I see an Accumulator post coming.
For now I am using Johnston and Murphy's shoe creme and I apply it with the Johnston and Murphy applicator brush
Johnston & Murphy: . I know Accumulator likes Kiwi and likes to spit shine his. I am curious what his spit shining procedure is. I spit shinned my shoes and they looked OK but not good enough to justify spit shinning over tradition apply on and buff off. I am guessing Accum has a much better procedure.
Another thing, any time my feet are not in my dress shoes, shoe trees are ALWAYS in them. Shoe trees
Johnston & Murphy: keep the amount of moisture in the shoes in balance. When you wear a shoe all day long, they will weigh a few ounces more than when you put them on originally, that is sweat from your feet. Shoe trees help remove some of that sweat but at the same time keep a small amount in the shoes preventing the leather from dry rotting. Shoe trees will also keep the shape of your shoes better. Have you ever noticed some shoes the toe will bend upwards? That can cause that rippled look on the tops of your shoes. Shoe trees help prevent that. I highly recommend buying some. Those sold by Johnston and Murphy are quite expensive, you could probably find them cheaper if you look around.
Another thing, try to avoid wearing the same pair of dress shoes two days in a row. If you get home around 6 or 7:00 PM and put them back on 6 or 7:00 the next morning to go to work, that was only 12 hours for the sweat to evaporate from the shoes and is generally not enough. Try giving the shoes a good 18 or better 24 hours to allow much of the perspiration to evaporate.