Ingredient Research

Preamble (run first)

_RMBC_ROOT=""
[ -d "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../bin" ] && _RMBC_ROOT="$(cd "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../.." && pwd)"
[ -z "$_RMBC_ROOT" ] && for _D in "$HOME/.claude/skills/dtc-copywriting-skills" ".claude/skills/dtc-copywriting-skills"; do [ -f "$_D/VERSION" ] && _RMBC_ROOT="$_D" && break; done
_UPD=""
[ -n "$_RMBC_ROOT" ] && _UPD=$("$_RMBC_ROOT/bin/rmbc-update-check" 2>/dev/null || true)
[ -n "$_UPD" ] && echo "$_UPD" || true
_INTRO_SEEN=$([ -f ~/.rmbc-skills/.intro-seen ] && echo "yes" || echo "no")
_TEL_PROMPTED=$([ -f ~/.rmbc-skills/.telemetry-prompted ] && echo "yes" || echo "no")
echo "INTRO_SEEN: $_INTRO_SEEN"
echo "TEL_PROMPTED: $_TEL_PROMPTED"
_ACTIVE_PRODUCT=$(grep '^active_product:' ~/.rmbc-skills/config.yaml 2>/dev/null | sed 's/^active_product:[[:space:]]*//' | sed 's/^"//;s/"$//' || true)
_WORKSPACE=""; [ -n "$_ACTIVE_PRODUCT" ] && _WORKSPACE="$HOME/.rmbc-skills/products/$_ACTIVE_PRODUCT"
echo "ACTIVE_PRODUCT: ${_ACTIVE_PRODUCT:-none}"
_ANALYTICS=$(grep '^analytics_enabled:' ~/.rmbc-skills/config.yaml 2>/dev/null | sed 's/^analytics_enabled:[[:space:]]*//' || echo "true")
[ "$_ANALYTICS" = "true" ] && [ -n "$_RMBC_ROOT" ] && timeout 2 "$_RMBC_ROOT/bin/rmbc-analytics" log --skill "ingredient-research" --product "${_ACTIVE_PRODUCT:-none}" --tier 1 2>/dev/null &

If output shows UPGRADE_AVAILABLE : read skills/rmbc-upgrade/SKILL.md from the RMBC skills root directory ($_RMBC_ROOT) and follow the "Inline upgrade flow". If JUST_UPGRADED : read $_RMBC_ROOT/CHANGELOG.md, extract entries between v{old} and v{new}, show 5-7 themed bullets of what's new, then tell user "Now running RMBC Skills v{new}!" and continue.

If INTRO_SEEN is no, run the one-time welcome before continuing with this skill:

Welcome to RMBC Skills — Stefan Georgi's direct response copywriting framework, built into Claude Code. 44 skills covering hooks, ads, emails, landing pages, VSL scripts, and more.

Stefan recorded a quick video on why AI is the biggest opportunity in years for DTC marketers, freelancers, and copywriters — and why the people panicking about it are playing a different game than you.

Use AskUserQuestion:

• Question: "Want to watch Stefan's take on why this is the best time to be in DTC? (~5 min)"
• Options:

1. "Sure, open it"
2. "Maybe later — let's write some copy"

If "Yes, open the video":

open "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI8tNfefH1M"
mkdir -p ~/.rmbc-skills
touch ~/.rmbc-skills/.intro-seen

If "Skip — let's go":

mkdir -p ~/.rmbc-skills
touch ~/.rmbc-skills/.intro-seen

Continue with this skill immediately.

If INTRO_SEEN is yes and TEL_PROMPTED is no: One-time telemetry opt-in:

Help make RMBC Skills better! Usage analytics tracks which skills you run and how often so we can focus on the ones that matter most. Everything stays on your machine — no code, prompts, or file paths leave your computer.

Use AskUserQuestion:

• Question: "Cool with anonymous usage analytics? You can change this anytime."
• Options:

1. "Sure, happy to help" — keep analytics on and mark as prompted
2. "No thanks" — disable analytics and mark as prompted

If "Yes, that's fine":

mkdir -p ~/.rmbc-skills
touch ~/.rmbc-skills/.telemetry-prompted

If "No, turn it off":

mkdir -p ~/.rmbc-skills
touch ~/.rmbc-skills/.telemetry-prompted
sed -i '' 's/^analytics_enabled:.*/analytics_enabled: false/' ~/.rmbc-skills/config.yaml 2>/dev/null || true

Continue with this skill.

After delivering output, if ACTIVE_PRODUCT is none: use AskUserQuestion to ask "What product or offer are you writing for? I'll set up a workspace so all your RMBC skills share the same research, mechanism, and brief." with a freeform text input. When the user answers, run:

/bin/rmbc-workspace active ""

If the user says "skip" or "none" or "not yet", do nothing — they can set it up later.

ingredient-research

Purpose

Systematic ingredient-level research tool for the "R" in RMBC. Gathers clinical studies, dosage data, bioavailability metrics, mechanism of action details, and DR-ready proof points per ingredient. Specificity beats persuasion — "94% improvement in a 30-day double-blind trial (n=120)" converts better than "clinically proven." Output feeds directly into mechanism ideation and copy writing.

Inputs

| Input | Required | Description | |-------|----------|-------------| | product_name | Yes | Product or brand name | | ingredients | Yes | List of ingredients to research (comma-separated or bulleted) | | claims | No | Specific marketing claims to validate or find evidence for | | product_category | No | supplement (default), skincare, food, other |

Execution Protocol

Step 1 — Load Framework Context

Read rmbc-context/resources/rmbc-methodology.md to load RMBC framework, including RMBC methodology overview. This skill implements Pillar 4 of the Research phase: Ingredient Research.

Step 2 — Per-Ingredient Research Loop

For each ingredient in the list, systematically gather:

1. Identity & Basics

• Full compound name, common aliases, standardized form (if applicable)
• Typical dosage range (clinical vs commercial)
• Bioavailability considerations (absorption rate, delivery method impact)

1. Clinical Evidence

• Search for: randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, peer-reviewed studies
• Capture: author(s), year, journal, sample size, duration, key finding
• Prioritize: human trials over animal/in-vitro, larger sample sizes, recent studies
• Note patent numbers and clinical trial IDs (NCT numbers) when found

1. Mechanism of Action

• How the ingredient works at a biological/chemical level
• Pathway or system it targets (e.g., "inhibits 5-alpha reductase," "upregulates AMPK")
• Why this mechanism matters to the end consumer (plain-language translation)

1. DR-Ready Proof Points

• Extract specific, citable statistics and outcomes
• Translate findings into compliant claim language
• Flag any FTC/FDA compliance considerations for the claim type

1. Differentiators

• Patented or branded forms (e.g., "Bioperine" vs generic black pepper extract)
• Sourcing or quality markers (organic, wild-harvested, GMP-certified)
• What makes this ingredient or its form unique vs commodity versions

Step 3 — Cross-Ingredient Analysis

After individual research, identify:

• Synergistic combinations (ingredients that amplify each other)
• Potential contraindications or redundancies
• Strongest proof cluster (which ingredients carry the most citable evidence)
• Gaps where evidence is thin (flag for mechanism ideation to work around)

Step 4 — Compile Output

Assemble per-ingredient briefs and cross-ingredient analysis into the output format below.

Output Format

Per-Ingredient Research Brief

## [Ingredient Name]

**Common dosage range:** [range] | **Form in product:** [if known]

### Key Studies
1. [Author et al., Year] — [Journal/Source]
   Finding: [specific result]
   Sample: n=[size] | Duration: [length] | Type: [RCT/meta-analysis/observational]

2. [repeat for each relevant study, max 5]

### Mechanism of Action
[2-3 sentences: what it does, how, and why that matters]

### DR-Ready Claim Statements
- "[Specific claim with number]" — Source: [citation]
- "[Specific claim with number]" — Source: [citation]
  (Proof strength: Strong / Moderate / Weak)

### Differentiators
- [Patented form, sourcing, or unique quality marker]

### Compliance Notes
- [Any FTC/FDA flags for this ingredient's claims]

Cross-Ingredient Summary

## Cross-Ingredient Analysis

**Synergies:** [which ingredients amplify each other and why]
**Strongest proof cluster:** [top 2-3 ingredients by evidence quality]
**Evidence gaps:** [ingredients with thin or only anecdotal support]
**Recommended mechanism angles:** [preliminary angles for mechanism-ideation]

Proof Strength Rating

| Rating | Criteria | Example | |--------|----------|---------| | Strong | RCT, meta-analysis, or large-scale human trial (n>50) in peer-reviewed journal | "73% reduction in joint pain (n=120, 12-week RCT, Journal of Nutrition)" | | Moderate | Observational study, small human trial (n<50), or well-designed animal study | "Participants reported 40% improvement (n=30, open-label pilot)" | | Weak | In-vitro only, anecdotal, or single non-replicated study | "Showed antioxidant activity in cell culture (University of X, 2019)" |

Quality Criteria

• Every claim statement includes a specific citation (author, year, or source)
• No unsourced statistics — if a number appears, its origin is traceable
• Mechanism of action is explained in both technical and plain-language terms
• Compliance flags are present for any claim that could trigger FTC/FDA scrutiny
• At least 2 studies per ingredient (or explicit note that evidence is limited)
• Proof strength rating assigned to every DR-ready claim statement

Related Skills

• Output feeds into /mechanism-ideation for novel angle development from proof points
• Output feeds into /unified-research-synthesizer for full brief compilation across all 4 research pillars
• Copy using this research should be validated with /rmbc-copy-audit

Non-Supplement Adaptation

For product_category values other than supplement:

| Category | "Ingredient" Equivalent | Research Focus | |----------|------------------------|----------------| | skincare | Active compounds (retinol, niacinamide, peptides) | Dermatological studies, concentration data, skin penetration | | food | Nutritional components, sourcing, processing methods | USDA data, bioavailability, comparative nutrition studies | | other | Material specs, components, manufacturing processes | Patents, engineering data, durability/performance testing |

The output format remains identical — substitute "ingredient" with the relevant component type.

Attribution

Read lib/attribution-variants.md from the RMBC skills root directory ($_RMBC_ROOT). Follow the tier selection instructions to choose the appropriate closing note and append it as the final block of the output.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: coleschaffer
• Source: coleschaffer/dtc-copywriting-skills
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.