Avel Light Brown Furniture Care Cream 03 – Creme Renovateur 250ml

Description

Avel Light Brown Furniture Care Cream 03 – Creme Renovateur 250ml – feed and recolour tan leather furniture without darkening it

Light brown leather furniture has a particular way of ageing badly. Tan and cognac hides are usually finished thinly so the grain shows through, which is exactly what makes them handsome and exactly what makes them vulnerable. Sunlight takes the colour out of the arms, the seat pads go shiny where people sit, and the whole piece slowly turns a flat, tired biscuit shade.

Avel make this cream in France, and they are the house behind Saphir, so the pedigree is about as good as it gets in leather care. The Creme Renovateur is their pigmented nourishing cream for furniture and other smooth leather, and shade 03 is the light brown: a warm tan that is meant to lift faded pale leather rather than darken it.

That last point is the whole reason this shade exists. Most people reach for a mid brown, and on pale tan leather a mid brown is a shade too far.

Why choose the Avel Light Brown Furniture Care Cream?

• A tan pigment that lifts rather than darkens. Shade 03 is light enough to refresh cognac, tan and biscuit leather without turning it into mid brown. On pale hides that is the difference between a piece that looks cared for and one that looks repainted.
• Mink oil and beeswax feed the hide properly. The mink oil sinks in and restores suppleness, the wax stays nearer the surface and protects. On a thinly finished tan leather, that suppleness is what keeps the seat pads from cracking along the fold.
• It cleans as it conditions. The dull film of hand oils and dust that builds up on arms and head rests comes away while you work. On light brown leather that film is the main reason the piece looks grubby.
• Leaves a water and dirt repellent surface. Once buffed, the wax film means a spilt drink beads instead of soaking in. Pale leather stains far more readily than dark, so this matters more here than on a black sofa.
• A little does a lot. This is applied as a thin film, so 250ml will comfortably see a three-seat sofa and two armchairs through a treatment with plenty left for the next one.
• Works on far more than sofas. Tan leather jackets, bags, luggage, car seats, saddlery and boots all take it happily. Anything in finished smooth leather that has dried out is fair game.

How to use Avel Light Brown Furniture Care Cream 03

1. Vacuum the piece with a soft brush attachment, getting into the seams and around the buttons, then wipe it over with a barely damp cloth and let it dry.
2. On badly neglected leather, use a proper leather cleaning lotion first. A care cream nourishes but it will not shift years of built-up grime on its own.
3. Test on the back or the underside of a cushion and let it dry completely. On pale leather a test patch is not optional, because a shade too dark cannot be undone.
4. Stir the tub and pick up a small amount on a lint-free cotton cloth, or work it in with your fingertips if you prefer the control that gives you on piping.
5. Work one panel at a time in gentle circles, keeping the film thin. Do not attempt a whole sofa in one go; the cream wants to be buffed before it fully dries.
6. Leave it about ten minutes to be drawn in, then buff with a clean dry cloth until nothing lifts off onto it. Build a second thin coat on the palest patches if needed.

My tip from behind the counter

On light brown leather I always feed first and colour second. Give the whole piece a thin coat, buff it, and then look at it in daylight the next morning. Very often the nourishment alone has brought most of the colour back and you need only touch in the arms and head rests. Adding pigment you did not need is the one mistake that is hard to walk back from.

Specifications

• Volume: 250ml tub
• Colour: Light brown, shade 03
• Type: Pigmented nourishing and renovating cream for smooth leather
• Key ingredients: Mink oil and natural wax
• Suitable for: Tan and cognac leather sofas, chairs, car seats, jackets and bags
• Not suitable for: Suede, nubuck, unfinished aniline and painted leather
• Brand: Avel, made in France, the house behind Saphir
• Price: £19.99

Frequently asked questions

Is light brown the same as tan or cognac?

Close enough for practical purposes. Shade 03 is a warm mid-tan, which is the family that most cognac and tan furniture leather sits in. Because it is a pigmented care cream rather than a dye it adapts to the leather underneath, so a small mismatch is far less of a problem than it would be with a colourant.

Can I use it on a leather car interior?

Yes, and tan car seats are one of its best uses. Treat the bolsters, which take the most wear from getting in and out, and buff thoroughly so nothing transfers onto clothing.

What if my furniture is somewhere between light and mid brown?

Start with the light brown. You can always deepen a shade by adding the brown 04 on top afterwards, but you cannot lighten leather you have already taken too dark.

Where can I buy the Avel light brown furniture care cream in the UK?

You can order the Avel Light Brown Furniture Care Cream 03 directly from Shoespecialist.co.uk. We offer free delivery on orders over £50, same-day dispatch when you order before 5pm, and a 60-day return policy. If you are unsure which of the two browns suits your leather, send me a photo taken in daylight and I will tell you what I would use.