Collonil Waterstop Dark Blue Waterproofing Shoe Cream 519 – 75ml Tube

Description

Collonil Waterstop Dark Blue Waterproofing Shoe Cream 519 – 75ml Tube — colour and weatherproofing from one tube

Most people own a cream that feeds leather and a spray that keeps water out, and they apply them on separate evenings. Collonil Waterstop is the sensible answer to that: a tinted care cream with the waterproofing built into the formula, so one application does both jobs. It is one of the products Collonil are best known for and there is a reason it has been on our shelves for years.

This is shade 519, a proper dark blue rather than a bright or royal blue, aimed at exactly the sort of leather that suffers most in a British winter. Dark blue Derbies, navy boots and blue leather trainers pick up salt marks and rain staining faster than almost anything else, and each soaking pulls a little more colour out of the flex creases. This dark blue waterproofing shoe cream puts the tone back while sealing the surface against the next downpour.

The formula is built around jojoba and almond oil, which are the ingredients that separate a good care cream from a cheap one. They feed the leather deeply and keep it supple rather than simply coating it, and the tube has a sponge applicator in the cap so you can dose it accurately without a cloth.

Why choose the Collonil Waterstop dark blue shoe cream?

• Colour and waterproofing in one step. You feed the leather, restore the shade and seal the surface in a single application. On a shoe you actually wear in the rain, that combination is worth a great deal.
• Jojoba and almond oil. These keep leather genuinely supple rather than just glossy on top. They soak in properly, which is what stops a winter shoe going hard and cracking at the vamp.
• Built-in sponge applicator. The cap doses the cream straight onto the leather, so you use the right amount and keep your hands clean. It also reaches into the welt and around the stitching.
• Made for real weather. This is the cream I recommend for a shoe that goes out in the wet. It handles high-tech and combination materials too.
• A deep, wearable dark blue. Shade 519 sits in navy territory rather than bright blue, which is where most blue leather shoes start and the tone they lose first.
• Over thirty shades in the range. Collonil match Waterstop across more than thirty colours, so the shade that fits your shoes will still be there next season.

How to use the Collonil Waterstop dark blue shoe cream

Allow about twenty minutes including resting time. Be disciplined about how much cream you use, because more is emphatically not better here.

1. Brush the shoes clean so no dirt is left on the leather, and make sure they are completely dry. If they are damp, let them dry at room temperature first.
2. Squeeze a rice grain of cream onto the sponge applicator for each shoe. That really is enough, and more simply leaves a residue that will not buff out.
3. Work it into the leather with small circular movements, covering the whole upper including the tongue and the area around the welt.
4. If a patch does not absorb, give it a little more rather than scrubbing at it. Dry leather takes cream unevenly and the fix is patience, not pressure.
5. Leave the cream to sit for around fifteen minutes so the oils absorb and the waterproofing components can set.
6. Buff with a soft cloth or a polishing brush. The friction warms the waxes and brings up an even shine.

My tip from behind the counter

Do the welt properly, since that is where water actually gets in. Almost everyone creams the smooth panels and stops at the edge of the sole, but the join between upper and sole is the weak point in any shoe, and it is where salt and grit collect. Run the sponge along the welt and into the stitching, then work it in with an old brush. Ten extra seconds per shoe and it makes a real difference in February.

Specifications

• Volume: 75ml tube with integrated sponge applicator
• Shade: 519 Dark Blue, a deep navy tone
• Type: Tinted care cream with built-in waterproofing
• Key ingredients: Jojoba oil and almond oil
• Suitable for: Smooth leather, high-tech materials and combination materials
• Not suitable for: Suede, nubuck and patent leather
• Brand: Collonil, made in Germany since 1909
• Article code: Col-waterstop-519
• Price: £8.99

Frequently asked questions

Do I still need a waterproofing spray as well?

For everyday wear, no, this does both jobs perfectly well. If you are walking in genuinely heavy or sustained rain, or out on wet ground for hours, then adding a spray on top gives you more protection. For smooth leather I would treat this as your regular routine and keep the spray for exceptional weather.

Will it darken my shoes?

A tinted cream always deepens the tone slightly on first application, which is usually exactly what a faded shoe needs. On dark blue leather the effect is to restore depth rather than change the colour. If your shoes are a much lighter blue, use the colourless version instead, or test on the inside of the heel first.

Can I use it on suede or nubuck boots?

No, and this is the one thing I would be firm about. Waterstop is a wax and oil cream, and on napped leather it fills the space between the fibres, flattens the nap and leaves a shiny patch that cannot be brushed out. Suede and nubuck need a spray-on product made for napped leather. If your boots are part smooth leather and part suede, use this on the smooth panels only.

Where can I buy Collonil Waterstop Dark Blue Shoe Cream 519 in the UK?

You can order Collonil Waterstop Dark Blue Shoe Cream 519 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.