Shoe polishes contain alcohol. Leather is no different than your skin. If you put alcohol on it, the alcohol will dry it out and continual use will lead to cracking. There is more alcohol in liquid and hard waxes than in creme polishes, so use accordingly. In between polishing the shoes, a quick brushing will restore the shine and remove the dust and grime that accumulates when walking. If you have many shoes of various colors, you might want to purchase neutral polish instead of investing in so many colors. Use matching liquid shoe polish on the outside and upper soles of the shoes as well as the leather heels. You can achieve an even better shine with most waxes by applying them with a wet cotton ball or bit of cotton waste, squeezed almost dry. With the harder waxes (Kiwi, for example) an adequate finish can then be achieved with the brush alone. Softer ones require the buffing cloth and spit-shining--which really isn't worth the trouble once you've mastered the cotton ball method. On well-maintained shoes, a good shine can take as little as three or four minutes. Polishes build up on leather (and may cause a haze to develop) so it is best to occasionally use a saddle soap and leather conditioner to clean the leather.