“The build-up of oil, combined with pollutants from the outdoors, makes for an ideal environment in which bacteria on our skin can multiply.” When it does, it can “trigger inflammation and pus-filled spots” says Zahedi. Essentially, it causes a breakout, which does little but remind you of being 15 and moody. In the warmer months, exfoliating can “lift off the excess sebum that builds up.” Zahedi recommends a physical exfoliant to do the heavy lifting, and a chemical or liquid exfoliant “including salicylic acid, which is great for targeting rough patches, pores and impurities”. With the physical exfoliant, use a product that has a very fine texture (a micro-exfoliant, if you will), or else you could damage your skin.

Haeckels’ Seaweed and Salicylic Powder Exfoliant can be added to a cleanser of your choice to form an exfoliating cleanser. The salicylic acid offers the benefits of a chemical exfoliant, while the ground seaweed physically sloughs excess sebum away.

“You want to lift off the sebum production and the oils, but at the same time, you need to replenish your skin with hydration,” says Zahedi. Adding moisture to oily skin sounds counter-intuitive but, according to the doctor, it “prevents your skin from making excess oil of its own”. If your skin tends to get oily in the summer, a serum or mask containing hyaluronic acid is your friend here. It will make your skin feel “nourished, hydrated and plumper”. If your skin is generally dry, “you want to replenish the skin barrier with a richer moisturiser. Apply this after cleansing, before sunscreen,” Zahedi says. The Aqua Infusion Mask from AlumierMD is one of Zahedi’s favourites.

For a no-fuss, all-in-one job that actually works, try The Grey Men’s Skincare’s 3 in 1, a moisturiser that’s good day and night, for face and eyes across most skin types. It also contains a bit of vitamin C, which is good, as you’re about to see.

Whoa, aren’t you supposed to use vitamin C at night because it gets broken down by the sun and isn’t so effective in the daytime, thus wasting your precious coin? Sun can affect vitamin C, that is true, but “it’s a very powerful antioxidant that can protect the cells from free radical damage caused by the sun and pollution,” Zahedi says. She recommends using it in the morning as well as the evening; you can stop the vitamin C being broken down by using sunscreen. The Good C serum from Dr. Barbara Sturm is made with a scientifically proven fusion of stable and potent forms of vitamin C, which means your body absorbs as much of it as possible.

OK, this one is less about breakouts but it is still important. Aside from the very serious stuff, wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB helps to prevent fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation. When it comes to choosing a product, lightweight formulas are ideal for a breakout-free summer (plus, nobody wants sunscreen sweat in their eye). Regardless of the weight you prefer, Dr Zahedi stresses that “people should always use a physical sunscreen, not a chemical one”, this means making sure the product contains either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. “That way it creates a physical barrier,” she says. Also, SPF 30 should be a “minimum” – and remember to apply it to your ears. People with less head hair should also apply sunscreen to their scalp and wear a hat where possible. If you’re using acids and/or vitamin C, then it’s essential to make sure there’s a good layer of sunscreen on top of that, too.

Zahedi recommends AlumierMD’s Clear Shield to her clients. It’s lightweight, broad spectrum, has a sun protection factor of 42 and contains physical sunscreening zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Everything you need.

You wear a turtleneck all year, and then when you want to take it off, you start getting annoying spots on the back of your neck, at the bottom of your hairline, on your chest, and behind your ears? It’s no coincidence. “These breakouts are often a result of hair follicles becoming irritated and a build-up of bacteria.” We sweat more in the warmer months and we tend to be out and about getting exposed to dirt and dust. Add that to the increased temperature and humidity, and you have a perfect setting for bacterial growth. These impurities and bacteria clog our pores, causing a breakout just as they do on the face. To combat this, we can apply a similar set of rules to our body as we might our face.

Once again, exfoliation is key, so add a body scrub to your shower routine. “Make sure it’s not full of bad ingredients. I always recommend people search for a product on Think Dirty before purchasing,” Zahedi advises. MALIN+GOETZ uses natural ingredients in its body scrub, which contains peppermint extract – an antiseptic – and pumice to gently exfoliate without causing irritation or dryness. Zahebi also recommends focusing on aluminium-free products when it comes to finding the right antiperspirants, too – such as this one by The Grown Alchemist, which is infused by Icelandic moss and sage to tackle odour-causing bacteria.

The tricky balance from there is to not over or under wash – having too many hot showers can dry the skin out, making it produce more oil. According to Zahedi, lukewarm water is best. Cold water can both restrict pores and be less effective at removing dirt, which leads to clogged pores and (you guessed it) breakouts. So, just as you would when you don’t know the answer on a game show, head straight down the middle.