BLUE

[My Independence Day series is a three-day event where the posts will revolve around a red, a blue, and a white ingredient. All of these ingredients will in some way help sunburned skin but will also be good for other things. Happy Fourth!]

Come on. You knew it would be the blueberry. And truly, I can't believe it's taken me this long to get to it. Blueberries are ranked at the top for antioxidant power which means more benefits for your skin. It's also loaded with vitamin C. Really, you can't complain when it's that good.
I'm not the biggest fan of eating them (they're always a little too tart for my taste) but I think they're beautiful, and aesthetics are important to me. I also love the simplicity of the recipes that have blueberry in them. Because when the ingredient has so much power, you don't want too much else in it.

Body

Leaves: I've heard that blueberry leaves can relieve eczema symptoms. Steeping the leaves in hot water and using them in creams is said to work wonders and many believe in this treatment. I have not tried it myself, but it's good to throw out there, in case someone want to.

Face

Blue facial: 1/4 cup blueberries and 1tsp each olive oil and honey. Mix in a blender, apply and leave on for 20 minutes.
Blue and white: 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/4 yogurt in a blender will do great things if you spent your weekend outside.