Marla Brandy Shoe Polish 043 – 50ml Beeswax Cream for Smooth Leather

Description

Marla Brandy Shoe Polish 043 – warm reddish brown, back where it belongs

Brandy is one of those shades that is hard to name and easy to recognise: a warm reddish mid-brown, the colour of a good cognac boot or a tan brogue that has darkened nicely with age. When it fades it turns dusty and slightly orange, and an ordinary brown polish makes it worse by dragging it towards chocolate. A brandy shoe polish keeps the warmth.

Marla build this cream on beeswax, which is exactly what you want in a maintenance polish. The wax goes into the leather, keeps the fibres supple and leaves a film that shrugs off a light shower. Alongside it sits enough pigment to restore the shade and hide the small scratches that collect along the toe cap.

It is a straightforward, honest product at £5.95 for a 50ml jar, and it is the cream I hand to people who wear brown leather every day and want it looking well without a weekend project. Clean, apply thinly, wait a quarter of an hour, buff.

It is for smooth leather only, and it works equally happily on shoes, boots, bags and belts. Marla make this cream in a remarkably long list of shades, which is why I can usually match a colour rather than settle for near enough.

Why choose Marla brandy shoe polish?

• Beeswax feeds the leather properly. This is a nourishing cream rather than a surface tint. The wax keeps the fibres supple, which is what stops flex creases turning into cracks.
• The right kind of brown. Brandy holds its warm reddish note, so a cognac or warm tan pair is refreshed rather than pushed towards a flat dark chocolate.
• It hides the small stuff. Fine scratches and pale rub marks on toe caps and heels are covered by the pigment, which is most of what makes a pair look neglected.
• A light water-repellent film. Once buffed, the wax gives useful protection against a passing shower without sealing the leather off completely.
• Quick and undemanding. Fifteen minutes of drying and a buff with a cloth, and you have a smart pair again. No brushes full of a dozen colours required.
• Excellent value at under six pounds. A 50ml jar lasts a long time when you apply it thinly, and it works on shoes, boots, bags and belts alike.

How to use Marla brandy shoe polish

1. Brush the dirt off first with a shoe brush and let damp shoes dry naturally. Polish over grit is wasted polish.
2. Take a little cream onto a polishing cloth or an application brush. A thin layer is what you are aiming for.
3. Work it into the leather in circular movements, panel by panel, and be careful not to load cream into the welt stitching.
4. Give the toe cap and heel counter a second light pass, as this is where the brandy tone fades first.
5. Let the polish dry for about fifteen minutes.
6. Buff it out with a polishing cloth or a horsehair brush until you have an even shine.

Test on a hidden spot first if your leather is much lighter than brandy, since a pigmented cream always deepens the shade slightly. On very pale tan, a colourless cream plus a brandy cream on the toes gives a gentler result.

Specifications

• Volume: 50ml jar
• Colour: Brandy, shade 043
• Type: Pigmented beeswax maintenance cream
• Key ingredient: Beeswax
• Suitable for: All smooth leather shoes, boots, bags and belts
• Not suitable for: Suede, nubuck and patent leather
• Brand: Marla
• Price: £5.95

Frequently asked questions

Is brandy the same as cognac?

Very close. Brandy sits a touch deeper and slightly redder than most cognacs, which makes it a good match for a tan pair that has darkened with wear.

Shoe cream or wax polish, which do I want?

A cream like this one for feeding and colour, which is the weekly job. A hard wax on top only if you want to build a mirror shine on the toe cap.

Will it come off on my hands?

Not after a proper buff. Let it dry the full fifteen minutes and take the excess off with a cloth and the finish stays where it should.

Can I use it on a leather bag?

Yes, sparingly. Work a very thin layer in with a cloth, keep it away from any fabric lining and buff well before the bag goes near your clothes.

Where can I buy the Marla brandy shoe polish in the UK?

You can order the Marla brandy shoe polish 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. Marla make this cream in a very wide range of shades, so if brandy is not quite right I can almost certainly find the one that is.