Lynda Resnick believes women shouldn’t be afraid to get in touch with their inner girl.

Addressing L.A.’s leading women executives at the Business Journal’s Women Making a Difference Awards Luncheon on May 5 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, Resnick, co-chair with husband Stuart of the food and drink conglomerate Roll International Corp., said she wouldn’t have made that case publicly in the 1970s. Feminists might have shouted her down.

But when 11-year-old granddaughters Lucy and Scarlett asked her why she dressed up and wore makeup, she told them that she enjoyed being a girl.

“And I do. A smart woman has it all over a smart man in our society,” said Resnick, who owns brands including Pom Wonderful, Teleflora, Everybody’s Nuts and Fiji Water. “We know things and believe in our intuition. We love people and make great managers who really care about others in a true empathetic way. And if a coat of lipstick helps get our point across with some feminine charm, I’m all for it.”

Resnick also told the audience that it was important to believe in yourself, work hard and give back.

“Our world is suffering and I consider it the responsibility of every citizen to find a way to help make it better,” she said.

About 630 people attended.