So you've settled into a long term relationship and your other half suddenly feels comfortable enough to tell you what she really thinks of your beard. The burst of honesty  beard balm is not good. Words like jaggy, itchy and smelly were bandied about.

Initially you might think you only have two choices a) say yes darling, right away darling, I never really liked this manly, bad ass, hard earned facial feature anyway or b) tell her the nearest bus back to hers leaves in 10 minutes then reactivate your tinder profile.

But what if I told you there's another option. One that will not only let you keep your beard but will make her happy too. What is this magical unicorn option you ask? No it's not the Neuralyzer device from Men in Black, that erases memories. It's something far more vague and boring... understanding.

I know, you're thinking what crock. But understanding/empathy really is your best hope here. By understanding what exactly it is she doesn't like about your beard, a world of options are suddenly open for you.

For example, when I type the following phrase into Google 'my husband's beard', Google finishes my sentence with

... stinks

... gives me a rash

... is prickly

... hurts

Clearly women are experiencing these issues and want to know how to deal with this hairy situation. So after talking to your lady, you find out your beard gives her a rash and irritates her skin. This is great news because there are plenty of ways to deal with these problems.

Depending on the length of your beard you could trim it slightly, so that your hairs are a bit shorter and more uniform. This will more than likely reduce the chance of stray hairs irritating her skin.

And if your beard is too jaggy or sharp causing her rash, why not soften it. One of the main benefits of beard oil is that can turn a bristly hedgehog beard into a silken curtain. Of course the other added benefit of beard oil is that It makes your beard smell glorious... which of course tackles the stink issue.

So if you find yourself having the dreaded 'me or the beard' conversation with your lady, don't panic. Lend a sympathetic ear and listen to your lady's concerns. You'll be beard balm  surprised that with a little bit of beardscaping you can find away to keep both of these loves in your life.