After years of struggling with weak fingernails, classical guitarist Tom Cawood went on to become a scientist and medical doctor and ultimately develop a highly effective solution using sheep’s wool technology.
Proven in the lab and in real-world use – including among guitarists – the biodegradable formula strengthens nails without solvents, gels or glues, with future success aimed at funding research to combat didymo threatening South Island rivers.
“My medical and scientific background – and complete lack of beauty industry experience! – shaped everything,” the Dr Tom Nailcare founder tells Verve “I started by analysing the ingredients in existing treatments, expecting solid evidence. Instead, most relied on subjective claims like user satisfaction surveys, with little robust science behind them.”
How important is your own story in building credibility with customers?
I assumed the real breakthrough would be the science – developing a world-first lab model of fingernails from sheep’s wool, proving exactly how much force they can withstand, using this to create something that really works and then testing these products with classical guitarists who truly understand nail performance. I thought the data would speak for itself and my personal story would be secondary.
That proved wrong. The science builds credibility, but most customers don’t read the detail – they care whether it works. Performance drives repeat use, and personal interaction builds trust. Unlike larger corporate competitors, there’s a real person behind this brand – and one that’s willing to stand by the product – we even offer a full money-back guarantee if any customer doesn’t see improvement.
I’m naturally someone who prefers the background, but I’ve learned I need to step forward to help the brand grow and achieve the wider impact I want it to have.
Can you tell us more about your use of sheep’s wool?
It’s our magic sauce trade secret! The key difference is this: most traditional nail treatments act as surface coatings, forming a glue-like layer that sits on top of the nail. Instead of coating the nail, our formulation penetrates it, using a specialised hydrolysed keratin to strengthen the nail’s natural keratin bonds. Used consistently on bare nails, it helps repair and strengthen rather than mask damage, making it ideal for rehabilitation after gels or for those wanting a natural, healthy finish.
And you avoid solvents, gels, acrylics and glues?
Classical guitarists want their nails to be stronger – artificial thickening affects tone and speed of playing. What’s also important for me personally is that nail polish is not biodegradable and I don’t want to add to the problem.
Why is sustainability so important to you?
I love being in the backcountry and my ‘why’ is that I want future generations of Kiwis to be able to enjoy that too. It’s not always easy to make the perfect sustainability choice – I still make compromises at times, like flying for important occasions. Real change often requires leadership at a government and industry level.
Where I can influence things at scale, though, I take that responsibility seriously. I previously chaired Green Halo, a software company helping corporates measure and reduce carbon emissions, and I’m committed to the same principles with Dr Tom Nailcare. From ingredients to packaging, most components are biodegradable or recyclable. Remaining challenges include creating a fully recyclable brush cap and improving shipping sustainability – our own vehicles are electric and solar-powered, but wider transport systems still need to catch up.
Find out more at drtomnailcare.com
