Cassandra Morales Thurswell

She’s Building an Earth-Friendly Beauty Empire

The humble hair tie may not seem like the catalyst for a beauty empire, but don’t tell that to Cassandra Morales Thurswell, the founder and CEO of global beauty brand Kitsch. She launched the company in 2010 with $30,000 of her life savings, handcrafting her signature hair ties from her Los Angeles apartment. Now, Kitsch brings in more than $300 million in sales each year, and the brand can be found in 27,000+ stores worldwide, including Ulta Beauty, Target, Walgreens, and Whole Foods. Beyond hair ties, Kitsch now offers beauty and haircare products, more than 40% of which were sustainably sourced as of 2023. It was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2024, thanks to the introduction of its bestselling shampoo and conditioner bars, which save the equivalent of three plastic bottles per bar. Even better, Thurswell has built her eco-friendly brand while supporting women, who make up 78% of its employees.

By Audrey Goodson Kingo