I (Willow) recently added a Barbour Beadnell Wax Jacket to my wardrobe and it has lived up to its reputation so far. We get a cold sea breeze fairly often and this wax jacket blocks the wind exceptionally well. It doesn’t rain that often, but it’s nice to have a more stylish option on a drizzly day than a more utilitarian raincoat. Even when it isn’t windy or rainy, I still find myself pulling out this Barbour jacket because it adds just enough British country flair to an outfit. 

Now, for the only downside I’ve found so far – you have to re-wax it every year or two. 🫢 But don’t give up on me yet! I’m going to walk you through exactly how I re-waxed mine and show you that it’s not as scary as you might think!

Step 1: Wipe off your Barbour Wax Jacket with a dry cloth.

• Your jacket isn’t going to need a re-waxing until you’ve lived in it for a year or two, so it might not be perfectly clean. Take a dry cloth and brush off any dust or dirt that has accumulated through daily wear. 
• BONUS : Never – like NEVER – wash your wax jacket in the washing machine (you know how we feel about dryers too right?). It will “break” all of the waterproofing properties of the jacket and you won’t be able to get it back. If you get mud on it, let it dry, then brush off with a dry cloth and you can dab it with a damp cloth once the bulk of the dirt is removed.

Step 2: Melt your Barbour Wax Thornproof Dressing 

• Take your can of wax (you can order this from Barbour’s website) and place it in a container that is at least as deep as the can itself. I used a kitchen mixing bowl – what works, works.
• Boil water in a tea kettle and then fill the bowl around the can (careful not to get any water in the can of wax itself) up until just below the rim of the can of wax. 
• Wait until the blob of wax changes into a liquid that is more spreadable. If it doesn’t melt completely the first time or it starts to harden during the time it takes to re-wax your jacket, you can empty the water out and refill it with fresh hot water.

Step 3: Wax your Barbour Wax Jacket

• The part you came here for! Dip the soft side of a kitchen sponge or a rag into the liquified wax and begin coating your jacket with a thin layer of wax. Spread it as evenly as you can, but it’s not too much of a science. You can fix it with the later steps to make it more even. 
• NOTE: Avoid getting the wax on the collar or any soft cotton lining. The outside of the coat loves the wax, but the softer fabric lining the coat not so much. 

Step 4: Remove the excess wax

Take a dry rag and scrub off some of the excess wax if it has built up anywhere. 

Step 5: Warm the wax with your hairdryer

Using your hairdryer, heat up the wax you’ve already applied to the jacket. It’ll begin to liquify and this will make it easier to spread around evenly.

Step 6: Spread the warmed wax evenly with a rag

Using your rag or sponge from Step 4, spread the warmed up wax evenly around the jacket. You want to get rid of those little “excess pools” and ensure everything is covered in a thin, even layer.

Step 7: Hang to dry

• Find a place to hang your newly waxed jacket where it can dry and soak in for a few more days. 
• Avoid putting your jacket in your closet right away without giving it time to dry, because the wax can transfer to the other clothes that it is hanging next to. 
• NOTE: After letting mine dry for a couple of days on the coat hook by the door and wearing it around town a time or two, it has hung in my wardrobe since and I haven’t had any problems with wax-transfer onto any neighboring pieces. 

You’re finished! 👏 Enjoy your beautiful British jacket, rain or shine, for another year or until you notice that it isn’t keeping out as much rain as you would like. The Barbour Wax Jacket is the original sustainable weatherproof staple because it’s durable, doesn’t use any harmful waterproof coatings, and you can make it last for decades with just a little bit of love and attention every year. If you have any questions or want to see a video of how I waxed mine, you can view the ones we made here!