the current Mrs. Skammer, she had the same problem. Everyone could tell when we’d been making out because her face and neck, especially around her mouth, would look sunburned from the scraping. The following things helped alleviate the problem:
1 - I grew my beard a little longer (she still complains right after I trim it)
2 - I started using regular hair conditioner on my beard
3 - She got used to it
Growing it longer and using a conditioner were pretty much what I was thinking. Can you (or anyone else) recommend a particular conditioner that’s good for this?
Is there something I can apply right before making out; some kind of “beard lubricant”? 
Shaving it off won’t help if you make out more than 12 hours after shaving. If anything, it’ll be worse.
Grow that sucker longer. Wear your beard with pride! Do not bow down to the yammering masses who don’t have the courage to commit to a full, manly beard!
Oh. Sorry. Was that my outside voice?
I don’t use anything fancy for conditioning. Just a 99 cent bottle of Suave or whatever’s cheapest.
And Ethilrist is right - don’t get rid of it unless you are prepared to shave every day.:eek:
I already have to shave every day because parts of my face are un-bearded (is that a word?) but I really don’t want to get rid of it. I think I look older without it.
We’ve only gone out a couple of times and she’s already testing me and making little demands and I don’t want to immediately cave in on this one. On the other hand it is legitimate for her to request that I not scrape off her skin :eek: so I’m looking for a good compromise. I’m seeing her this weekend so it won’t grow much longer before then but I’ll try the conditioner.