RoC Skincare is expanding clinical research into its patented retinol by using identical twins and wearable health data, a design intended to account for genetic similarity while examining how daily habits such as sleep and stress may influence visible skin aging.
The company has completed a pilot study in adult female identical twins and is recruiting 30 pairs of women aged 40 and older in the United States for the next phase. Participants will use a regimen for 12 weeks. RoC expects results by mid-2027.
Why twins
Identical twins share DNA and much of their early environment, giving researchers a close natural comparison. Art Pellegrino, RoC’s chief scientific officer, said that when two people start with the same genetic blueprint, differences between them are harder to attribute to genetics. That, he said, makes it easier to observe what the retinol is doing on the skin.
Pellegrino described the pilot as a test of the model itself: whether identical twins could provide a more precise way to study drivers of visible skin aging. He said the answer was yes.
Pilot findings
RoC reports that twins in the placebo group had similar or worse signs of aging at the end of the pilot, while those in the treatment group showed 20% or more improvement in four weeks. Those figures came from the pilot phase; the expanded study is intended to examine how lifestyle factors shift outcomes when genetics are held constant.
Pellegrino said the pilot did not attempt to measure how much skin aging comes from genes versus lifestyle. The next study is designed for that question, with researchers tracking daily life as the genetic variable is controlled.
Wearables and clinical measures
Participants are asked to wear an Oura Ring, which tracks health and wellness metrics throughout the day, including sleep, stress, heart rate, heart rate variability and temperature trends. RoC will pair those biometric readings with clinical skin measures: expert grading, digital photography, corneometer readings and participants’ self-assessments.
Pellegrino said wearables create an opportunity to factor in how people live when recommending skin care. Because external influences such as sun exposure and diet cannot be guaranteed to match, RoC is recruiting twins with similar levels of environmental damage where possible and monitoring sleep and stress closely during the study.
What the design can show
With identical twins accounting for genetic similarity and the ring tracking lifestyle parameters, RoC intends to examine how stressors relate to changes in each participant’s skin. If one twin sleeps poorly or reports more stress, researchers can compare whether her skin responds differently to the regimen than her sister’s.
Pellegrino gave examples of the questions the design may address: whether weeks of poor sleep line up with lower hydration readings, or whether the twin with lower stress sees fine lines improve faster. RoC is also interested in the reverse relationship: whether participants who see visible skin improvements feel less stressed.
The company frames the twin work as one stage in a longer research program on “skin span,” or how long skin keeps looking its best. Pellegrino said the findings will shape how RoC develops products for skin longevity and designs future clinical studies.