Lavish - Ceramic Foam

Being an Si02-based ceramic foam which instantly bonds with paint, vinyl, clearcoat, glass and other silica-based ceramic coatings, Lavish can be used as a stand-alone detailing and valeting product that can install ceramic protection on it’s own, giving up to 6-months of protection. This makes it ideal for use when time is tight, or on the biggest vehicles where other coatings are not an option. That said, Lavish is also extremely effective, and arguably even more popular, for topping up other Si02-based exterior coatings, prolonging their life and performance for as long as possible during routine maintenance. Our range of Caramics Protection Kits for example – including Caramics Kits for Paintwork, Wheels and Glass, have a durability of up to 12-months and can be strengthened by the use of Lavish during every routine maintenance wash. Whether you’re choosing Lavish to install or top up Si02 protection though, the application process should always be carried out after the wash process when the vehicle is clean and all residues from car shampoos or decontamination products have been rinsed away, but importantly while surfaces are still wet. Lavish can then be applied with your Foam Lance, before immediately being rinsed thoroughly (the change in water behaviour will be instant and immediately obvious here), and the vehicle can be dried straight away using a suitable microfibre drying towel, we recommend a super-soft Aqua Deluxe, Aqua Deluxe XL or Silk Drying Towel. For some top tips on how Lavish can be used to its fullest during maintenance, check out our article – The Definitive Guide To Surviving Winter.

All silica or quartz-based ceramic coatings (such as those found in our products Ceramic Spray Wax, Aqua Coat Hydrophobic Rinse Aid, Lavish Ceramic Foam, Caramics Gloss Enhancer, Caramics Enhancing Shampoo, Wash 'n' Gloss, and our flagship Caramics Protection Kits), use a layer of chemically bonded silicon dioxide (SiO2) to create a barrier between the surface and the elements that’s impermeable to water and only possible to remove by abrasion. In all their forms, and regardless of their durability, ceramic coatings are intended to add the hardiest protection to surfaces and, although they’re also designed to level the optical finish of paintwork and vinyl (including paint and powdercoat on wheels) - allowing light to bounce back to the eye more uniformly to make the finish appear deeper and glossier - the glass-like layer they install is not intended to hide underlying paint defects. So, when it comes to full paint decontamination and paint correction, the application of coating will still be effective with regards to physical protection, gloss and water beading without carrying out these processes, but you will not correct or obscure any defects already in the paintwork. This is why we always recommend carrying out any swirl mark or other defect removal, along with surface cleansing, prior to application of any protection layer (ceramic, wax or sealant) if you’re not completely happy with the condition of your paintwork. Especially when using a product intended for the most extreme durability such as our Caramics Paintwork Protection Kit, which installs a coating that lasts for up to a year. For maintenance washes, where SiO2 products are used to top up previously applied ceramic protection, we would assume that any paint correction necessary would have been carried out before the initial application of the coating. For preparing the surface for your coating, it's essential to use a product that doesn't contain waxes or fillers that will block the adhesion of the coating, such as our Revitalise System V2 Compounds and One Step All-in-One Compound. For the full rundown on the science of ceramic coatings and how they work see our article – What Difference Does A Ceramic Coating Actually Make.

No. Lavish Ceramic Foam is not designed to clean surfaces and shouldn’t be confused with a traditional snow foam. Avalanche Snow Foam is designed for purging heavy soiling during the pre-wash stage to prevent the infliction of paint defects and swirl marks. For this reason it contains surfactants and degreasers capable of breaking down, lifting and encapsulating grit and grime, allowing these harmful contaminants to be safely rinsed away without contact with a wash mitt. Lavish is purely designed to add Si02 protection, and only once the vehicle is already clean, so it doesn’t contain surfactants or cleaning agents. It comes in the form of a ceramic foam to enable quick and easy application via your Foam Lance and (like Avalanche) will work its way into all the panel gaps to contact, and in in this case add protection to, the unseen areas. Unlike a snow foam though, Lavish should be used immediately after the cleaning process, while vehicle is still wet, and the ceramic foam should be rinsed away immediately after application, and never left to dwell.  

The great thing about silica-based (SiO2) ceramic coatings is that they’re specifically developed to help your vehicle look better for longer. The hardy protection layer they install is essentially chemically bonded silicon dioxide, which is like glass, so it smooths the surfaces enough to prevent water molecules and grime from bonding. Regardless of application to paint, glass, vinyl or any other exterior surface, this is why they bead to the extreme and offer the longest lasting protection of any product. What’s most important here is that grime will sit on top of the ceramic layer rather than sticking, and this makes cleaning easier. But it’s still important to carry out safe maintenance to stop heavy grit and grime from being rubbed in and abrading the coating and the paintwork, causing the infliction of defects. Using coating-friendly pre-wash products, such as Citrus Power Bug and Grime Remover and Avalanche Snow Foam will also prevent damage to coatings because they don’t contain harsh acidic or alkaline cleaning agents that may etch into the top layer. It’s the same story for the shampoo you use in your two-bucket wash. Lather Car Shampoo is a great choice as it will never damage previously-applied coatings, but alternatively you can use Wash 'N' Gloss Car Shampoo or our Caramics Enhancing Shampoo to actively top-up and prolong the life and performance of your SiO2 coating as you wash paintwork, glass and all other exterior surfaces. Other products that are great for topping up during routine maintenance include Aqua Coat Hydrophobic Rinse Aid, Lavish Ceramic Foam, Caramics Gloss Enhancer, Caramics Glass Cleaner and Ceramic Spray Wax. When it comes to paint correction, all you have to remember is that Si02 coatings have to be allowed to chemically bond to the topcoat or lacquer layer, so it’s crucial to use a compound or a polish that doesn’t contain any waxes or fillers, because these extra layers will block the chemical bonding process. For paint correction, polishing and refinement before adding a coating, we’d recommend using products that only reveal a true finish, such as One Step All-in-One Compound, or our Revitalise System V2 Compounds (which are also available separately). Don’t forget that SiO2 coatings are extremely durable and can only be fully removed through abrasion, this means that polishing your vehicle using any abrasive after applying a ceramic coating will remove the Si02 layer, meaning that reapplication of protection will be required after you polish. For more on how to prepare a car for a ceramic coating, see our guide – Detailing and Ceramic Coating a New Car.

In a word, yes. Professional snow foam lances - just like our own Foam Lance - should not be confused with syphon-based detergent dispensers which are commonly supplied with home-use pressure washers. Snow foam lances are in fact an industry-standard tool designed specifically to whip up the solution into a foam, activating the ingredients mixing them with more water to enable proper application. They do this by dragging the mix through a special metal gauze before exiting the body of the lance. This is the only way to get a useable ceramic foam that will be effective for even coverage, and not simply waste the concentrate in the container.