Dr Tom Walker

Cosmetic product developer, entrepreneur and expert in eyelash and eyebrow science.

I combine a medical background with close to two decades of experience in eyelash and eyebrow products. My focus is the science of beauty and turning good ideas into useful products.

I trained and worked as a doctor before moving into product development and business.

Dr Tom Walker in a dark suit and red tie.

Areas of expertise

Science. Products. Real-world impact.

  • Eyelash & eyebrow growth

    The growth cycle, the ingredients and the evidence behind healthier-looking lashes and brows.

  • Product development

    Taking an idea from the first question through formulation, testing and into everyday use.

  • The science of beauty

    Connecting anatomy, biology and cosmetic science to understand what a product can really do.

  • Entrepreneurship

    Building profitable, specialist businesses around useful ideas. Clearly communicating scientific principles to match real customer needs.

My story

From medicine to innovation.

I studied medicine and surgery at the University of Glasgow and completed a separate degree in anatomy. After working as a doctor, I moved into entrepreneurship.

I founded Mylash in 2007 to focus on eyelash growth. Today, Mylash is the prescription-based service associated with Latisse. I later co-founded Opti Laboratories to develop a broader range of products for eyelashes and eyebrows. As this company grows I am looking to release innovative, frontier products.

My work brings together an understanding of growth ingredients such as bimatoprost with an interest in protecting the hair itself, from UV-protective serums to the design of a lash and brow protecting sleep mask.

Read more about my story
Original Mylash logo with the line Grow Your Own Lashes.
The original Mylash identity.

“I have always been driven by curiosity and a desire to find better solutions - whether in medicine, product development or the digital space.”

Dr Tom Walker

Research & product development

Innovation backed by evidence.

UV protection for lashes and brows.

At Opti Laboratories, we developed the Lash and Brow Sun Protect Serum with protection and conditioning in mind. It is the first serum to protect the eyelashes & eyebrows against UV damage - the most common cause of hair degradation. I co-authored a laboratory study with Dr Elena Tomas Bort to investigate its effect on eyelash hair exposed to UVA.

We compared untreated samples, a control serum and Sun Protect Serum after eight hours of exposure. Scanning electron microscopy and cuticle-edge measurements indicated less surface damage in the Sun Protect group under the conditions tested.

Scanning electron micrograph from the untreated UVA-exposed group, with a 10 micrometre scale bar and 1,000 times magnification.
01 / Untreated + UVAOriginal file: UV_NO_25B
Scanning electron micrograph from the Opti Serum UVA-exposed group, with a 10 micrometre scale bar and 1,000 times magnification.
02 / Sun Protect Serum + UVAOriginal file: UV_OP_25B

Images from the research image set. Original scale bars and instrument annotations retained; different samples, not a before-and-after photograph of one hair.

Research context: this was a laboratory study of hair-fibre protection, not a clinical growth trial or an SPF test. The study was funded by Opti Laboratories. I am a founder and owner of the company and receive income from it.

Selected writing

Articles and insights.

Featured in

A longstanding place in the beauty conversation.

Selected coverage of my work and Mylash. Historical articles describe my role and the service at the time.

  • Vogue American edition · December 2015 Print feature · Mylash mentioned
  • Evening Standard Tom Walker named in the article
  • ELLE January 2012 · Suzanne Scott “The Growth Activator” · print
  • Get the Gloss — Expert Health and Beauty September 2014 Tom Walker and Mylash mentioned
  • Daily Mail Alice Hart-Davis “Time to anti-age your eyelashes!”
  • Company magazine January 2011 · Sophie Quereshi Print review of the Mylash service

A brief résumé

Education and entrepreneurship.

Medicine & Surgery

Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
MBChB · University of Glasgow

Anatomy

A separate Bachelor of Science degree with honours
BSc (Hons) · University of Glasgow

Building, then moving forward.

I founded a postgraduate medical revision website in and sold it in .