Bring on the shine, with Carnauba Body Wax

I love our Carnauba Body Wax, which was created to appease fussy enthusiasts who wanted a seriously easy-to-use product that gives stunning results. It's a hand crafted gem that we have perfected over the last 15 years to work in our non-abrasive paint care system.  

What are sealants, coatings and waxes?

A lot of names are thrown around when it comes to this process which we call paint protection. Being in the industry, I try to define each for what they are. This is not as easy as you may think, due to the marketing men stepping in when the chemists step out. So the lines between these types of product are sometimes well and truly blurred.

A sealant, is a substitute to a wax, relying mostly on synthetic ingredients to create a protective barrier. We find they don't quite have the deep, natural look that a quality carnauba wax can offer, but they can offer longer durability. This is why we developed our Fully Slick protective detailing spray, and Bead Machine super hydrophobic paint sealant. Fully Slick and Bead Machine contain several synthetic polymer compounds that bond with the paint surface to create a powerful shield of protection against everyday road dirt and grime. They also create some of the best bead porn you've ever seen. It took us months of testing many different formulations before we were happy with the final iteration of each product.

A coating, such as those used by many "paint protection" companies, that use nanotechnology based SiO2 and TiO2 based ceramic, glass, titanium etc coatings. They are quite expensive and require a many step surface preparation process that can really damage your paint if you happen to stuff it up (never use them on original single stage or enamel paints). They should only be applied by experienced and accredited professionals. Now we do see some very cool points with many of them (like the water beading and longevity), but we are still yet to see one that will offer enthusiasts a 100% effective protection system against ALL the environmental elements.

Now add in that there are currently huge on-going debates about the safety of human health with nanotechnology. We have been looking deeply at the development of this for over 8 years now and even our research chemists still cannot tell us what these ingredients could do to us in the years to come. So we are happy just sitting on the fence, waiting for there to be a research paper that can tell us they are 100% safe. So in a practical sense, there are more cost effective and safer options (like we are about to show you) that any car enthusiast can easily do by themselves.

Waxes are a cost effective, sacrificial, oil based protective barrier for the surface of your car. This protective barrier contains a degree of naturally sourced wax, usually of the carnauba type. Carnauba wax is the most naturally hard wax. It comes in flakes from a palm, Copernicia Prunifera, that's native to northeastern Brazil (yes it's a Brazilian wax) and it's the main reason why these waxes give paints such a beautiful, warm glow. We are big fans of waxing with this type of product! Before we were blending our own, we were using different high end European and USA made waxes (that make out they are European), but the bills we received for them were horrendous and not worth it, especially since we worked out how to make our own. So our wax is aimed at matching the top European brands with its hand made quality, while still being affordable and accessible for all passionate car enthusiasts. This is where our Carnauba Body Wax and Lazy Wax come into play. Developed from the start with the consumer in mind - both products are super easy to use, give a phenomenal glow and finish, and are safe for continued and repeated use.

Expensive certainly doesn't mean better

One of those European based companies starts their "How to" section by stating how your cars' finish says a lot about you as a person, so you should take extra care with what kind of products you use. While I think they were pandering to a slightly more vain market than Australia with that little ditty, I do agree with them to a certain degree. What they omitted though was that the majority of the waxes on the market will do the same job their $1200 tub of wax will (yes, that's how much some can cost -  there are others that are crazily priced at 10 times that!). It's what's going into the waxes, to achieve this great public perception that makes all the difference, not the direct results.

Harmful Silicones?

Most waxes on the market rely on silicone for gloss and durability. Not all silicones are bad; unfortunately the more damaging oil-based ones work the best! Unfortunately, they are also dirt cheap, so the big multinationals love to use them as an ingredient, and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to work out what most people have been rubbing all over their cars every weekend. The biggest drama with the oil-based silicones used is that they stay bonded in your paint and it requires pretty aggressive cleaning products or total stripping of the paint surface to remove them from it.

So we stay away from these ingredients in our products, moving to a higher quality water-based alternative that when combined with other oils, gives that super smooth feeling, beautiful deep glowing shine, as well as keeping them extemely easy to use.

It's more than just a car

We would like to think that the average Bowden's Own customer sees their car as more than just a means of transport - something that is an expression of their taste and beliefs. Something that you will go that bit extra for, just to do the right thing by it. If you have ever stood back from your four wheeled friend after an afternoons' cleaning and with a kind of goofy look on your face, thought: "WOW! How good is that!?" Then we are proud to say you are one of us.

An easy job for paint care

This is the easy bit!

What did you say? Isn't waxing correctly a mysterious and difficult procedure?

No, it's not.

Believe it or not, the previous cleansing of the paint is the hardest bit. If you put in the hard work cleansing and preparing a smooth surface for the wax, it should be an enjoyable walk in the park. Ensure that your car has been thoroughly washed and cleansed with Bowden's Own Auto Body Gel/Nanolicious Wash/Wax Wash and Paint Cleanse & Restore respectively. If it feels rough in any way, give it a go with our Fine Clay Bar or Claying Rubber. No matter how good we make the wax, if it's not applied to a correctly treated surface, it will neither look very sharp, nor bind to the surface correctly to offer adequate protection. So try and do the preparation work first and get the best possible finish.

Having the right tools to use with the Carnauba Body Wax is important to make it super easy as well. So get one of our Circle Work applicator pads and a matching Big Softie microfibre cloth.

Step 1

Before application

Ensure the cars' surface is out of direct sunlight and cool to touch. Remove any rings, belt buckles, chains or anything else from yourself as they can potentially scratch your paint. Shake the bottle really well and apply a 50-cent size amount of Carnauba Body Wax to our orange edged Circle Work applicator pad, then smother it over the pads surface, so there are no dry sections.

Step 2

Spread as far as you can go...

Work on one area of the car at a time using a slow and gentle circular motion. You can go circular without fear of leaving swirl marks as our wax has no abrasives and the Circle Work pad is designed with materials that can never leave micro-scratches. Always ensure you're working indoors when using this technique. If you're working outdoors, or you're afraid of dirt or dust blowing onto the car, always work in straight lines instead of circular.

Try and spread the wax as far as possible. The less you use, the better the results; it only needs to be lightly spread on. This way, it's easier to remove and your dollar stretches much further. Remember this simple rule; Less is Best!

Step 3

Super easy removal

Let the Carnauba Body Wax dry for around a minute, till it forms a light, dry haze. Remove it with a folded orange edged Big Softie microfibre cloth (to the low pile side). Do a final, close inspection of the car to ensure all the residue is buffed away, then tidy up any remaining residue with a final wipe of the Big Softie cloth, folded into quarters to the higher pile, plush side.

Now step back two metres, grab a cool refreshment and have a look at that beautiful shine. Yes we know that grin on your face, having just done something truly great for your precious 4 wheeled mates' long term health and well being.

Extra Protection Layers - with Fully Slick

You can double, even triple the life of your wax with a couple of our newer sealants from our car care arsenal. The Fully Slick protective detailing spray is quick and easy to use for boosting both the protection and longevity of your wax by applying after waxing and between washes. It leaves that beautiful, smooth and slick finish (like a wax does), and brings up the great gloss finish as well.

With our Carnauba Body Wax being more organic, it will take a few hours for its layer to fully harden and cure. So we recommend waiting 2 hours in the summer months and 3 to 4 hours if it's colder or wet before applying the following; 

Fully Slick gets applied with two Drop Bear cloths. Spray the Fully Slick straight into one Drop Bear, wipe over the surface of the paint one section at a time (half a bonnet or so), then with the second Drop Bear cloth, buff off any residue as you go.

This is a super easy to use product, and I believe worth adding to your product arsenal, so take the time to read the guide at the end of this article.

How often should I be waxing and cleansing?

If the wax you are using is of a high quality (like our wax), and the car is garaged most of the time, then you could get away with maybe two to three times per year. Some of our cars NEVER see the elements and are garaged out of direct sunlight in a cool, dry area - they only need to be waxed once a year max. On the other end of the spectrum, our work van, ute and regular race cars need waxing every other month. More frequently in the hotter and usually wetter summer months as the environment and heat does a good job at breaking it down.

The trick is to be honest with yourself and assess how much you use your car. If it cops all of the elements, lives outside and is driven every day, then you will only keep it looking its absolute best if it's waxed every month. You could get away with every second month, but then it wouldn't be looking too sharp after a few years. Another plus for waxing the car regularly is that you don't have to cleanse every single time. I do the bonnet every time with both cleanser then wax, as it cops the most heat, bugs and grime on the car. If you let the wax deteriorate away you will need to re-cleanse.

With the addition of Fully Slick, you can add even more protection to your paint every time you wash. We recommend to Fully Slick after every 2-3 washes, or every wash if you're fanatical like us. After Glow can also be used as a drying aid, to add some more shine and protection.

Keeping it simple

Every day cars parked in the sun: Fine Clay Bar or Claying Rubber and Paint Cleanse & Restore the car at least twice a year (daily driven cars get more embedded dirt than most). Then apply the wax a minimum of every 3 to 4 months. Fully Slick should be applied after waxing and every month after washing with Auto Body Gel, Nanolicious Wash or Wax Wash for the best protection, especially in the warmer summer months.

Occasional use cars that live in a garage: Fine Clay Bar or Claying Rubber and Paint Cleanse & Restore once a year, wax every 3 months, apply Fully Slick every 2 months and after waxing. Remembering to show it more love in the warmer summer months.

Garage and show specials: Fine Clay Bar or Claying Rubber, Paint Cleanse & Restore and then wax once a year, or Paint Cleanse & Restore and wax before each show or once a year to keep it looking show-car special. Use Boss Gloss or Fully Slick just before and at the car show. 

Be honest about the action your car sees and from the information above find the balance that matches! Simple huh?

Any questions?

I hope you have survived through this long read, but be happy in the knowledge that with this modern system of non-abrasive paint care products, your car will keep looking fantastic over the long term.

The Carnauba Body Wax and our other paint protection products can be found in our supporting retail stores nationwide, which are in the link at the bottom of this web page. 

If you have any questions or feedback about this article please contact me by email - info@bowdensown.com.au or call our office on 1800 351 308. 

Love your car,

Dan Bowden