Born to be wild - and protect his skin

“Every weekend I’m out on my motorcycle, so I know full well what can happen to your skin if you’re out in the sun during the summer,’’ Salgardo says. “It can do a number on your face.’’

Salgardo will be wheeling into the Newbury Street Kiehl’s store today at noon with fellow cycling enthusiasts as part of a seven-day charity ride to raise funds for amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS research. Kiehl’s will donate $5 to the charity for each person who comes into the store, in addition to a percentage of sales from the day.

Given his penchant for the sun and wind in his face, plus his knowledge of skin care, we asked Salgardo for advice on how to keep summer skin from resembling a well-weathered leather handbag.

■ It may sound obvious, but the most important thing you can do to protect your skin is apply sunscreen. Salgardo says the level of protection you use should be based on how quickly you burn. If you burn in five minutes, an SPF 30 will provide 150 minutes of protection.

Additionally, Salgardo says it’s important to apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before you head outside. Also, he suggests a waterproof sunscreen, which will continue to work despite the ever-present summer sweat.

■ To hydrate, Salgardo uses a cleaner with an exfoliant and then a toner to refresh skin. He looks for a toner with cucumber and stores it in the refrigerator to keep it cool. The toner helps to hydrate wind-chafed skin. Also, products with lavender are helpful to cool burned skin.

■ Despite humidity, which can leave faces shinier than a new penny, Salgardo says it’s still important to moisturize. The trick is finding a cream with a lightweight texture that won’t result in your face feeling weighted down during an already cruel summer.