Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

If you’re like me, then you recently bought a new pair of boots and want to make sure they last. You are reading these reviews because you are worried that if you apply mink oil to your new boots, it’s going to react in a weird way and destroy them. I’ve used mink oil many times in the past so I can tell you this… If you purchased a lighter colored boot, the mink oil WILL make your boots darker. There is no way around this, the mink oil is being absorbed into the leather. In my case, I knew this would happen, and was quite pleased with the outcome. In my picture, you can see that the difference between the original shade of leather and the change after an application of mink oil is quite noticeable, however I prefer the boots a little darker. The leather will now be protected from the elements, will be easier to clean and will last much longer. Just know that if you have Timberlands, CATS, work boots etc in a lighter color like wheat or honey, your boots WILL darken. Stop reading multiple reviews in the hopes that someone will tell you their boots didn’t darken. It’s NOT the case, they WILL darken. The lighter the boot, the more impact it will have on the color. In my experience, mink oil has had little to no color change on a black or dark brown boot. I’ve heard of waterproofing sprays that will protect your boots without changing the color/shade, just know that those sprays are putting a sealer on top of the leather, they are not conditioning the leather as mink oil does. If you can live with the fact that the mink oil will darken the color of your boots, then it is the best choice for conditioning. The easiest way to apply is just put on a latex glove, scoop some out of the tin, and work it into the leather. Wait 5 minutes and buff off the excess with a shoe sponge or lint free cloth (don’t use paper towel, it will be a mess). I rarely write reviews, I was just surprised that no one had posted an example of the color change on a lighter colored pair of work boots, so figured I’d do so. Hopefully this review helped someone. Good luck.