Red Wing’s Shoe Creams and Polishes are light conditioners which helps to hydrate leather footwear and may provide an adequate shine. Until recently I thought there was a notable difference between Red Wing’s Shoe Creams and Polishes but, it turns out, they’re both made of the same ingredients and achieve the same results once applied. The only real difference is that the polishes are older. That being said, the polishes and creams are still marked and sold separately if one would prefer to have the older or newer version.