Closeup of a hand using a microfiber cloth and leather conditioner on a car's interior

Wondering how to breathe new life into your old, dried, cracking leather? Look no further than leather conditioners. These creams contain the magic elixir that keeps your leather seats looking and feeling their very best. They can prevent, mitigate, or even partially restore rough patches, wrinkles, and even cracking.

Our automotive expert reviewed dozens of leather conditioners, and he chose Leather Honey Leather Conditioner as his top pick. Free of solvents, animal products, and silicone, this non-toxic leather conditioner leaves no oily residue behind while working to repair and restore leather.

Best Overall
Leather Honey Leather Conditioner
For the best in leather conditioners, look no further than Leather Honey Leather Conditioner.
Our Automobile Expert’s Top 5 Leather Conditioners

We’ve read the reviews and scrutinized the labels in an effort to find the best products on the market. The following five conditioners seen here are the best of the bunch and the ones we’d spend our own money on.

Expert's PicksBrandRatingCleanerApplicationContains natural oils
Best OverallLeather Honey Leather Conditioner4.5Oil
Best Budget BuyLexol Leather Conditioner4.5Cream
Best Cleaner and ConditionerChemical Guys Sprayable Leather Cleaner and Leather in One4.7Spray
Best Leather Care WipesArmor All Car Leather Conditioner & Cleaner Wipes4.6Wipe
Best Leather Conditioner SprayWeiman Leather Cleaner & Conditioner Care Kit4.6Spray

*Ratings are on a scale of 1 to 5 and based on reviews, feedback, and opinions of actual customers

Who Should Buy a Leather Conditioner

  • Those with leather upholstery – If your vehicle has leather seats, a leather conditioner can help ensure they look pristine for years to come.
  • Motorcycle riders – Want to keep your leather jacket soft, supple, and waterproof? A regular application of a leather conditioner will do the trick.1
  • Those with leather goods – If you want your handbags, wallets, and other small leather goods to last a lifetime, apply a leather conditioner regularly to keep them in peak condition.
  • 2

Who Should Not Buy a Leather Conditioner

  • Faux leather owners – If your leather isn’t the real deal, conditioners won’t cut it – if anything, they may cause more harm than good. Instead, use products that are suitable for cleaning leatherette and other faux leather.3
  • Cloth car seat owners – For those whose seats wear cloth, a leather conditioning product will be a waste of money. Care for cloth upholstery is entirely different than the care required for leather upholstery.

Research Tips (from an Expert)

Here are some expert tips and best practices to consider when purchasing a leather conditioner. Oh, and while we’re on the subject: don’t use Vaseline to clean your leather. Though petroleum jelly is used in many leather cleaners, a product like Vaseline is not intended as a leather cleaner and may actually harm the leather in the long run. For the best protection of your leather, stick with products marketed and sold as genuine leather conditioners.

  1. Ease of application – If you’re looking for the easiest way to condition your leather seats, look for products that are easy to apply. All-in-one cleaners and conditioners in spray or wipe format work well.
  2. Two-in-one formulas – You’ll want to clean your leather before applying a conditioner for best results. Unless you prefer the separate step of cleaning your seats before applying the conditioner, look for a product with a 2-in-1 formula.
  3. Look for lanolin – Look for a leather conditioner that contains lanolin or another natural oil, which has been used for centuries to condition leather. Using an inappropriate oil can cause the leather to become sticky, rancid, or even ruin its appearance. For example, coconut oil can darken leather.

How Much Do They Cost?

Between $10 and $20

For most leather conditioners, you can expect to pay between $10-$20 and still get a quality product. Purchasing a larger-sized bottle will typically provide a better price per ounce than buying a smaller size. There are also a few natural and homemade recipes floating around the internet using ingredients commonly found around the house; such a concoction is the most affordable method but not something we would recommend, as one of the mass-market cleaners highlighted set the standard in leather care. If you’re feeling spendy, you could spend upwards of $30 per container or more on the most premium product lines.

The Best Leather Conditioners: Full Reviews

Best Overall
Leather Honey Leather Conditioner
For the best in leather conditioners, look no further than Leather Honey Leather Conditioner.

Leather Honey Leather Conditioner took the top spot on our list of the best leather conditioners for a number of reasons. Boasting a non-toxic formula that is family-made in the USA, it works to repair and restore leather. Unlike some other products, it doesn’t leave an oily residue and it’s free of animal products, silicone, and solvents.

Its completely odorless formula is water-repellent for added protection. It is also suitable for use on leather clothing and small leather goods. It comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee for added peace of mind. If you want the best standalone conditioner available, this is it.

Pros
  • Available in a choice of sizes
  • Non-toxic formula and natural ingredients
  • Provides up to 6 months protection
  • Satisfaction guarantee

Cons

  • Must clean leather before applying
  • Pricey

Best Budget Leather Conditioner
Lexol Leather Conditioner
For a budget-friendly option, Lexol Leather Conditioner has you covered.

For a more affordable leather conditioner choice, Lexol Leather Conditioner is a solid pick. It helps to preserve, protect, and prolong the life of your leather seats, clothing, and small goods in just minutes.

A little goes a long way, and this conditioner offers twice the product at half of the price of our top pick. It is designed and formulated in the USA, and won’t leave a greasy residue. If you don’t mind the smell and don’t care that it contains synthetic chemicals, this is the choice for you.

Pros
  • Works in as little as 3 minutes
  • Won’t leave a greasy residue
  • Suitable for leather goods of all kinds
  • Protects against cracking

Cons

  • Strong lingering odor
  • More watery than other leather conditioners

Best Leather Cleaner and Conditioner
Chemical Guys Sprayable Leather Cleaner and Conditioner in One
Works on all things leather, including seats, interiors, jackets, shoes, boots, and more.

The Chemical Guys Sprayable Leather Cleaner and Leather in One is a great option for those looking for an all-in-one leather cleaning and conditioning solution. It works on all things leather, including vehicle seats, interiors, jackets, shoes, boots, and more. You only need one application to both clean and protect your leather goods.

The pH balanced formula is easy to apply and dries quickly, leaving no grease or other residue. The conditioner contains both vitamin E and lanolin to help nourish leather and reduce UV damage. We’d go with this if we didn’t have the time or the inclination to follow the traditional two-step, two-product leather cleaning process.

Pros

  • Single application both cleans and conditions
  • Satisfaction guarantee
  • pH balanced formula
  • Contains lanolin
  • Suitable for all kinds of leather

Cons

  • Some claim it has a strong odor
  • Handful of reviewers noted greasy residue remained afterwards

Best Leather Care Wipes
Armor All Car Leather Conditioner & Cleaner Wipes
Cleans, conditions, and protects leather in one easy step.

Armor All Car Leather Conditioner & Cleaner Wipes is similar to the Chemical Guys all-in-one product, but may be even easier to apply thanks to the quick-wipe design. Simply giving the seats a good rub down with the wipe is enough to temporarily clean, condition, and protect the leather upholstery. It’s a quick and easy to give your seats a little TLC in between more in-depth treatments.

The container contains 30 wipes, each formulated with a blend of cleaning agents, conditioners, and blocking agents. With regular use, they will help protect against stains, cracking, and fading.

Pros
  • Safely removes dirt and oil
  • All-in-one design
  • Money-back guarantee

Cons

  • Streaking is a concern
  • Strong odor
  • Is intended as stopgap measure between more thorough cleaning treatments

Best Leather Conditioner Spray
Weiman Leather Cleaner & Conditioner Care Kit
Condition and protect leather in one simple step.

Weiman Leather Cleaner & Conditioner Care Kit makes it easy to condition and protect your leather. The handy spray-on application is designed to clean and condition your leather, while the conditioning wipes can be used between more thorough cleanings to touch things up. The set is handy for maintaining soft, supple, protected leather.

Weiman’s non-toxic formula is safe for use on any finished leather surface, including leather accessories. This conditioner also contains a special sunscreen that helps protect leather from sun damage. One thing, however: wear gloves when handling the wipes. More than one reviewer mentioned that it irritated their skin, so gloves provide an easy level of protection from any such adverse reactions. Otherwise, this is s a great choice from a brand highly respected in the leather-cleaning arena.

Pros
  • Contains a blend of six natural oils
  • UVX-15 sunscreen protects against sun damage
  • Can use on all kinds of finished leather

Cons

  • Multi-step application
  • The lemon scent may not suit everyone
  • Some reviewers found this product left a residue
  • Skin irritations occurred for some reviewers after handling product

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I condition leather with?

You can condition leather with creams, oils, wipes, waxes, or sprays. Creams help provide moisture and won’t distort the color of your leather, while natural oils can help to soften leather. Waxes don’t moisturize as well as creams and natural oils, but do provide waterproofing.

What is the best natural leather conditioner?

Are you worried about what  ingredients leather conditioners contain? If you’re looking for a more natural solution to condition their leather, oils like mink, flaxseed, and coconut may be good options. They are also hypoallergenic.

How do you stop leather from cracking?

The best way to stop leather from cracking is to clean and condition it about three or four times a year. This helps to remove dirt and oil from the surface, as well as put moisture back into the leather.

Is beeswax good for leather?

Beeswax is not only good for waterproofing your leather items – it can also help to soften them as well.4In fact, beeswax is one of the oldest known leather conditioning treatment and is still used today. Beeswax also prevents leather from staining.

Article Sources

Motor Sports Village uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. MacDonald S. How to properly care for your leather motorcycle gear. Cycleworld.com. Published August 2, 2016. Accessed June 11, 2021.
  2. Stocker S. How to maintain leather bags. Wikihow.com. Updated July 14, 2020. Accessed June 11, 2021.
  3. Meurice. A guide to pleather: Faux leather care. Meurice.nyc. Published January 17, 2019. Updated January 23, 2019. Accessed June 11, 2021.
  4. Realeather. Beeswax and leather. Realeather.com. Published April 10, 2019. Accessed June 11, 2021.