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Product Review: CarPro Essence (Initial Impressions)

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Every year, the SEMA show sends a wave of excitement crashing over the detailing community.  Rumors of new products are passed around, and hopes of revolutionary new products and machines are in everyone’s head.  Well, this year came with announcements for what looks to be some amazing new machines, and some really promising new products.  CarPro Essence is one product that really caught my attention.  I was excited to get my hands on it and do some testing.

ATD | CarPro Essence

Product Overview

So, what is Essence?  Is it a polish? Or maybe a coating?  Perhaps a glaze?  In short, you can think of it as all 3.  CarPro describes Essence as a unique blend of nano-tech Quartz, high gloss durable resins, and fine abrasives that are blended together at a microscopic level to form something truly ground breaking.

This product is capable of removing and masking defects, while leaving a semi-permanent layer of protection behind.  While it can be left as a standalone protection, the product is best utilized when it is topped with a paint coating like CQuartz or CQuartz UK.  Best of all, this product was created specifically to work with these coatings, so there is no need to use Eraser or IPA to wipe down the surface after polishing.  Essence acts as a primer that will promote the bonding of the coating to the surface.

Let me repeat that… NO need for Eraser or IPA wipe down!  This is a big step in simplifying coating installation and ensuring even better results as the chances of marring paint during the solvent wipe down process can be quite high, especially when you’re dealing with jet black paint.  There is no worse feeling than being close to the finish line only to have to re-polish a panel or vehicle due to marring introduced while cleaning the paint with a solvent, and with Essence, that is no longer an issue.

ATD | CarPro Essence

During my initial testing, Essence proved to be surprisingly versatile.  I tested the product both as a final finishing polish to refine the surface after compounding and as more of a medium polish to remove some swirls and imperfections.

ATD | CarPro Essence

Finish Polishing

The product contains the same type of abrasives that are used in CarPro’s already excellent finishing polish, Reflect, so it is no surprise that Essence has proven to be an exceptional polish.  When paired with a foam pad, Essence can easily clean up light marring or haze left from the cutting process.

ATD | CarPro Essence

When using Essence as a final polish, very little product is needed.  Simply apply 2-3 small dots of product to your pad (no need to prime), then spread the polish onto your working area.  Make a couple of passes with a moderate machine speed and moderate pressure, and finish with a slower speed and very light pressure.  Use slow arm movement throughout the process, and as always, make sure to keep your pads clean.  Some of my favorite finishing pads to use with Essence are the Rupes Yellow Polishing Pad and Rupes White Finishing Pad.

ATD | CarPro Essence

Medium Polishing

In my article Pairing Products with Pads, I discuss how you can alter the cutting abilities of any liquid by simply using a more or less aggressive pad.  This idea can also be applied to Essence.

Essence paired with a microfiber cutting pad really impressed me.  I was able to produce a significantly glossier finish with much less defects.  In order to maximize cut, prime your microfiber pad first.

ATD | CarPro Essence

Essence leaves a very slick, smooth surface behind that is ready to be topped with CQuartz.  In every instance, the residue wiped away effortlessly with just a few passes, which is a great characteristic of any polishing product.  Since Essence contains durable resins and Quartz, it is important to note that all pads and towels should be washed shortly after use to avoid any issues.

ATD | CarPro Essence

My initial impression is that this product will be a very welcome addition to the detailing world.  Given the excellent performance of Essence as a finishing polish, it seems like an easy decision to use this product if you plan to do a multi-step correction prior to coating as the product will create a gorgeous finish while also prepping the surface for the protective coating.  If you are working on a car that has already been coated, but has an area that needs some enhancement either due to light swirls, water spots, or whatever, simply polish the area with Essence and reapply a coating on top.  I’m looking forward to experimenting more with this product, and hope it continues to impress me.

I have been told that this product should work with some other coatings as well, but I will plan on doing some durability testing with various non-CarPro coatings, and will be sure to share my findings in future articles.

Zach McGovern
Attention To Detailing Peoria
Peoria, IL
DetailPeoria.com/

84 comments on Product Review: CarPro Essence (Initial Impressions)

  1. Kevin George says:

    Great review Zach! I am looking forward to giving this product a try very soon, and love the fact that you no longer need to use IPA or Eraser with this product. I think CarPro may have hit a homerun with this product.

  2. William Shephatd says:

    Great review thanks!

  3. Greg Rohr says:

    Thanks for the review. Generally speaking, how does the gloss compare between using it as a finishing polish/prep and with the MF cutting pad to get more defects?

    • Hi Greg – this will depend on the vehicle you’re working on as what might finish perfectly on one car, may not on another. In this particular case, I did not notice any major difference in gloss or clarity when using with a foam pad or MF pad.

      • Greg Rohr says:

        Do you happen to know if the cutting pad combo and Essence can be followed up with a finishing pad and Essence if it’s a more finicky paint, such as BMW Jet Black?

        • I see no reason why that would not work. If it were me, I would try to use a stronger polish such as optimum hyper spray polish on a foam pad (likely a polishing or light cutting pad) for the initial defect removal process and then follow with Essence on a finishing pad.

  4. Samuel Kim says:

    Thanks Zach awesome review, is this good for mild pain correction that you would do lets say, few times a year, or is a product used only when your pain is in bad shape?

    • Thanks! This is certainly a product geared more towards light correction/fine polishing. It would make a great annual maintenance product… simply do a light polish with Essence and then apply a fresh coat of CQuartz on top for year after year of amazing protection and gloss.

  5. John K. says:

    Zach,

    Can you follow up with a regular polymer sealer sealer or wax or do you have to use a coating?

    John

    • You can leave Essence bare on the paint, as the resins will provide up to a year of protection on their own, however this product is not very hydrophobic. To enhance water beading, sheeting, and dirt repelling properties, CarPro recommends topping with Reload, HydrO2, or HydrO2Foam if you do not plan on using a coating.

      The CarPro-US representative states: “We believe you can use a lot of different lsp that work well with this. We haven’t tested others products with it so not positive the results but that is our estimate. I would wait a bare minimum of an hour if applying a sealant or wax with high solvent content in it.”

      As mentioned, there has not been any formal testing done at this point in time for this scenario, so please keep that in mind. I will update this with more information if I hear of any.

  6. Leroy says:

    Can you apply this product by hand instead of using a buffer

  7. Leroy Robertson says:

    Can you apply this product without having to use a buffer machine

  8. Joseph says:

    so for a brand new car/paint (Toyota) without defects on paint, to get a high gloss effect, which one looks better, Essence or Reflect? Much Thanks!

    • Essence and Reflect contain the same type of abrasives and therefore are very similar in terms of polishing abilities. Essence contains other ingredients that may further boost the gloss. If you’re planning on coating your vehicle, Essenece is certainly the best choice since it will prep the surface for the coating.

  9. Rick says:

    Hi Zach, thanks for the write up. Can I use 22ple after Essence or is it designed only for CQ Quartz products. If not, what would you recommend for a “brand new” vehicle prior to the 22ple? Thanks in advance.

    • Hi Rick, as I mentioned in the last sentence in this article “I have been told that this product should work with some other coatings as well, but I will plan on doing some durability testing with various non-CarPro coatings, and will be sure to share my findings in future articles.”

      CarPro has not done any testing with other non-CarPro coatings, but they are estimating there will be some compatibility with other silica coatings. I am currently doing some testing with the 22ple products on top of Essence and will monitor them for at least 6 months before making any assumptions myself. I will report back with an article or update here at that time.

      If you do not wish to test Essence beneath 22ple for yourself, you would simply need to correct the paint using the products of your choice, and then wipe the surface with a 50% isopropyl alcohol solution before applying 22ple per the manufacturer’s instructions. I typically use M205 or Optimum Hyper Spray Polish as a finishing polish on newer vehicles, but results may vary depending on the vehicle. Let me know if you have any other questions.

  10. Rick says:

    Thanks for the quick reply Zach.

  11. Steve K. says:

    Thanks for the review Zach. I have my bottle now I just need a test subject.

  12. Ricardo says:

    So does this act like a glaze with fillers. I usually polish my car then top it with a sealant and then a glaze. I was wondering if this could take the place of my glaze

    • CarPro states that the resins can fill in some minor defects, however it does contain abrasives and will actually correct the paint as well. It would not surprise me if you could replace your current polish and glaze process with Essence.

      • Ricardo says:

        I use Menzerna SF-3800 as my finishing polish, and i really like the gloss that it brings, so I dont want to give it up. So do you think that I can stack sf-3800 and essence and if so i would use essence after the sf-3800? Thanks

        • Essence is not mandatory, so if you enjoy SF3800 and don’t mind wiping with alochol or eraser, then continue with your current process. If you want to add Essence to your workflow, it should be the last step in your polishing process. Essence primes the surface for the coating, therefore it would not be beneficial to use another polish after essence.

  13. Gabriel says:

    Great review.
    Wow shut up!
    This acts like a primer and no need to give it a wipe down!
    Just polish and apply a sealant..
    Does it work for ceramic coatings?
    If it does that would be awesome!
    Thanks.

    • Hi Gabriel – Essence is designed specifically for use with ceramic coatings (cquartz), not necessarily traditional sealants. Polish the vehicle with Essence, then apply Cquartz afterwards – no need for an Eraser wipe down.

  14. Marius says:

    Thanks for a great review! I got a bottle of Essence, planning to use it as a prep for either Gtechniq EXO or Max Protect V2 coating. I’ve read the above about NON-Carpro coatings, but am eager to give it a go. Do you know any negative sides to this plan? Appreciates your thoughts on this.

    • The only negatives are, as you stated, there has been no official testing of non-CarPro coatings on top of essence. CarPro has stated that they assume it will work with many other coatings, but they can not be sure.

  15. Rodney says:

    Have you ever applied Essence to headlights? If not would you recommend it or recommend against it?

  16. J.R. says:

    I’m interested in this product, if anyone can answer this I’m all ears! I ordered some Polish Angel Viking Coating and am looking for something for a 1 step before applying it. Would this and V.S. play nice together?

    • As far as I know there has been no official testing with Polish Angel and CarPro Essence… as mentioned in the article, CarPro states that Essence may work with other coatings, but nothing is certain. Test it out for yourself if you’d like… do a panel with Essence and another without and see if there is a noticeable difference.

  17. Joe says:

    I’m very impressed with the Essence. Did my sisters trailblazer that was badly faded and need of a thorough detail. Did a medium pad with Sonax 4-6, then a wipe with Gyeon Prep then applied Essence. Literally changed the look of the car. The initial polish helped, but Essence topped with Reload made the paint look dripping wet. Zach, I did Sonax 4-6 Gyeon Prep/IPA wipe then Essence on my brothers Charger. Looked amazing, then topped with 22 PLE Pro 2 and VX3 when I ran out of the pro. Didn’t seem to having bonding issues. I’m hesitant to use it as a base for my Kamikaze Miyabi/ISM combo I’m gonna do on my truck. May just pass on that one, but definitely using with with some Cquartz UK I’m trying on another car. This stuff is very versatile and easy to use.

    • Hey Joe – I have been testing many 22ple coatings (VX3, HPC, and Mistico Elemento) on top of Essence. I have yet to experience any issues, but I am not yet to the point where I am completely confident, so I will hold final judgement for another few months. From what I have been told by CarPro, these primer polishes work as described only if they are used properly… one of the key factors is generating enough heat to break down the polishing oils and activate the resins in the primer. This is why Essence is best applied by machine with a firmer pad. If applied by hand or with softer pads, there will not be enough heat to properly work the product, and therefore there will be oils left on the surface which might interfere with a coating. So as long as you are taking the proper steps in using very little polish and working it until it is clear, you should be safe. Let me know how your testing goes!

  18. Yes, the fact that this product can be topped with Carpro quartz or Carpro quartz UK makes it very attractive to detailers, who by the time you reach this point (either the 2nd or 3rd step) will really welcome not having to perform a IPA or Carpro Eraser wipedown, and perhaps marring the finish. If it finishes as well as it looks in the photos, you can’t miss with the coating phase. I think I’ll use Carpro Fixer, Reflect, and Essence in that order, unless I can get by with just the first and third steps.

    • You would not need to use Reflect. Essence contains the same abrasives used in Reflect… just less of them. So unless you really mar the surface with Fixer, Essence should be more than capable of bringing the paint to a perfect finish after compounding.

  19. Steven Berns says:

    Hi Zach, I enjoyed reading this.. Can you please confirm for me that this product has traces of trisiloxane in it? We would like to use this product at work, however we have strick rules about using silicons in body repair/detailing shops that we must follow. Also does the trisiloxane mean that the product will wear off quicker (depending on the conditions – of course).

    • Hi Steven – the MSDS for CarPro Essence is available publicly (google search will show it). You can also consult with CarPro directly regarding the chemical make up of their products.

  20. Paul says:

    Interesting product. For our vehicles which are in good shape in the Spring and Fall I wash, clay, paint cleanse/correct with Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound using a Griot’s random orbital and for a LSP I use either Collinite 845 or Sonax Polymer Net Shield. I was thinking of trying this new product. How could I work it into my particular routine and could it replace a step/product I currently use in it? Would it be ok (compatible) to apply Collinite or Sonax after using Essence? Is there even a need to? I ask because (and correct me if I’m wrong) you state that this product contains a built in quartz coating that gives protection for 1 year? If this product has a built in quartz coating that truly provides a full year of protection then why apply another quartz coating on top of it or some other LSP after using Essence? To get 2 years out of it? You state that Essence provides up to a year of protection, but it is not very hydrophobic. I must ask then… what type of protection does it provide? Just UV protection? Because this product contains quartz glass I should probably throw out any pads and microfiber towels after using it or wash them immediately after use with what exactly? I am sorry for all of the questions, but I am trying to get a better understanding of this whole thing. I hope you can help. Thank you and have a great day.

    • Hey Paul – All good questions… let me see if I can help… First, unless you’re working with hard paint, I would imagine that Ultimate Compound is a bit overkill for biannual maintenance. With proper washing practices, vehicles should simply need a light polish each year to remove light wash induced marring. If you wanted to work Essence into your routine, I would replace your Ultimate Compound with Essence and use it to lightly polish the vehicles to enhance gloss. You should be OK applying an LSP of your choice over Essence. The polish does provide a layer of protection (meaning a sacrificial barrier to help resist damage from environmental contaminates) that can last up to 1 year on its own, however Essence is not excessively hydrophobic, so most people chose to top it with a product like CarPro Reload or with a coating like CQuartz for added protection and to increase the surface tension. Keep in mind, water beading does not equal protection. Water beading is simply a product of high surface tension. Surface tension can be altered by a number of things, and therefore judging protection solely on water behavior is a trend that needs to be reevaluated. In my experience there has been no damage to any of my pads after using Essence. It is best to wash the pads immediately after use, of course. Likewise, I have not seen any damage to my towels either.

      Please let me know if you have any other questions.

  21. John says:

    Hi. Is there anything that I shouldn’t top Essence with (when I periodically wash my car)? Of course Reload is best (I assume), but is it perfectly fine to use products (which I already own) such as Prima Hydro spray wax, Adam’s H2O Guard & Gloss, Optimum spray wax, etc…?

    Thanks!

  22. Rick says:

    HI Zach,

    Would you recommend this for removing spider web swirls from Opti-Gloss coating. If not, what would you recommend???
    Thanks,
    Rick

    • Rick – though I have not personally tested the compatibility between Essence and Gloss Coat, Optimum has stated they may not be compatible. I would recommend using Optimum Hyper Spray Polish as the Optimum products are meant to be used together as a system.

  23. Eddie says:

    Hey Zach,

    Fantastic review! How would you go about applying Essence by hand ? I have a 2016 M3 with perfect paint. I would like to strip down whatever is currently on the paint and have Essence/CQuartz UK applied. Thanks for your help!

    • Hey Eddie – thanks for the comment!

      It is not recommended to apply Essence by hand if you’re using it as a primer unless you also do a solvent wipe down (Eraser) afterwards.

      Essence relies on heat generated by machine polishing to help eliminate the oils left on the surface. When used by hand, there is not nearly enough heat generated, resulting in more lubricating oils on the surface after working. CarPro recommends doing an Eraser wipe down after Essence whenever possible, but especially after applying by hand (per conversation between Avi and myself shortly after Essence was first released).

      • Walter says:

        Hi Zach,

        Would applying Essence by hand negate the filler benefits if we need to wipe by hand? I planned on topping it with wax while keeping the filler benefits.

        Cheers!

        • Applying by hand would likely enhance the filling abilities. When applied by hand you should generate less heat between the face of your applicator and the surface of the vehicle compared to applying by machine. The lack of heat will mean the oils will not break down and evaporate to the same level as they would with higher temps and therefore should help to fill in some small defects.

  24. Kevin says:

    Hello Zach,

    Excellent article!
    Quick question – How long should I wait to apply Cquartz Uk after polishing/priming with Essence ?

    Can I apply it immediately or do I need to wait for a couple or so hrs?

    Thanks,
    Kevin

    • Hi Kevin – you can apply CQuartz UK immediately after polishing your vehicle with Essence. It will likely take you several hours to polish the car, which is more than enough time to allow Essence to set before coating. If you’re just polishing one panel, I would let Essence sit for an hour before coating.

      Let me know if you’ve got any other questions.

  25. Mark Stone says:

    Tried Essence with 22PLE VX3 on a F150 [black]. Essence worked fine. Brought the finish up perfectly, however, on the application of VX3 – it flashed too fast [less than 2 min] on the hood and one side of the truck. It was a cloudy day, low humidity, about 82 degrees [northeast weather in September]. I am thinking it was the VX3 applicator dispersing a little too much at one time. I will try the CarPro suede block the next time to compare.

    • Hi Mark – VX3 Flashes (turns to a rainbow like appearance) very quickly, but it should still be easy to remove well beyond this point. The coating actually needs to sit long enough that it wipes away cleanly without leaving residue. If there is faint residue remaining, then you are wiping too soon. If it is tacky or difficult to remove, then you are waiting too long. VX3 has a very large working window and is quite user friendly.

      Were you experiencing tacky product or having trouble wiping it away?

  26. Saul Munoz says:

    Any further information about how well it works together with other coatings?

    • Hi Saul – I have not personally noticed any issue with the 22ple or GTechniq coatings that I have been testing on top of Essence. I believe as long as you use Essence properly, and are topping it with a silica based coating, you should be OK.

      • Joseph says:

        Essence will work with optimum coatings! Optimum may tell you it won’t and I understand why.
        I personally like both coatings (cquk and optimum). Typically I push opti Gloss coating more bc of ease of use and protection and results are fantastic.
        Benefits I found with using essence:
        It allows me to sell more coating details without also having to charge for multistage paint correction.
        Im not sure as if it’s doing more correction or filling and I’ve learned to accept that.
        I have yet to see any durability issues with filling capabilities if it’s actually filling or just correcting.
        The final result after essence appears as if I did a multi stage correction in an hour or two.
        Eliminating IPA or any paint prep solution wipe down step is a real time saver.
        Topping with a coating seals in the filling for the life of the coating.
        When it comes time to the expiration of the coating I don’t have to worry about removing clear for reapplication simply same process as intial application.

        Many may call me a hack for using essence filling properties.
        My answer to that is my customers are happy with the results and bring more business to me as I can produce almost near the same results if not the same as a multi stage correction in less time and not having to charge for a multistage correction ( catering to my customers needs as well as providing a reasonable price for service)
        The customers satisfaction it what keeps us as detailer in business.
        Also in my experience most customers don’t have the eye we have nor care ( a slight scratch or marr will drive me crazy) if they did we wouldn’t have any business.
        Swirls from customers improper techniques aren’t noticeable under thr eye I just always assume they think that what it’s suppose to look like.

  27. Dallen Helmer says:

    Sounds the product slick back from shine supply that I use now for coating primers, but I don’t like the fact that this product has fillers. If I’m polishing a car I’m looking for the real results not just fillers at the end of it. I see where it could work great at but, but what if I want to use this as a primer and not use the filler effect could I IPA whip to check my work? I wish carpro would come out with a primer polish without the fillers guess I still have to use shine supply’s slick back

    • Hi Dallen – yes, same basic idea as Shine Supply Slick Back. CarPro mentions that Essence has the ability to fill because the truth is that all polishes can mask defects due to the oils used in the formula for lubrication while polishing. I have tested the filling of Essence and have yet to discover any real filling ability. As you mentioned, I want a primer that will truly remove defects and produce a crystal clear finish, not one that will just cover it up. In order to test this for myself, I have wiped Essence immediately after polishing with IPA and CarPro Eraser. It did not reveal any change in appearance after the wiping. CarPro has told me that when applied by machine, and the product is broken down, there should be no concern, however if applied by hand where little to no heat is generated, the product will likely not break down and can therefore hide defects as well as remove them. Remember that Essence does contain the same abrasive technology found in CarPro Reflect, which is a great finishing polish. We still do Eraser wipe downs on almost every vehicle after using Essence, just to be safe, and have never had any issues. Hope that helps answer some questions, let me know if you have any other concerns! Thanks for reading.

      • Dallen Helmer says:

        Yes that has helped a lot, they are just stating that it may fill in defects rather then be perceived as some form of a glaze, after finishing up with slick back imma have to try it, imma still use panel wipe(gtechniq) or eraser before applying a coating just to be on the safe side.

  28. larr mc agregor says:

    Zach, great info as always I did a light paint fix (swirls) then eraser then essence then cq then reload.
    Question should I keep using the reload as I use a spray in between washings every week. Thoughts as I have Girots speed shine I did use but now want to keep my cq/reload shine?

    larry

    • Reload should not be used as a quick detailer. It is a spray sealant, not a quick detailer and is not meant for cleaning. Only use reload or other spray sealants immediately after washing when the car is completely clean.

      If you wish to use a spray cleaner in between full washes, I would recommend a waterless wash product like CarPro EcH2O.

  29. Anandraj says:

    Hi, What would be the difference between Carpro Reflect and Carpro Essence, can reflect be replaced in place for Essence or vice-versa?

    Andy

    • CarPro Reflect is a “regular” polish, while CarPro Essence is a “primer” polish which contains silica. Essence can be used to prepare a vehicle for coating and does not require a solvent wipe after polishing, before applying the coating. The abrasive technology used in Essence is the same that is found in Reflect, so they will behave very similarly in terms of polishing ability and performance, however if you are applying a nano coating, CarPro Essence would be the ideal option.

      Hope that helps clarify.

  30. Paul Harper says:

    Hi Zach

    Another great review.

    I just bought some of this. I have a coating of Crystal Syrum Light applied, going on 1.5 years and working great and still very hydrophobic. I do apply a good sealant approx. every 3 months. I’m not ready for any major correction in polishing, but could use a very light polish in some areas. I daily drive an Audi S6 w Phantom Black Pearl paint which can be unforgiving.

    Will this remove my CSL coating? I’m guessing yes after reading all the feedback. If so, I have some leftover EXO. See any issues putting EXO on top after using this product?

    Glad to hear things are going well with the lifestyle change and appreciate all the great reviews and feedback. – Paul

    • Hi Paul – Essence does have abrasives in it and therefore can remove a coating. There is no way to know with absolute certainty if a coating has or has not been removed with polishing, so I would personally err on the side of caution and always reapply protection of your choice after using an abrasive such as a compound or polish.

  31. Roger Baron says:

    Hi Zack–My wife’s car is a black daily driver that has 2 year old Crystal Serum Light on it. Even though great car has been give washing and trying maintain it winters are hard on it here in Ohio so it has some light swirling. I’m thinking about re-doing it and I’m considering Essence or Reflect and re-coating with CSL again. I want to use the least aggressive method to save the clear-coat but without sacrificing durability. Will Essence bond well enough to get 2 years with the coating like before or is it safer to use Reflect even though it a little more aggressive ? I would appreciate your professional opinion on which product you’d go with.

    • Hi Roger – I have done some testing with CSL over Essence. On a previous car I split the hood down the middle. I polished one side with Essence and the other side with M205 and wiped that side with a prep solvent (Essence side had no wipe down). I then applied CSL to the entire hood and monitored the behavior over the course of approximately 9 months before I sold the car. Over that time period I did not see any considerable differences between the Essence side and the M205 side.

      With that being said, I do prefer to do a light wipe down with CarPro eraser (or similar product) after using Essence when possible just for peace of mind.

  32. Fay says:

    Great Article Zach!
    I have a quick question about using essence. I used CarPro ClearCut and planning to use essence as finish polish then CQuartz. Should I wash the car (because of dust) and Eraser then apply essence?

    • If your car is excessively dusty after using ClearCut then you may wish to wash it before proceeding with the final polish. I do not believe you should experience excessive dusting, but you never know. Remember to keep your pads clean as it will greatly reduce the amount of dust created during the compounding process.

      If you chose to wash the car after compounding, carefully dry it and then proceed with the final polish. You are not required to use Eraser after polishing with Essence, but I personally think it is a good idea if you are not working with exceptionally delicate paint. After the paint has been perfected to your liking, apply the coating of your choice.

  33. Dave says:

    Hi Zach, I just found your thread. Essence looks amazing. Firstly would this be a market comparison to tac systems total one.

    Secondly. I wish to hand apply Essence hoping to get the slightest of correction, and have a great looking based pat to go under Soft99. Do these 2 products work together.

    Cheers

  34. Ray says:

    Zac, Read all above but still unsure on the best pad choice for Essence as prep for C.Quartz CQ.UK 3.0, then Gliss. New Metallic Grey Tacoma, 1100 miles. Kept inside day and night. Paint is dealer lot virgin, hasn’t even been washed once yet. Do I use a firmer pad to generate the heat for Essence, or a finishing pad that would not generate as much heat? I intend to wipe down with Eraser after Essence. Use a Porter Cable 7424. Which pads? THANKS!

  35. Ray says:

    Thanks Zach!

  36. Ray says:

    Zac, After Cquartz and Gliss is applied, which best soap do you recommend to wash the car that will not erode the coating and be a prep for a Reload application? Thanks!

  37. Tomas says:

    Hi Zach, I would like to try Essence due to there’s no need of Ipa or Eraser, as it’s light correction only, can I use any other compound to correct the heavy defects and Essence as a last step? Would you wipe the panel with eraser after other compound before applying Essence?

    King Regards
    Tomas
    Autowash Express

    • Reece @ DI says:

      Tomas – Depends. I generally use a clean microfiber towel with a spray of Eraser to wipe away any dust or oils during compounding. This helps me inspect the paint and I have never had any issues following up with Essence. If the compound leaves behind a lot of oils, I would recommend an Eraser wipedown, otherwise, you certain should not have to.

  38. Ray says:

    Hey guys. I used Essence/CQuartz/Gliss a year and a half ago on a grey Tacoma and it still blows me away how good it looks and how well it sheds anything that would presume to stick to it. Since then I have added a matching ARE bedcap. I have waited the obligatory six months the manufacturer says you should wait before doing any surface protection so that the bedcap shell fiberglass will harden completely. Now it is time to Essence/CQuartz/Gliss the bedcap. I want to make sure that the 18 month old Essence/CQuartz/Gliss on the truck body matches the brilliance of these 3 newly-installed products on the bedcap. 1. To that end, what do you suggest that I do to update/augment the existing E/CQ/G on the truck body? Truck is stored inside, seldom parked outside as I work from home. 2. What pad do you recommend for the Essence on the new fiberglass bedcap? Thanks!

  39. Kevin Linkhorst says:

    Zack, I have read through most of your articles and was wondering about any further results on Essence. Did you do any number of coating to see how they react to Essence and what were your finding? Know this was an older article but it popped up when trying to find out how friendly Essence was with other coating especially to where coating have gone in the past few years.Thanks so much for any input.

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