A wet coating composition useful for coating a cellulosic fiber-based substrate is provided. The composition includes two aqueous emulsions. The first emulsion includes an oxidized paraffin/polyethylene wax and the second emulsion includes an ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer wax, ethylene/acrylic amide copolymer wax, ethylene/acrylic acid/acrylic amide copolymer wax or a mixture thereof. The oxidized paraffin/polyethylene wax has a surface energy less than or equal to 25 mN/m being substantially dispersive energy. The wet coating composition when dried forms a coating having a surface energy ranging from 20 to 60 mN/m being the sum of dispersive and polar energies. A process for treating a cellulosic fiber-based substrate with the wet coating composition, a substrate coated and articles including the coated substrate are also described. The process involves a heating step to allow migration of the coating towards a core of the cellulosic fiber-based substrate.