Need an extra boost of hydration? Allow your skincare to flow with nature — maple sap water could be the antioxidant and nutrient-packed answer for dry, sensitive skin.

When it comes to a calm and radiant complexion, it doesn’t get more naturally hydrating than water… right?

As essential as water is for a minimalist skincare routine, it’s not always the most effective hydrator on its own. Water needs support to effectively penetrate and hydrate our skin, so consciously combining it with other ingredients is key to delivering deep, lasting hydration.

Easily absorbed and packed with skin-essential nutrients, maple sap water is a beautiful and simple way to deliver quick and calming hydration. Think of it like a natural electrolyte for your skin: invigorating, replenishing, and a little sweet.

What is maple sap water, and what does it do for your skin? Grab your nearest plaid jacket, it’s time for a calming stroll through the maple grove.

What is maple sap water?

Acer saccharum, also known as sugar maple, is a species of maple tree native to eastern Canada and the United States. Well-known for being the primary source of maple syrup, sugar maple trees have generated buzz in the skincare world for another offering: sap.

Maple sap water is sterilized water from pure maple tree sap. Clear just like regular water, maple sap water is created in early spring by maple trees pulling water up from the ground and filtering it through their roots, infusing the sap with nutrients stored in the maple for winter. 

After the sap has been collected, it is carefully sterilized to not only kill off pathogens but also maintain the minerals, polyphenols and antioxidants found in pure sap. 

While sugar maple sap serves as the foundation for both maple sap water and maple syrup, sap water and syrup are not the same things: maple water is pasteurized sap, while maple syrup is the sap that has been boiled down and condensed. The concentration of sugar in maple sap water is approximately 2% (98% water), compared to the 66% sugar concentration in maple syrup.

Maple sap water is ideal for use in skincare products due to the high concentration of active components, including minerals, polyphenols, and antioxidants.

What are the skin benefits of maple sap water?

Hydrating

When it comes to hydration and delivering active ingredients into your skin, size matters… molecule size, that is. Maple sap water is a great foundational ingredient for skincare due to its small molecule size.

Water has a larger molecule size than our outermost skin layer (we have a water-resistant epidermis), and when it comes to hydration, you want molecules to sink as deeply as possible into the skin.Maple sap water molecules are smaller than water molecules and closer in size to our bodily fluids — their small size means they can quickly hydrate skin. 

And because it can sink into the skin so easily, the nutrients in maple sap water (like amino acids, zinc, and manganese) can be delivered deep into the skin.

Nutrient-rich

Alongside being an easily absorbed delivery system,maple sap water is naturally full of minerals, polyphenols, and 46 bio-active compounds, including high antioxidant activity. 

Maple sap water contains calcium, potassium, iron, and zinc. Of particular note, maple water contains an impressive amount of manganese, an essential nutrient that the body must obtain through external sources as we do not produce it naturally. In fact, 12 ounces of maple sap water contains 40% of our daily value of manganese — compare that to a cup of kale, which contains 26% of your daily value. 

Additionally, manganese helps form an antioxidant called superoxide dismutase, which protects cells from oxidative damage (more on antioxidants below).

While more research is needed on maple sap water, studies found that replacing water with birch sap in skincare significantly increased the production of certain skin cells. As maple sap shares some qualities with birch sap, this may be a promising area of continued research for maple sap as well.

Anti-inflammatory + antioxidant

Finally, maple water is packed with powerful antioxidants, which not only replenish skin cells to improve the look and feel of the skin but also help treat inflammation and blemishes.

Maple sap water contains high levels of both phytochemicals and polyphenols. Phytochemicals are natural compounds produced by plants and help protect cells from oxidative stress and damage, while polyphenols detoxify and protect the body from inflammation.

Oxidative damage, caused by free radicals, contributes not only to aging and inflammation but to various chronic diseases such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and heart disease. Antioxidants work to neutralize free radicals and help protect your skin from damage caused by environmental factors such as UV exposure and pollution. Antioxidants also aid the production of collagen, which improves the skin’s elasticity.

One study found 24 different antioxidants in maple syrup (which is highly condensed maple sap), and another study found polyphenols and antioxidants present in maple water (which are not found in maple syrup) that help prevent aging. 

Maple sap water at Iremia

All-Calm Facial Mist

At Iremia Skincare, we use maple sap water in our All-Calm Facial Mist— bursting with natural ingredients that soothe, hydrate, and plump your skin, the All-Calm Facial Mist is suitable for all skin types. 

More hydrating than hyaluronic acid, this refreshing and calming face mist will leave your skin bright and radiant as it improves elasticity, and is a great first step post-cleansing to allow your skincare to be readily absorbed. Use it throughout the day whenever your skin needs an extra hydration boost. The All-Calm Facial Mist is your perfect skincare sidekick for a radiant, glowing complexion.

As always, enjoy the ritual of using your natural skincare knowing that you’re making healthy and simple choices for radiant, glowing skin.