DFB
Well-known member
- Aug 12, 2019
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Carpro Reflect Review -
Reflect is what Carpro terms a “rapidly diminishing nano abrasive” finishing polish. Producing an ultra-high gloss finish and famed for its ease of use, Reflect is without question one of my favourite polishing products. Unlike some final step polishes, Reflect contains no “durable fillers”, which means a body shop safe formular with no silicones, waxes or Teflon to mask minor imperfections, what you see is what you get. Reflect is an ideal finishing step to remove minor compounding haze, or as a final jeweling polish to take gloss and clarity to new levels.
Being up front, the cutting and corrective ability of Reflect in minimal. Depending on the paint, that might be an asset. For example, I’ve used it on an intermediate foam pad to fully correct the paint on a late model Mazda. For the most part, you are using Reflect for its glossing ability, however it can do some correction on the right paint with the right pad. In most situations, you’d be going with a finishing or light polishing pad, stepping up to an intermediate if you feel the need. On my Mustang for instance, a ShineMate orange foam works well.
Reflect can be used with a rotary or dual action polisher, or even by hand. The key to Reflect is restraint, the compound working better using less product per section. After an initial priming, Carpro recommend two or three small, pea-size drops onto a pad per set of passes. As the Reflect breaks down through the cycle, you should see the product diminish to a very light haze, which is the sign you’ve broken it down properly. This is one of the reasons why the wipe off is so easy. For the most part, Reflect is virtually dust-less, but if you do notice some dusting, it means you’ve used too much or worked it for too long. Pad blow or brush outs are fairly important here too.
Reflect vs Essence -
Carpro Reflect and Essence share the same abrasive package, which means a rapidly diminishing formula for mild correction and high gloss finishes. Where Reflect is a pure polish, Essence contains an Si02 additive. In days of old, Essence would have been called an all-in-one, they now call it a “primer” polish.
The Si02 content in Essence helps provide mild filling properties, which in theory means you don’t have to chase each and every scratch. Essence will also prime the surface prior to the application of a coating to apparently improve bonding. In that regard, Carpro suggest Essence can be used prior to all of their coatings and spray sealants such as Reload and Hydr02. You can also use Essence as a standalone protectant, just don’t expect miracles in terms of durability.
While there are differences, both Reflect and Essence are the stupid-easy to play with, be that during the working phase, the easy wipe off or the complete lack of dusting. I’ve also found them useful in cleaning up that scratch prone gloss black trim that has become so popular. So, which you choose will ultimately depend on what you want or need to achieve. In my case, if I’m going to apply something ceramic, I’ll finish with Essence. If I’m doing an old-fashioned wax or synthetic sealant, then I’d go with Reflect.
Either way, I have, use and recommend both.
Top Tip -
Unless you are doing this for a living, always buy the smallest bottle of polish you can. Polishing compounds do in fact age and go bad over time. It can be tempting to buy the big bottle to potentially save money over the long run, but ideally you want to use every last drop and replenish as needed rather than throwing away a half-finished bottle because it's gone bad.
Final Thoughts –
I personally think Carpro Reflect gets overlooked. Within the Carpro line, Essence catches all the attention for its dual-role potential. On a wider scale, dedicated finishing polishes like this are not as needed or wanted. On hard European paint, you’ll need something stronger, even to finish with. And that’s before you consider how effective 1-step compounds have become, think Scholl S20 Black, Sonax Perfect Finish and P&S Rehab, in some cases removing the need for a last step finishing polish.
Even still, I love Reflect. It’s a joy to use, easy to work, easy to wipe off, easy on the eye!
Reflect is what Carpro terms a “rapidly diminishing nano abrasive” finishing polish. Producing an ultra-high gloss finish and famed for its ease of use, Reflect is without question one of my favourite polishing products. Unlike some final step polishes, Reflect contains no “durable fillers”, which means a body shop safe formular with no silicones, waxes or Teflon to mask minor imperfections, what you see is what you get. Reflect is an ideal finishing step to remove minor compounding haze, or as a final jeweling polish to take gloss and clarity to new levels.
Being up front, the cutting and corrective ability of Reflect in minimal. Depending on the paint, that might be an asset. For example, I’ve used it on an intermediate foam pad to fully correct the paint on a late model Mazda. For the most part, you are using Reflect for its glossing ability, however it can do some correction on the right paint with the right pad. In most situations, you’d be going with a finishing or light polishing pad, stepping up to an intermediate if you feel the need. On my Mustang for instance, a ShineMate orange foam works well.
Reflect can be used with a rotary or dual action polisher, or even by hand. The key to Reflect is restraint, the compound working better using less product per section. After an initial priming, Carpro recommend two or three small, pea-size drops onto a pad per set of passes. As the Reflect breaks down through the cycle, you should see the product diminish to a very light haze, which is the sign you’ve broken it down properly. This is one of the reasons why the wipe off is so easy. For the most part, Reflect is virtually dust-less, but if you do notice some dusting, it means you’ve used too much or worked it for too long. Pad blow or brush outs are fairly important here too.
Reflect vs Essence -
Carpro Reflect and Essence share the same abrasive package, which means a rapidly diminishing formula for mild correction and high gloss finishes. Where Reflect is a pure polish, Essence contains an Si02 additive. In days of old, Essence would have been called an all-in-one, they now call it a “primer” polish.
The Si02 content in Essence helps provide mild filling properties, which in theory means you don’t have to chase each and every scratch. Essence will also prime the surface prior to the application of a coating to apparently improve bonding. In that regard, Carpro suggest Essence can be used prior to all of their coatings and spray sealants such as Reload and Hydr02. You can also use Essence as a standalone protectant, just don’t expect miracles in terms of durability.
While there are differences, both Reflect and Essence are the stupid-easy to play with, be that during the working phase, the easy wipe off or the complete lack of dusting. I’ve also found them useful in cleaning up that scratch prone gloss black trim that has become so popular. So, which you choose will ultimately depend on what you want or need to achieve. In my case, if I’m going to apply something ceramic, I’ll finish with Essence. If I’m doing an old-fashioned wax or synthetic sealant, then I’d go with Reflect.
Either way, I have, use and recommend both.
Top Tip -
Unless you are doing this for a living, always buy the smallest bottle of polish you can. Polishing compounds do in fact age and go bad over time. It can be tempting to buy the big bottle to potentially save money over the long run, but ideally you want to use every last drop and replenish as needed rather than throwing away a half-finished bottle because it's gone bad.
Final Thoughts –
I personally think Carpro Reflect gets overlooked. Within the Carpro line, Essence catches all the attention for its dual-role potential. On a wider scale, dedicated finishing polishes like this are not as needed or wanted. On hard European paint, you’ll need something stronger, even to finish with. And that’s before you consider how effective 1-step compounds have become, think Scholl S20 Black, Sonax Perfect Finish and P&S Rehab, in some cases removing the need for a last step finishing polish.
Even still, I love Reflect. It’s a joy to use, easy to work, easy to wipe off, easy on the eye!
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