Radiance - Carnauba Creme

Yes. One of the key attributes, aside from adding a physical layer of protection, is that a wax bonds to level the optical finish significantly more than a bare paint layer. By this we simply mean that waxes are capable of making your paintwork appear to be deeper and glossier by smoothing the surface to which they're applied and modifying how it looks to the eye. On a microscopic level, the top layer of your gloss plastics and paintwork - whether that's the topcoat on older vehicles or the lacquer in more modern 2-stage paintwork, isn't completely flat, even when it's been polished. It will contain tiny ruts and recesses that may be essentially undetectable on their own, but will diffract the light bouncing off if it on different directions. Unlike swirl marks and scratches the effect is only slight, but it does change the way the surfaces is perceived in terms of depth and gloss. When a wax is applied over the top it fills any minuscule ruts and recesses to leave a layer that can be buffed to be smoother than the paint surface itself, in a way you can liken this to plastering a wall, only with a clear plaster. What this does is create a layer that enables light to bounce back to the eye more uniformly and this is what tricks the eye (and the brain) into thinking the paintwork is significantly deeper and shinier than the relatively thin layer of wax that's applied on top.    

The main differences between hard waxes and liquid waxes, aside from the obvious, comes with finding a balance between the durability of the protection layer and the ease of application. A liquid wax, a category that includes spray-on products like Glisten Spray Wax, as well as more viscous cream-like liquids such as Radiance Carnauba, will be developed to be extremely quick to apply to surfaces and easy to buff away any residue, but will always be a little less durable than a hard wax. This is because, the thinner the liquid has to be for ease of application, the less solids can be contained in the solute. These solids - essentially the natural wax content used to form the protection layer - are dispersed and suspended throughout the solution, which will contain a solvent base designed to evaporate off, leaving behind the protection layer. The more solid material you can cram into the solution, the more viscous the liquid, until eventually it's mostly solids, giving you a hard wax. Along with being easy-to-use, liquid waxes can still offer great durability though, Glisten gives around a month of protection, while Radiance will last for up to 3-months. But our hard waxes, while they may take a little more effort to apply, can give protection for anything between 4-8 months depending on the specific blend.      

It's important to look after any previously-applied wax layers as much as possible during routine maintenance, and the same rules apply as for looking after paint, lacquer and other sensitive exterior surfaces on any other detail. Wax protection is simply a top layer that's impermeable to water molecules and it protects paintwork by installing a physical barrier, and by stopping grime (and water) from sticking, this in turn always makes maintenance washing easier. However, it doesn't mean that the wax (and the paintwork underneath) can't be damaged through improper wash techniques. Carrying out safe maintenance, including a thorough pre-wash, is crucial to stop heavy grit and grime from being rubbed in and abrading the wax or the paintwork, essentially stripping your wax and inflicting defects in the paint. Using wax, sealant and coating-friendly pre-wash products, such as Citrus Power Bug and Grime Remover and Avalanche Snow Foam will also help to prevent damage to coatings because they don't contain harsh acidic or alkaline cleaning agents that may strip protection. As for the shampoo you use in your two-bucket wash,... Well, that's crucial, too. Our pH neutral Lather Car Shampoo is the ideal choice here, as it will never damage any previously-applied coatings, regardless of if they're waxes, sealants or ceramic coatings. At this point of course, you can simply eave the vehicle, or choose to top up your protection for extra durability and shine. You can use your original hard wax or, for the ultimate in speedy details, utilise Radiance Carnauba, or Glisten Spray Wax. Do not use abrasive products during maintenance, though, as these will remove the entire protection layer, requiring reapplication of your wax.