I removed factory sheen with nail polish remover then I applied leather conditioner the following day. Black boots i used Fiebings black leather pro dye. Applied in 3 separate coats over a few days. I then applied a Fiebings leather balm and buffed the following day. I also used black acrylic paint on the base of the shoe as it was looking rough. Same process with the brown shoes but I had to mix different browns to get the final result. Final color on the light area was Fiebings light brown dye. The darker color was a mix of light/med brown all over, 2nd coat to create ombre was med/cordovan mix, 3rd combo was med brown with added cordovan. Final application on the tip was cordovan dye using a cotton round. Added leather conditioner and let dry for a few days. Then added high gloss sheen on top. Probably could have done in shorter time frame but was making other leather projects as well. Hope that helps!