Ask a dietician her thoughts on blueberries and you’ll instantly see her face light up. “Blueberries are one of the absolute best food sources of antioxidants,” says Eliza Savage, RD, of Middleburg Nutrition in New York City. “Antioxidants are so important because they’re compounds that fight harmful free radicals in the body which cause cell damage and they protect against chronic diseases and cancer.” We decided to dig deep into what makes blueberry so good for you, both inside and out.

You can thank that pretty blue hue for the yummy fruit’s health and beauty benefits. “Anthocyanins, which give blueberries their hue, act as a protective mechanism in plants to protect against environmental factors like UV light, cold temperatures, and droughts,” says Savage. And while all antioxidants from all natural sources are great, anthocyanins have been scientifically proven to preserve skin health and prevent the signs of skin aging, she explains.

“Blueberries’ antioxidants can help soothe damaging inflammation and have phytonutrients to promote optimal nutrition,” Savage adds, so it makes sense that when applied topically, blueberry extract can help ward off sun damage, wrinkles, age spots, and damage. Our hero face wash, Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser ($34), does all of that while also removing makeup, grime, and pollution.

“Antioxidant rich, natural topical products generally help to reduce oxidative damage,” adds Savage. Whether used as a face wash or as a mask (just leave the cleanser on for a five minutes), the unique jelly formulation of this complexion must-have leaves skin feeling ultra-soft, thanks to hyaluronic acid; smoothed, courtesy of a bit of exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids; and of course, soothed and protected with everyone’s favorite berry. So the only question remains is: What can’t this little fruit do?