Marla Camel Shoe Polish 006 – 50ml Beeswax Cream for Smooth Leather

Description

Marla Camel Shoe Polish 006 – 50ml Beeswax Cream for Smooth Leather – the warm mid-tan that most brown polishes get wrong

Camel is one of those shades that a standard brown polish ruins. It sits lighter and warmer than a medium brown and has none of the red that runs through a cognac, so reach for the wrong tin and a lovely pair of tan Chelsea boots comes out looking muddy.

Marla Shoe Polish is a straightforward, honest maintenance cream built on beeswax, and camel 006 is the shade that keeps tan leather looking like tan leather. It nourishes the hide, protects against water and dirt, and puts pigment back into the pale creases and rubbed toe caps that make a good pair look older than it is.

It comes in a 50ml tin at £5.95, which makes it one of the best-value things on the shelf. Marla produce this in fifty shades, so if you have a wardrobe of browns you can match each pair properly rather than compromising on one tin for all of them.

Why choose the Marla Camel Shoe Polish?

What you get from a simple beeswax cream done well.

• The right warm tan. Camel 006 is a light, warm mid-tan with no red in it, which is exactly what camel, sand and honey-tan leather need and exactly what a standard brown gets wrong.
• Beeswax nourishment. Natural wax keeps the fibres supple so the leather creases softly rather than cracking along the flex lines behind the toe.
• Real water and dirt protection. The wax film beads off rain and stops city grime working into the grain, which is what keeps light tan leather looking clean.
• It revives faded tones. Enough pigment to even out bleached toe caps and pale creases, without the opacity of a repair cream that would mask the grain.
• Excellent value. At £5.95 a tin, and used a small amount at a time, this will smarten a pair of shoes many times over. Fifty shades in the range means you can match rather than compromise.

How to use the Marla Camel Shoe Polish

Thin layers, fifteen minutes, then buff. The whole job takes less time than a cup of tea.

1. Brush the dirt off the shoes first, so nothing gritty gets polished back into the leather.
2. Take a little polish onto a polishing cloth or a dauber brush – a small amount goes a surprisingly long way.
3. Work a thin layer into the leather with circular movements, panel by panel, taking in the welt and the heel.
4. Pay extra attention to the flex crease behind the toe and the heel counter, where the shade fades first.
5. Let the polish dry for around fifteen minutes so the wax can settle into the grain.
6. Buff it out briskly with a polishing cloth or a polishing brush – the warmth of the friction is what brings up the shine.

My tip from behind the counter

Test camel against your leather in daylight before you commit, and always judge it dry. Tan is the trickiest family of shades to match: what looks right under a kitchen light can read distinctly yellow outdoors. Start on the inside of the heel, and if you are between camel and a light brown, go with the lighter tin. Pigment builds up with every polish, so a shade that starts slightly light settles in beautifully after two or three applications, whereas one that starts too dark can never be lifted back out.

Specifications

• Volume: 50ml tin
• Shade: 006 Camel – light warm tan
• Type: Nourishing beeswax shoe polish (maintenance cream)
• Suitable for: All types of smooth leather shoes, boots, bags and belts
• Not suitable for: Suede, nubuck and patent leather
• Drying time: Around 15 minutes before buffing
• Range: Available in 50 shades
• Brand: Marla
• Price: £5.95

Frequently asked questions

Is camel the same as cognac or tan?

Not quite. Camel is lighter and warmer than a cognac, which carries a distinct red note, and it is lighter than a mid-tan. If your boots read as sandy or honey-coloured rather than reddish, camel is the tin you want.

Will it darken my shoes?

Very slightly on the first application, as any pigmented cream will, and then it settles. Because it is a cream rather than an opaque paint it blends with what is underneath instead of masking it, so small differences even out after a wear or two.

How often should I polish?

For shoes in regular use, every couple of weeks keeps the leather fed and the shade even. Anything more often simply builds up wax that eventually needs stripping off with a cleaner.

Where can I buy Marla Camel Shoe Polish 006 in the UK?

You can order Marla Camel Shoe Polish 006 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.