Famaco Sil Best Havana Shoe Cream Tube 322 – 75ml with Sponge

Description

Famaco Sil Best Havana Shoe Cream Tube 322 – 75ml with Sponge — warm mid-brown, straight from the tube

Havana is the brown that mid-brown shoes want to be. It is the warm, tobacco-leaf tone that a good calf upper starts out with and slowly loses, going first slightly grey in the creases and then flat and dull across the whole vamp. A neutral cream will feed that leather but it will not put the warmth back. Pigment will.

This havana Sil Best shoe cream comes in a 75ml tube with a sponge applicator built into the cap, so there is no cloth, no jar and no brown fingertips. You squeeze, glide and buff. The Sil Best formula behind it is a rich beauty cream built on carnauba wax and beeswax with nourishing oils, so it feeds the leather deeply, keeps it supple and leaves just enough wax on the surface to buff up to a soft sheen.

Famaco have made their leather care at their own factory near Paris since 1931, and Sil Best is one of the reasons cobblers keep the brand on the shelf.

Why choose the Famaco Sil Best havana shoe cream?

• Restores warmth, not just depth. Shade 322 tops up the reddish tobacco tone that fades out of mid-brown calf, so the shoes read as a proper havana rather than a tired, greyish brown.
• Feeds as well as it colours. Carnauba wax, beeswax and nourishing oils sink into the leather and keep it flexible, which is what prevents cracking along the vamp creases.
• Sponge applicator in the cap. No cloth, no brush and nothing to wash up afterwards. The sponge spreads a thin, even film, which is exactly how a shoe cream should go on.
• Shines and helps repel water. The wax content buffs up to a soft, dressy sheen under a brush and gives the surface some genuine resistance to a rainy walk to the office.
• Made in France since 1931. Famaco still make their creams at their own factory near Paris, and the consistency of the Sil Best line is why the trade trusts it.
• Tidy enough to travel. A 75ml tube slips into a weekend bag or a desk drawer, which a glass jar and a set of brushes never will. It is the kit you actually take with you.

How to use the Famaco Sil Best havana shoe cream

Five minutes, twice a month, is all a pair of brown shoes really asks for. Do it the evening before you plan to wear them if you can.

1. Remove the laces and brush the shoes down with a horsehair brush to clear off loose dirt and dust.
2. Wipe away old polish and grime with a leather cleaner, then let the leather dry at room temperature.
3. Squeeze a small amount of cream onto the sponge cap and glide it over one shoe in thin, even strokes.
4. Work the cream into the creases across the vamp and around the welt, where fading always shows itself first.
5. Leave it to absorb for 10 to 15 minutes so the oils and pigment can settle properly into the leather.
6. Buff with a horsehair brush and finish with a soft cloth for a deeper, more even sheen.

My tip from behind the counter

A tube this size lasts far longer than people expect, because the sponge tempts you into using too much rather than too little. A blob the size of a pea does one shoe comfortably. If the leather still looks hungry after buffing, give it a second thin coat rather than a thick first one. And do keep it to smooth leather. A pigmented wax cream will flatten the nap of suede or nubuck and that is very hard to undo.

Specifications

• Volume: 75ml tube with sponge applicator cap
• Type: Pigmented beauty cream for smooth leather
• Shade: 322 Havana, a warm mid-brown, also listed as medium brown
• Suitable for: Smooth leather shoes, boots, bags and small leather goods
• Not suitable for: Suede, nubuck and other napped leathers
• Brand: Famaco, made in France since 1931

Frequently asked questions

Is havana the same as medium brown?

Broadly yes. Famaco name shade 322 havana after the tobacco leaf, and it sits in the mid-brown range with a warm, slightly reddish cast. Some catalogues simply list it as medium brown, and one or two as dark tan havana.

Can I use it on suede or nubuck?

No, and this is the one thing worth being firm about. A pigmented wax cream will mat down the nap and leave a shine you cannot brush out. Napped leather needs a suede spray or a colour reviver instead.

How often should I use it?

Every eight to ten wears is a sensible rhythm for shoes in office rotation, and rather more often through winter. The leather will tell you: when the surface looks dry and the creases go slightly chalky, it is ready for a feed.

Where can I buy Famaco Sil Best shoe cream in havana in the UK?

You can order Famaco Sil Best shoe cream in havana 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.