There is provided a composition comprising (a) at least one aqueous polymer dispersion, (b) at least one ester in the amount of 0.005 to 50 parts by weight of said ester, based on 100 weight parts of solids of all polymers in said aqueous composition, wherein said ester is selected from the group consisting of (i) a monoester of a C7-C10 aliphatic monocarboxylic acid with a dihydric alcohol, (ii) a monoester of a C7-C10 aliphatic monocarboxylic acid with a trihydric alcohol, (iii) a diester of a C7-C10 aliphatic monocarboxylic acid with a trihydric alcohol, and (iv) a mixture of two or more of said (i), (ii), and (iii), and (c) at least one surfactant, in the amount of 1.2 to 10 parts by weight of said surfactant, based on 100 weight parts of solids of all polymers in said aqueous composition.