Gel and cream cleansers work best with your Clarisonic. Steer clear of anything with physical exfoliants -- Akridge says that will be entirely too harsh on your skin.

And while we're on the topic of face wash, Akridge recommends using at least a quarter size amount of cleanser. As long as you use enough, it doesn't matter if you apply your cleanser directly to your face or to the brush head.

Drench your brush with enough water to give a Pomeranian a bath before applying your cleanser. (Maybe not quite that much, but you get the point.) Your Clarisonic should be soaking wet -- if you use it dry or only slightly damp, the bristles will be too abrasive on your skin. Akridge recommends getting your face wet as well. In other words, the shower is the perfect place to use the device.

Just because your Clarisonic cleans your face doesn't mean it cleans itself as well. The good news: The bristles on the Clarisonic are non-porous, so bacteria can't get in, explains Alkridge. But stray cleanser can get caught between the bristles -- Akridge says the best way to clean your Clarisonic is to remove the brush head, wash it with hand soap or shampoo, rinse it under running water and let it dry once a week.

If you're a total germaphobe, you can also soak it in a bowl of alcohol and rinse it really, really well before using (You wouldn't want your skin to get tipsy, after all).

That's every three months, people. It really does make a huge difference: After three months, the bristles start to lose their shape, and cleanser begins to clog at the bottom of the tufts (so the tufts begin moving in clumps versus individually) -- meaning, your Clarisonic becomes less effective.

"People tell me they're becoming 'disenchanted' with their device, or aren't seeing the results they used to, and I recommend that they try using a new brush head," adds Alkridge. "Almost every single time, I hear from them that the fresh brush head totally changed their experience and they fell in love with Clarisonic all over again."