This is going to sound funny, but after I have coated/stripped the shoes with wax, I wrap them in plastic and pop them in the freezer for half an hour. This does something to the chemical composition of the wax I think. You can raise a much higher shine and it is a much more durable finish. And I've never had any ill effects from it. Remove the shoes from the freezer, let them warm back up to room temperature, and then polish with an old silk tie. The results are comparable to Berluti. With tan shoes, I get wonderful and very subtle red and green highlights using this technique.
So etwas?