Inc. Names Cassandra Morales Thurswell of Kitsch to Its 2026 Female Founders 500 List

Kitsch founder and CEO recognized for bold ideas, resilience, and execution shaping the future of the beauty industry.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Cassandra Morales Thurswell, founder and CEO of beauty and wellness brand Kitsch, has been named to Inc.'s 2026 Female Founders 500 list, an annual honor recognizing the most dynamic women business leaders in the United States. This is Thurswell's third time appearing on the prestigious list, which evaluates founders on quantitative performance metrics as well as qualitative factors like innovation, social impact, and brand momentum.

Why it matters

The Inc. Female Founders 500 list spotlights the growing influence and success of women entrepreneurs, particularly in industries like beauty and wellness that have historically been male-dominated. Thurswell's recognition underscores Kitsch's rapid growth and impact as an independent, mission-driven brand challenging industry norms.

The details

Under Thurswell's leadership, Kitsch has become a top-10 performer across retail and social commerce, available in 32,000+ stores in 92 countries. The brand is known for its commitment to sustainability, with over 15 patents and innovative packaging to reduce environmental impact. This past year was transformative for Kitsch, as it cracked a new category with patented hair perfume technology, built a balanced omnichannel strategy, and solidified its vision as a future-forward, performance-led hair care authority.

  • Cassandra Morales Thurswell was named to the Inc. Female Founders 500 list in 2023, 2025, and 2026.

The players

Cassandra Morales Thurswell

The founder and CEO of Kitsch, a beauty and wellness brand known for its elevated essentials, commitment to sustainability, and rapid growth.

Kitsch

An independent beauty and wellness brand that creates haircare, wellness, and other products with thoughtful design, best-in-class performance, and attainable prices.

Latinas in Beauty

An organization that Thurswell advises, focused on making sure Latina founders have a seat at the table and spotlighting how true inclusion comes from a global lens.

Inc.

A media company that publishes Inc. magazine and recognizes the most dynamic women business leaders in the United States through its annual Female Founders 500 list.

Bonny Ghosh

The editorial director at Inc. who commented on the extraordinary leaders featured on this year's Female Founders 500 list.

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What they’re saying

“I am so honored to be in such a distinctive group of visionary creators that are contributing in such dynamic ways to today's culture and consciousness. Any recognition I receive is really a reflection of the people around me—my team at Kitsch champions women every single day. I'm also grateful for Latinas in Beauty, an organization I'm honored to advise. It is doing the hard, necessary work of making sure Latina founders have a seat at the table, spotlighting how true inclusion comes from a global lens and that success is meant to be shared.”

— Cassandra Morales Thurswell, Founder & CEO of Kitsch (PRNewswire)

“Each year, we are increasingly amazed by the extraordinary leaders on our Inc. Female Founders 500 list. The honorees on this year's list include innovators in AI, beauty and wellness trendsetters winning devoted fans, and nonprofit leaders making a real impact in their communities. Together, they're showing all of us what trailblazing female leadership looks like.”

— Bonny Ghosh, Editorial Director at Inc. (PRNewswire)

The takeaway

Cassandra Morales Thurswell's recognition on the Inc. Female Founders 500 list for the third time underscores the growing influence and success of women entrepreneurs, particularly in the beauty and wellness industry. Kitsch's rapid growth, commitment to sustainability, and ability to challenge industry norms make it a prime example of the innovative, mission-driven brands shaping the future of the sector.