Shoe cream and polish

Using shoe cream and wax polish of the highest quality gives your shoes the best possible care and protection, while at the same time making the work maintaining your shoes easier and more fun. We offer a wide range of products from among others Saphir Medaille d’Or.

Saphir is one of the oldest still existing manufacturers of shoe care products in the world. In 1925 they won a gold medal at the famous retail event Foire de Paris for its high quality all natural shoe care products, and when they started producing these they were named Medaille d'Or 1925. Also today the base products are made to the same recipes. Apart from these Medaille d'Or series has a bunch of other products, and it has become the number one choice for shoe lovers all around the world.

How often should I polish my shoes?

It depends on how often they are used, and what they are exposed to. But it's usually a good idea to polish your shoes at least every 1-2 months, more often if you feel they need it, less often if they are not worn often and/or are worn mainly in gentle contexts.

Why should I use shoe cream?

Shoe cream, which is usually found in glass jars or tubes, both conditions and moisturises, protects and adds some shine, as well as covering marks and recolouring if it's pigmented. Shoe cream is the product you should always use on your leather shoes to make them last, other products such as conditioners and wax polish are also good for some purposes, but shoe cream is the universal product that does all the essentials and should not be skipped.

The shoe cream contains oils that provide the leather with necessary nourishing and conditioning substances that prevent cracking and keep it soft and supple, it has wax that forms a protective film and also adds shine, and it has pigments so it covers marks and restores the colour of the shoes. At Skolyx you'll find Saphir Medaille d'Or Crème Pommadier, considered by many to be the world's best shoe cream, which lasts a long time and is easy to work with, and contains only all-natural ingredients.

Why use wax polish?

Shoe wax, which is sold in flat tin cans, provides some care but mainly protection and shine. It's best used after shoe cream to increase protection against water and dirt, and to add shine. It's with shoe polish that you can work up a so-called spit-shine on the toe and, if you wish, the heel, the parts that do not move on the shoe, by applying many thin layers of wax. Read more about it below. We at Skolyx sell Saphir Medaille d'Or Pate de Lux wax polish, and Mirror Gloss from the same brand, high quality products made only from natural ingredients.

What is the difference between shoe cream and shoe polish?

Many people confuse shoe cream and shoe polish, but the cream is greasier and looser in texture, like a skin cream, and is almost always sold in glass jars or in tubes. Shoe polishes are solid in consistency like a hard soap, and are the ones that are always available in flat tin cans. Many people think that wax polish is the equivalent of shoe cream (some retailers with poor knowledge even sell wax polish under the name shoe cream) and use it as the only product on their shoes, it's better than nothing but as mentioned above, shoe cream is definitely the product you should always use to care for your leather shoes.

How to use shoe cream?

If you use Saphir Medaille d'Or Crème Pommadier, it's a shoe cream that lasts a long time, so use small amounts and spread thinly over the shoe, either with a polishing cloth or an applicator brush. Also use the brush in the area between the uppers and the soles, and don't forget the sole and heel edges if they are partially or fully leather. Let the shoe rest for 5-10 minutes, then brush off any excess and bring out the shine with a shoe brush. If the shoes have a lot of marks or have not been cared for for a long time and the leather is dry, you can apply 1-2 more coats following the same procedure.

How to use shoe polish, and polish up a high shine?

Use a polishing cloth and, with light, quick circular motions, spread a thin layer of wax on the shoe, dipping the cloth in water or dabbing water on the shoe to reduce friction. Can also be used on the sole and heel edges for shine there. You can apply a maximum of a couple of coats all over the shoe, but no more on the moving parts of the shoe as the wax surface cracks easily there. Let the shoe rest for at least 5-10 minutes and then brush with a shoe brush.

On top of the hard heel cap and not least over the toe stiffener, you can build up a real high gloss with several thin layers of wax polish, if desired. A so-called "spit shine" or "high shine". Continue with small drops of water and thin coats of wax, pausing occasionally to let dry and brush up the finish again, ideally now with a goat hair shoe brush that won't scratch the glossy finish. Finish off with a nylon sock or similar for the final touch.

Does shoe cream and wax polish contain solvents?

Yes, in many cases solvents are required to prevent the products from becoming gritty and very difficult to use. In the case of Saphir Medaille d'Or the solvent is usually turpentine, it is a natural resin from pine trees, some find it smells strong others love the smell. The main disadvantage of turpentine is that it is flammable, so you can't carry these on planes. That's why Saphir also has a Traveler's Pate de Lux that doesn't contain turpentine.

Read more about shoe care in our guides here.