Were on MULTIPLY! Lets Shop Shop SHOP!

Multiply has been abuzz with all the online shops they cater to and they sure found a way to make online shopping a whole lot of fun!  Now, the Purse Prime team enjoys online shopping as much as all our Purse Pals and we just had to share how proud we are of our official Multiply site!  TADA!

Layout was designed by Tin Roque of www.poshandpretty.com and our logo was done by Pam Medina (kindly message us if you'd like to inquire about her contact details).

Through the Purse Prime Multiply site, you can navigate easily and shopping is a breeze with the shop cart system which allows you to check out other sites while shopping at Purse Prime! Absolutely EASY!

Hope you can find time to check out our multiply site at http://purseprime.multiply.com/


So exciting!  See you all at Multiply Purse Pals!

CARE GUIDE: Keeping Balenciaga leather bags clean.

CARING FOR BALENCIAGA HANDBAGS

Here in the Purse Prime office keeping Balenciaga leather bags clean is serious business. If there are Gucci Girls, LV lovers… we are Balenciaga Beauties!  We simply adore the softness of the Italian goat leather used for by the Balenciaga purse line.  The ruggedness of the distressed leather gives it just the right amount of street cred that makes you want to carry it everyday.

As rugged as those City bags look, distressing them even more is just heartbreaking. Thus if there is any bag in our closet that regularly receives the PRIMING and MAINTENANCE bag care combo, it’s got to be the Balenciagas.  Purse Prime fans would know just how important priming with Apple Garde is. This rain and stain repellent spray can surely protect your handbag from water that may harden the oh-so-soft leather.  It’ll also keep your bag from absorbing oil that may lead to discoloration or spot darkening.

For cleaning and maintenance only MELTONIAN cleaner and conditioner touches our Balenciaga handbags.  From experience, Meltonian helps maintain the suppleness and of the leather while retaining the subtle sheen that can only be found in authentic Balenciaga handbags (replicas tend to be shinier).  

Get a Balenciaga Care Kit for your Motorcycle bag!

To make bag cleaning easier for you, Purse Prime put together a special Balenciaga Care Kit. It contains everything you will need to keep your prized City bag in perfect condition. Leather Care is done in 3 easy steps:

1. Put a small amount of Meltonian Cleaner and conditioner on the shine cloth and wipe in circular motion onto the leather bag. (always do a spot test before treating the entire bag)

2. Once the entire bag is clean, buff with the horse hair brush. Leave to dry for 3 hours.

3. When bag is dry, spray with the Apple Garde and let dry for 30 minutes. 

Do remember to follow the products care guides during application

If there are no dirt or stains that need to be treated for your Balenciaga, make conditioning a priority. Some  Purse Prime pals only swear by the Apple Leather care brand and use only Apple Leather Conditioner for their Balenciagas.


About caring for the bag handles, a little more care may be needed as the material used for the rope stitching is actually untreated leather. You may want to avoid getting too much conditioner on the rope part to avoid unwanted darkening. Using Q-tips to apply conditioner on the handles may be a good idea.

For specific bag care questions, do leave a wall post and we’ll try our best to help solve your bag care dilemmas. 

Ciao bella!

CARE GUIDE: Keeping Patent Handbags Shiny And New!

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PATENT CARE GUIDE

Lovely to look at, Pretty to hold, disaster if soiled. Such is the story of the patent handbag. It shouldn’t always be the case. A few precautionary steps and your patent handbag can remain sparkly like new.

• Patents bags are not vampires, they can take some sun. Although leaving them to sunbathe under the hot afternoon sun maybe a bit too much. Also, leaving your bag inside your car while it’s parked outdoors will surely bake the color off your prized bag.
• Patent is allergic to ink. Keep the Parker pens and Vogue Italias away.
• Denim Jeans are usual culprits for staining patent bags. You may want to rethink your outfit on days you want to carry your vernis purse.
• Always keep your Patent bags in their dust bags during storage. Prolonged contact with any dyed, printed, or painted surface may facilitate color transfer.  

After use, it is also advised that you clean your Patent bag with Esquire Patent and Patina Cleaner. This proven safe formula can remove dirt while keeping the luster on your patent bag. This little bottle of love may also remove light scuff marks from your purse.  Lucky for LV vernis carriers, this product may be used for the Vachetta handles too!(Check out special post on keeping bag handles clean) Get one now at the Purse Prime shop.

The cleaning solution for your loved LV Vernis

VASELINE FOR YOUR SKIN, ESQUIRE FOR YOUR BAG.

Only use cleaners specially formulated for patent, doing otherwise may cause the bag material to be sticky. Same goes for Vaseline and Alcohol. You already made a sizeable investment on the bag why risk cleaning it with just about anything you can find in the medicine cabinet? Newsflash, it’s not the 80s anymore.

On the dreaded the event that you do find a stain on your patent bag, time is most crucial. Try to have the stain removed as soon as possible, the longer you let it set the more likely it will become permanent. Some say a white rubber eraser from the bookstore can remove ballpen marks on your bag. A better alternative would be to use a few drops of Esquire Cleaner on a cotton ball and rub on the stained area.

ONLY HAPPY WHEN IT RAINS

With just a little more care, carrying your patent bag should not be a disaster waiting to happen. Oh and before we exchange buhbyes here’s a lil Purse Prime tip: Use your Patent bag on rainy days! Not only will it brighten up a gloomy day, its waterproof material can withstand a stronger drizzle than your usual everyday leather bag.  Now ain’t that smart?

Purse Partner Care Guide : SCHOOL OF SATCHEL

Satchels are described as sturdy and structured making it the ideal bag for people on-the-go but this certainly doesn’t give satchel owners an excuse to not take care of their bags!

For all the owners of School of Satchel bags, Purse Prime has got a treat for you!  As our Purse Partner for June, here is your very own School of Satchel Care Guide made especially for your prized satchel!  By following these steps, you not only keep your satchel leather in great condition but you are also assured of keeping your bag beautiful for a much longer time.

So to you, School of Satchel owner, we bequeath your care guide!

You will need:

• AppleLeather Kit (includes the Apple Leather Cleaner, Apple Leather Care Conditioner and Shine Cloth) 
• AppleGarde Rain & Stain Repellent
• Horsehair Brush
• Artist Tape

Before Cleaning

• Always wash your hands before you start cleaning.
• Always shake the bottles well before using.
• Wrap bag hardware (such as zippers, buckles, etc), anything that is not leather, with artist tape to prevent it from coming in contact with the product which could lead to rusting 
•  Avoid the edges near the zipper because it may stain it.

Read First

• Apple Leather Cleaner is an aggressive cleaner that will quickly remove dirt and grime from leather that was not pre-treated. 
• It is often necessary to use Apple Leather Cleaner multiple times for particularly stubborn stains which is why it is ABSOLUTELY necessary to follow up with Apple Leather Care Conditioner to reintroduce emollients that have been lost due to intense cleaning. 
• It is highly recommended that an application of the Apple Garde Rain & Stain Repellent as a follow up after you have cleaned and conditioned your bag.  The repellent acts as a barrier against water and stains which makes future cleaning so much easier.

STEP 1:                  APPLE LEATHER CLEANER

• Always do a test patch in a hidden area of the bag

o   DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.  While products have been tested on School of Satchel leather, this helps ensure that the cleaner is fully compatible with the leather.  This step is required before cleaning any bag.

o   This is especially important fir leather bags with special surface coatings.

• General Cleaning

o   Using a clean, white cloth, apply Apple Leather Cleaner in pea-sized amounts to the leather

o   Rub gently in circular motions to remove dirt or grime

o   Wipe off excess product and buff gently with dry soft cloth before leaving the bag to dry for at least 4 hours

• Removing Stubborn Stains

o   Using a clean, white cloth, apply Apple Leather Cleaner in pea-sized amounts to the stain

o   Rub gently in circular motions to remove stain

o   You may need to repeat this step several times for particularly stubborn stains

o   Wipe off excess product and buff gently with dry soft cloth before leaving the bag to dry for at least 4 hours

STEP 2:                  APPLE LEATHER CARE CONDITIONER

• Shake Apple Leather Care Conditioner well before use
• Use a clean, soft cloth and apply Apple Leather Care Conditioner liberally to the bag and let dry for about 20-30 minutes
• Your shine cloth should ideally be white and not colored to avoid color transfers to your bag

• Buff gently with soft brush

STEP 3:                  APPLE GARDE RAIN & STAIN REPELLENT

• Shake Apple Garde Rain & Stain Repellent before use 
• Hold the can AT LEAST 6 inches away and spray mist over bag in an up and down motion 
• Make sure you spray the entire bag, including leather trimmings

o   For EXPRESS Spray : Let the bag dry for 20 minutes before wiping the remaining spray off the bag

o   For DELUXE Spray : Spray one side of the bag and leave to dry with the sprayed side facing up for 24 hours.  Repeat the above process for the other side.

STEP 4:                  ADMIRE THAT HAPPY SATCHEL!

•  Slowly take out the artist tape from the bag hardware before storage or use
• Give yourself a pat on the back for a bag cleaning session – well done!

Now, your satchel is more than ready to be paraded around town!  Don’t forget to print out your own School of Satchel Care Guide and remember that your bag can only be as pretty as you take time and care enough for them to be!

PLUS, don't forget to visit Purse Prime via facebook (http://www.facebook.com/purseprime) or multiply (http://purseprime.multiply.com/)and order your Satchel Care Products now!  

ON TOP OF THAT, for all the School of Satchel customers, a special discount awaits you!  Get in touch with School of Satchel now to get your Purse Prime discount coupon. 

Take Care Purse Pals!

LV bags: Leather Love

Caring For Louis Vuitton Handbags

From the Speedy to Artsy, Louis Vuitton is a sought after brand by most bag collectors. For its timeless design and superior display of fashion, ladies do not think twice about investing on a  Louis Vuitton. Together with the appreciation of the fine craftsmanship that goes into each and every purse, LV lovers across the globe are finding ways to take care of these leather handbags.

Following the fundamentals of leather care combined with time tested practices of LV purse owners, we have compiled a short care guide on how to take care of leather LVs.  This Care Guide may be used to treat LVs with the following material: Monogram Canvas, Monogram Multicolore, Watercolor, Damier, Epi, and Suhali. Not Applicable for Monogram Denim and Vernis.

PRIMING

 We at Purse Prime couldn’t stress enough about the importance of treating your bag with rain and stain repellent especially prior to first use. If left unprotected, constant contact with oils and liquids may leave your bag with stains or dry out the leather. Our preferred brand: Apple Garde is safe enough to use on ALL types of LVs, even on the delicate vachetta handles.  Apple Garde keeps your bag from absorbing unwanted moisture such as sweat, perfume, make-up, and food spills.

MAINTENANCE

Regular cleaning and conditioning of your leather bag can surely extend its lifespan. We recommend conditioning “slouchy” bags such as the Mahina line once a month; while more structured bags like the Epi line should be conditioned every other month. In such a warm country like the Philippines, conditioning your leather is very important as it keeps the material supple and prevents it from drying and cracking.

Leather cleaning should be done sparingly as most leather cleaning products, even the best ones, strip bags of emollients needed to keep it lithe. Determine the frequency of cleaning by the amount of time the bag is actually used.  Always condition the bag post cleaning. Since discovering the Apple Leather Cleaner and Apple Leather Conditioner combo in the Purse Forum, we let no other products touch our LVs.

LV Leather Care Package

Purse Prime has put together a complete set of priming and maintenance products tried and tested to keep Louis Vuitton leather articles in good condition . The LV Leather Care Package  contains a bottle of Apple Garde for priming, A leather care cleaner and conditioner kit for maintenance, a bottle of esquire patent and patina cleaner for the Vachetta handles and 2 Horse Hair Brush for buffing. That is all you will need for a proper bag care session.  :)

All Purse Prime products have accompanying care guide to detail its proper use and application. Prior to use of any leather treatment always do a patch test in a discreet area of the bag.  Get the LV leather care package and give your bag some LoVe.  Visit us at Purse Prime on Facebook to Order.

Rain-proof Your Handbag

(c) Halliedaily on Chictopia

Waterproofing is on top of the list of bag care basics. Most of material used for handbags such as leather, suede, fabric, and canvas need to be waterproofed prior to use in order to prevent stains and discoloration.  Unexpected rains do not only cause hassle to traffic around the metro, it also sets bag hags to dashing for cover. If your leather handbag is not waterproof we suggest you do the same thing!

Why the panic right? It’s just water. How bad can rain damage your leather bag? Thing is the leather used for bags contain emollients that helps keep it supple. Soaking it in water drains out the emollients leaving you with an over dried purse. Water may also wash out the dye used to color the leather. This could leave bags with watermarks or a botched color job. Depending on the type of leather and the amount of water soaked, damage may be as minimal as water spots or as horrifying as a dry shrunken bag.

PROTECTION

Bag rain coat on  Hermes

I don’t know your take on this, but we at Purse Prime are not taking our chances. We love all our bags equally (ummm well maybe for some, a lil more than the others, lol.) and wouldn’t want to see it damaged in any way.  To avoid such a catastrophe, just spray on some handy dandy Apple Garde Rain and Stain Repellent. Why risk being caught unprotected in a downpour when spraying some bag water repellent will only take a few minutes . Some bag hags also put on a bag raincoat for extra protection. It can be helpful but we're not so sure about the aesthetics (hihi).

POST RAIN RANDEZVOUS

Just in case you read this blog too late and you’ve already been drenched together with your loved bag, these few little tips may help prevent permanent damage.

• ·         Dry your bag a.s.a.p. with an absorbent cloth. Preferably a white cloth to avoid color transfer.
• ·         For heavily drenched bag, you may use hair dryer (set on warm) to evaporate excess moisture. Wave the dryer in long swift strokes across the bag to avoid “baking” spots.
• ·         When the bag is fully dry, use a leather cleaner specific for your bag material. This will help balance back the Ph level of the leather.
• ·         Follow up with a good leather conditioner to restore lost emollients from the bag. This will help keep the bag supple and prevent it from shrinking dry.
• ·         Please learn from the experience and spray Water and Oil Repellant on your bags before you use it again.

Should you discover that your bag already has permanent water stains it’s best to consult a trusted leather artisan for expert repair.

Next time you have a bag care concern, do send us a note and we’ll try our best to be of some help.

Keep dry Purse Pals! 

Spotted: The Mommy Diaries Expo

The Purse Prime Booth at the Mommy Diaries Expo

Purse Prime took part in its first ever bazaar and it was at the Mommy Diaries Expo held last May 28-29, 2011 at the NBC Tent, Fort.

It was a pleasure to have met fellow bag enthusiasts like us and share bag care stories.  We most enjoyed having the opportunity to help out bag lovers with their bag care concerns from basic cleaning to stain removals to proper bag storage! What a thrill, right?

Plus, it was heartwarming to hear about their feedback regarding the products and care guides and how they are trying to be more conscious about taking good care of their bags.  Really, a discipline for bag care is a lot like taking baby steps and step 1 is always about wanting to get educated.  We hope that you don't forget, that here at Purse Prime, we never tire of bag care education!

We hope to see you at our next bazaar stint!  Also, follow our blog so you can keep posted about our bazaar discounts and freebies.

Toodles!

All the different brands and products we carry and guaranteed to make bags everywhere happy!

Day 2 with the Purse Prime Duo, L.A. and K-wey! See you at the next bazaar.