Make Your Own Leather Balms: 3 Homemade Recipes
To care for leather and deeply nourish it to restore its shine and color, you don’t need to buy commercial products. With a few easy-to-find natural ingredients, you can make effective balms that are gentle on leather, kind to the environment, and easy on your wallet.
Here are the three recipes I use on vegetable-tanned leather. You can use them on all types of vegetable-tanned leather goods (leather goods, shoes, accessories, etc.).
Before you begin
My goal here is to share three recipes that you can easily make at home to suit your needs:
A daily care balm to keep leather supple and clean.
A nourishing balm to revitalize dry or aged leather.
A finishing wax to protect and add shine.
Equipment
A kitchen scale.
A saucepan for making a double boiler.
A wooden spatula.
Glass jars, 50–120 ml, with lids (e.g., jam jars).
Recipe 1 — Daily Care Balm
The goal of this recipe is to provide regular maintenance, keep the leather supple, and restore some of its shine.
Ingredients (per 100 g)
60 g jojoba oil (or sweet almond oil)
30 g of beeswax
10 g of shea butter
Production
Gently melt the beeswax and shea butter in a double boiler.
Add the oil and mix well.
Pour into a clean jar and let it set for a few hours. Note: Wait 2 or 3 hours before closing the jar.
Directions: Apply a thin layer with a soft cloth, let it sit for a few minutes, then buff to a shine.
Recipe 2 — Nourishing Balm (for dry or aged leather)
Objective : deeply nourish, restore suppleness.
Ingredients ( per 100 g)
50 g shea butter
30 g sweet almond oil
10 g of jojoba oil
10 g of beeswax
Production
Melt the butter and beeswax in a double boiler.
Remove from the heat, add the oil, and stir.
Pour into a jar and let cool. Note: Wait 2 or 3 hours before closing the jar.
Directions: Apply a small amount, let it soak in overnight, then wipe off any excess and buff vigorously. Use occasionally.
Recipe 3 — Finishing Wax (Shine and Protection)
Purpose: to add shine and protect against humidity.
Ingredients (per 100 g)
60 g of beeswax
30 g jojoba oil (or sweet almond oil)
10 g coconut oil
Production
Melt the wax and coconut oil in a double boiler.
Add the jojoba oil and mix well.
Let it cool before closing the jar.
Directions: Apply a very thin coat, let dry for 10 minutes, then buff with a soft brush.
A few tips
Always work on clean, dry leather. If there are any stains on your leather, you can remove them using a clean, slightly damp cloth.
Test the balm on a small, inconspicuous area before use.
Use small amounts; it's better to apply several thin layers.
Store your jars away from light and heat.
