How to: Applying Leather Cream To Your Leather Products

🕤 3 min read

Here at Pure Luxuries we are a huge advocate for taking care of leather so that it can last and last. A little love and care every six months or so depending on use and the season is key to a well loved accessory. 

As we get into spring and the weather is as unpredictable as ever, we can take the time to care for our leather goods. Having a routine is a must for retaining the natural look and texture and avoids your bags, wallets, or purses from looking dull and worn out.

Wipe Clean Only

Starting with the basics - all our leather items are wipe clean only. They don’t require hand washing and certainly shouldn’t be put in the washing machine. Any dirt should be simply wiped away. All that is needed is a little warm water and gently applied with a damp cloth.

When wiping you should follow the grain of the item to avoid ruining the luxuriously textured finish of the leather. Ideally, this should be done once a week to maintain a ‘new bag’ look and rid the bag of any dirt which it may have acquired from day-to-day use.

Understand your Leather

Across our collections, we have a wide range of different leather types that require different levels of attention. The extensively vegetable tanned leather of our Conkca's women's bags means that it already has protective sheen so no love and care is needed until it has worn down a little with use. 

On the other hand, our range of Conkca's men's bags will need a little more love and care to bring out the distinctive characterful markings and ageing look. 

With our other ranges, they are similar to the Conkca men's range as they feature similarly natural leather without a protective sheen. 

Test before applying

With leather being a natural material, it can vary from product to product so that means not every product is going to react the same way. When applying any leather cream or protective spray, we suggest applying with a cloth on a small hidden part of the bag.

This allows you to check that it doesn't discolour your product before applying with a cloth all over the product. 

Have a routine

Leather is a high maintenance material and as such needs love and care to be at its most beautiful and stylish. Such a routine needs to be set with any leather product, using high quality waxes and creams. It is also important, especially with wallets and purses, to ensure they are not overfilled - otherwise the leather may stretch and may be prevented from springing back to the original form.

Every three to six months, dependant on the time of year, the leather needs an application of conditioner to stop the bag from drying out and cracking. A thin layer of the cream conditioner will soak into the material and will nourish and revive the leather colour. 

Finally, a wax polish is required every nine to twelve months to give the leather a classic bright shine and a renewed look. Before using any of the aforementioned products, we suggest that you complete a ‘spot check’ somewhere hidden on the product. As some waxes will likely change the colour of the leather, a test run allows you to see if you like the new look.

Apply The Cream

Whether one of our leather bags, wallets, purses or belts or even that leather accessory bought from elsewhere such as shoes. It truly is the perfect all rounder.

Below are step by step instructions on how to apply it to your accessory.

  1. Wipe clean the bag with a clean cloth
  2. Find a small hidden part of the bag to test the product on
  3. Apply a small amount of the product and buff it into the leather 
  4. Leave this to dry and come back to check for any change in colour
  5. Make sure you are happy with the area it was applied to
  6. Apply all over the accessory with a cloth as before and buff it in ensuring even coverage (always remember a little goes a long way) 
  7. Leave to dry and check 
  8. Repeat the process every 6 months or so depending on wear to really bring out the natural patina of the leather. 

Our team has put together a quick instructional video showing how to apply it below and just some of the reasons it should be applied. 

What to do when they aren’t in use?

When your leather bag is not the perfect match for your outfit, the worst thing that you can do is throw it to the bottom of your wardrobe. It still needs love and care when not in use. Use these quick tips to keep your valued leather possessions in the best condition:

  • Fill your bag with some of your unwanted clothes or fabrics so that the bag keeps its shape and avoids becoming a scrunched up mess in your wardrobe
  • Avoid keeping your bags in direct sunlight as it can alter the colour of the product and dry it out quickly
  • All leather products need to be stored in a fabric bag when not in use to protect from dust and keeps the leather pristine
  • Leather needs to breathe just like any material so it’s important to take your leather items out of storage to let it ventilate to prevent a build-up of mildew

With these tips, your leather items should be kept looking as special as they did the day they were delivered. We hope this helps create the perfect routine for any leather goods you own to make them last as leather should. 

To claim a free jar of our Neutral Leather Cream, simply add to your basket on orders over £20 and enter discount code CREAM20. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other discounts or outlet/sale items - must spend a minimum of £20 for the offer to be applied. Discount code expires 31st March at 11:59pm. 

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