Hello leather aficionados! We've been receiving a lot of questions about this recently, so today's blog is all about giving you a double-decker helping of know-how for the where and when to Healing Balm. Should I use Healing Balm on my purse? On my couch? On leather that was conditioned last month, or last decade? Read on!

Healing Balm is, first and foremost, a heavy-duty restoration formula. What this is means is that if you have leather that's been heavily scratched up, is dry to the point of cracking, has been neglected for years, or has similar ailments of greater disrepair - Healing Balm is the right formula for the job. This formula has a thick, paste-like consistency that designed to focus on leather's surface aesthetic better than regular conditioners, and fill leather's pores with dense, bountiful amounts of conditioner to get its texture back on track.

All of this said, Healing Balm will function a little bit differently than regular leather conditioners (like Leather Care Liniment or Furniture Treatment). Regular leather conditioners - of which Healing Balm is not one - are all about slowly filling up leather's pores with gentle amounts of thin, cream-like formula that aim to soften and nourish your leather below its pores first, and fix its surface second. Because regular conditioners have a much softer consistency than Healing Balm - as they need to work on as many leather types as possible - they are less effective at fixing things like scratches and cuts you'll find on leather's surface. It is for this task that Healing Balm exists to excel.

That's not to say Healing Balm cannot be used for everyday leather conditioning. Time and again Healing Balm has been tested on leather ranging from purses to car seats, to great results (and accolades). Healing Balm is a great conditioner for your leather, be it a few days old or a few decades, brand new or tearing itself to pieces from neglect. However, this formula is best suited for full grain leather items, and if you plan to use it on leather that isn't already pretty dry or in poor condition, your leather will greatly benefit if you follow these guidelines:

Might Makes Delight - The tougher your leather, the better Healing Balm's results will be. This means full grain leathers, finished leathers, cowhide, etc. For more information about leather makes and how to find out what kind you have, visit our blog: Identify Leather Types: Leather Cuts.

You Can Add More, But You Can't Add Less - Healing Balm can darken your leather. This can best be avoided by using Healing Balm gently, and testing it first in a discreet area. It your leather is unfinished, is is important to test the recipe first in multiple discreet areas on your leather, as the formula may absorb differently in different places, depending on the grain.

Too Much of a Good Thing - Healing Balm can give your leather a tacky or dull finish if you aren't careful. This happens when leather is exposed to too much conditioner at once, and the oils become blocked up as they try to travel down the leather's pores. Because Healing Balm's paste-like consistency is designed to better adhere to leather's surface, helping it to treat scratches and cuts and other surface deformities better than other conditioners, it is easier to wind up with a tacky finish using Healing Balm than other leather conditioners. If you put too much Healing Balm on your leather, it will mess up its surface (read about how to fix tacky leather here). You can prevent pore blockage from happening by applying your conditioner in light, even layers, giving only as much conditioner as naturally absorbs at a time.

Two are Better Than One! - Healing Balm works really well as a supplement. When you have wounded leather that's suffered a recent nasty scratch or has simply been neglected for too long, use Healing Balm to nurse it back to health. After the leather's back in form, revert to a gentler formula, like Leather Care Liniment or Furniture Treatment, when performing routine conditioning. These formulas are designed to maintain everyday leather, and will be easier to use for this task.

Knowledge is Power - Read our Healing Balm Guide for more detailed information and purchasing recommendations, or send us a message through our customer service channel. We love hearing from you!