Famaco Dark Brown Furniture Care Cream 337 – Leather Balm 300ml

Description

Famaco Dark Brown Furniture Care Cream 337 – Leather Balm 300ml – for dark brown leather that has gone flat and thirsty

Dark brown leather has a particular way of ageing. It does not go pale so much as go flat: the red and the warmth drain out of it, the arms lift towards a dull mid-brown, and the whole piece starts to look dry even when it is perfectly sound underneath. This dark brown furniture care cream is what puts both the colour and the suppleness back.

It is Famaco’s Leather Balm Care Cream in shade 337, a 300ml pot built on beeswax, mink oil and carnauba wax. The oils penetrate and soften, the waxes protect the surface and finish it with a quiet sheen, and the dark brown pigment restores the depth on the panels that have thinned out with use.

It is made for furniture, but it works just as well on dark brown bags, belts and smooth leather shoes.

Why choose the Famaco dark brown furniture care cream?

• Brings the warmth back. Shade 337 restores the depth that dark brown loses first, which is why a treated arm suddenly matches the back panel it stopped matching two years ago.
• Feeds as well as it colours. Mink oil and beeswax go into the hide rather than sitting on it, keeping the leather supple and slowing the cracking that starts along the flex lines of a well-used cushion.
• No transfer onto clothing. Worked in and buffed, this balm stays where you put it, which is the reason it belongs on a sofa and a pigmented shoe cream does not.
• A soft sheen, not a shine. The carnauba gives a low, natural finish. Furniture that gleams looks like it has been sprayed with something; furniture treated with this simply looks cared for.
• A generous 300ml pot. Comfortably enough for a three-seater and a pair of armchairs, and it keeps perfectly well between treatments.
• No harsh chemical smell. Important on something you sit on every evening, and one of the details that separates a furniture balm from a general-purpose leather product.

How to use the Famaco dark brown furniture care cream

Match the shade before you commit. Dark brown covers a wide range of tones, and ten minutes on a hidden panel is far cheaper than a sofa you are unhappy with.

1. Vacuum the piece first, cushions out and seams included, then wipe the leather down with a barely damp cloth.
2. Let it dry completely before you start. Balm applied over damp leather seals the moisture in.
3. Test on the back of the piece or under a cushion and let the test patch dry fully before judging the colour.
4. Take a small amount onto a soft, lint-free cloth and work it in with circular movements, panel by panel.
5. Build the colour with two thin coats rather than one heavy one, giving each coat several minutes to be absorbed.
6. Buff with a clean dry cloth until nothing lifts onto it, then repeat the treatment every three to six months.

My tip from behind the counter

Work with the light, not against it. Stand so a window or lamp rakes across the panel you are treating and you will see instantly where the balm has gone on thin and where it has pooled in a seam. Dark brown hides unevenness while it is wet and shows every bit of it once dry, so five seconds of checking as you go saves you going back over a whole arm later. Keep a second dry cloth in your other hand for exactly that.

Specifications

• Volume: 300ml pot
• Shade: 337 Dark Brown
• Type: Nourishing and recolouring leather balm for furniture
• Key ingredients: Beeswax, mink oil and carnauba wax
• Suitable for: Dark brown leather furniture, car seats, bags, jackets, belts and smooth leather shoes
• Not suitable for: Suede, nubuck and unfinished aniline leather without testing first
• Treatment interval: Every 3 to 6 months
• Article code: Famaco-Baume-337
• Brand: Famaco, Paris, since 1931
• Price: £16.99

Frequently asked questions

Will 337 match my chocolate brown sofa?

Dark brown is a broad family, so test it. Because this is a pigmented care cream rather than a dye, it tops up the colour already in the leather instead of overriding it, which means a small mismatch tends to blend rather than shout. On a genuinely chocolate hide it usually sits very well; on a warm tan it would be too dark.

Can I use it on shoes as well?

Yes, on smooth leather shoes and boots it works perfectly well as a nourishing cream. Bear in mind it is formulated for furniture, so it is richer and less about high shine than a dedicated shoe cream. For a mirror finish on a dress shoe you would still want a wax polish over the top.

What if the leather has cracked already?

Feeding it will make cracked leather look considerably better and stop the damage spreading, but nothing in a pot will close a crack that has gone through the finish. Treat it more often, keep it out of direct sun, and accept the patina. Prevention is where this balm really earns its money.

Where can I buy the Famaco dark brown furniture care cream 337 in the UK?

You can order the Famaco dark brown furniture care cream 337 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.