The Care Chemicals division of German firm BASF announced the introduction of a new skin care ingredient made with the Japanese algal extract sacran this week that enables skin care product manufactures to create offerings that improve emotional well-being while also providing ample moisture and relief for sensitive skin symptoms.

When applied to the skin, sacran in BASF’s Sacred Patch instantly lifts mood with a release of oxytocin. The company extracts sacran from the microalga Aphanothece sacrum and then combines it with its MicroPatch technology.

“The active ingredient has been shown ex vivo to help stimulate the release of Oxytocin in human skin explants by as much as 40%,” BASF said in a release. “Comprehensive in vivo testing confirmed that the molecular patch had a positive emotional effect immediately after application: 93% of volunteers associated the use of Sacred Patch with tenderness, 90% with joy and happiness, and 61% with desire.”

To provide moisture, the MicroPatch provides a proactive mesh over sensitive skin that blocks water from evaporating. BASF said sacran also helps skin to remain water through its moisture-attracting properties. Tests indicate that the product creates lasting moisture in the upper layers of the epidermis for at least six hours after applying the patch.

Other tests conducted by BASF indicate that the product has a number of benefits for sensitive skin.

BASF’s active ingredients portfolio currently contains PatcH2O, which offers immediate and long-range hydration to scalp skin, and MicroPatch Caffeine that can improve cellulite and reduce dark circles under eyes. The company said it intends to develop more products based on the MicroPatch technology in the coming years.