Vintage Child x Sugsean "Drake" Leather Weekend Bag with 2 end Flap Pockets
“Winter’s gift to me: Chapped lips and dry skin” Rohini
Tough conditions: You’re in the depths of winter, maybe there’s a pandemic going on around you, you wash, sanitise, go outside in the cold wind. It’s no wonder that our skin get’s dry and sore. We are all aware of the benefits of looking after our skin, we wash, tone, moisturise, some of us even pay to have facials. Ultimately, the more careful we are with our skin the better it is going to age. That’s not to say it won’t age, but it will form a beautiful patina of laughter and smile lines that tell our life story. Leather is a hardy material that can last for years, as with our own skin, but treating your leather bag right will ensure that it serves you well for years to come. Caring for your leather holdall in the right way will ensure it develops the same beautiful patina that our faces do.
Vintage Child x Sugsean "Drake" Leather Weekend Bag with 2 end Flap Pockets
“Beauty is in the skin! Take care of it, oil it, clean it, scrub it, perfume it”
― Fatima Mernissi
Take care: When our hands get dry, maybe we have some cracks between our fingers or irritable skin on the back, we reach for the hand lotion. The same logic applies to leather, be it a pair of shoes, a leather sofa, our favourite leather holdall. If our leather is exposed to conditions, like humidity, dampness or low temperatures, then it will need some treatment for protection and to retain its natural oils. In addition to regularly cleaning your beloved weekend bag with a dry brush or cloth it makes sense to nourish it with a good wax to keep it supple for the long haul.
Vintage Child x Sugsean "Drake" Leather Weekend Bag with 2 end Flap Pockets
“I had to learn the hard way that treating the skin like an A-bomb drop zone is completely counterproductive. And through my healing journey, I've discovered something miraculous: that moisturizers can heal in unimaginable ways.”
― Yancy Lael, Soulful Skincare
Be gentle: Stripping your leather from its natural state is not going to do your bag any favours, the cardinal rule: stay away from soap, and here’s a bit of science to convince you:
Leather has a slightly acidic pH level of 4.5, our skin is around pH 5-5.5. A gentle washing up liquid comes in at somewhere between pH 7-8, hand soaps are about pH 9 and most multi -purpose cleaners are reaching a pH of around 10. Even Dove, which markets itself as a “pH balanced” product is about a pH 6 which is still far too alkaline to truly be good for our skin or our leather bag.
Vintage Child x Sugsean "Drake" Leather Weekend Bag with 2 end Flap Pockets
“Skin care must be good enough to eat!”
― Joanna Runciman, The Radiant Woman's Handbook
Go natural: we are relentless told to eat, drink and buy natural, fresh, organic and chemical free. The natural food, wine and skincare industry is booming and there’s a good reason for it, because it’s good for you. The same should apply to your leather care, going natural for your skincare routine and your leather-care routine will ensure it is nourished and looking in tip top condition. We say it time and again that beeswax is our favourite leather treatment so try to buy products that include a portion of this luxurious ingredient.
Vintage Child x Sugsean "Drake" Leather Weekend Bag with 2 end Flap Pockets