4-Ingredient DIY Leather Bag Polish

BY Buffalo Jackson Insight

BY Amanda Uher

When you invest in a quality leather product, it’s worth your time to keep it looking—and feeling—great. Conditioning your leather is a crucial practice. A good conditioning polish will lubricate the leather fibers, protect the surface of the leather from stains, and enhance the shine and patina. Unfortunately, high-quality leather polish and conditioner can be costly, so if you’re up for some DIY adventure, give this 4-ingredient homemade leather bag polish a try.

Supplies:

- Measuring cup

- Measuring spoons

- Medium saucepan

- Wooden spoon

- Tins to contain polish (heat-resistant plastic will also work)

Ingredients:

- Solid Beeswax (protects)

- Coconut butter or Shea butter (conditions)

- Sweet almond oil (softens & moisturizes) (substitute grapeseed oil if you have a nut allergy)

- Castor oil (shines)

Instructions:

- Measure your ingredients using a [½ part butter: ½ part beeswax: 2 parts oil] ratio to start.

For example:

- 2 Tbsp beeswax

- 2 Tbsp coconut/shea butter

- ¼ cup sweet almond oil

- ¼ cup castor oil

- Melt beeswax and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning or boiling. - Keep stirring and add the sweet almond oil.

- After sweet almond oil is fully blended, add castor oil. Stir until well blended.

- Continue to heat for 4-5 minutes, but do not allow it to boil.

- Pour mixture into empty tins, filling to about ⅛” from the top and allow to cool.

You can adjust the ratio of your recipe depending on how firm you want your polish. More beeswax/butter will result in a firmer polish; more oil will result in softer. Most importantly, remember to always spot test any products - homemade or otherwise - in an inconspicuous area of your leather bag.