In 1986, in the Hamptons, a nightclub singer named Rommy Revson was house-sitting and wanted something to hold her hair. She took the elastic from the waistband of her pyjamas, sewed it into a fabric loop and named it after her poodle, Scunci. The patent followed in September 1987. A scrap of pyjama elastic, and a whole category of hair accessories started. The best small tools usually begin with someone being slightly irritated at home.

Michael Todd Beauty lives in the same neighbourhood of ideas: an everyday object, plus a motor. The brand says it was founded in 2008 by Lewis Hendler, Michael Friend and Lilia Friend, with a mission to pair beauty technology with clean, organic-based ingredients, and that its breakthrough began with antimicrobial sonic cleansing. By its own description, the 2015 Soniclear was the world's first antimicrobial sonic skin cleansing system, with brush heads treated for antimicrobial protection. I find that origin more convincing than a device that arrived fully formed from a lab. It started with a brush and got more specific.

The trick is to read the first grid as a progression. Soniclear Sonic Cleansing Brush is the original, for cleansing, and the Soniclear Body Brush takes the same idea to your back and shoulders. The Sonicsmooth Dermaplaning System is the brand's peach fuzz remover, which it describes as working at more than 250 sonic movements per second, and the Sonicsmooth Pro+ adds an LED light the brand says helps you see fuzz. KNU Serum and KNU Cream are the skincare side, HydroJet is the facial system for anyone who likes gadgets, and the Sonic Refresher is the small one for a quick reset. If you only buy one, I would buy a cleansing brush, and if you want a smoother base for makeup, the dermaplaning pair is the place to go.

Pressure is the usual mistake with cleansing tools. Thirty seconds to a minute of light strokes is plenty, and if your face looks pink afterwards, the tool is working too hard for you.

Foreo Luna 4 is the cleansing and firming device in the group, and it suits you if you want something closer to a facial than a scrub. Coslus Silicone Facial Cleansing Brush and Sud Scrub Silicone Face Scrubber are the simple, non-electric versions, which I give to friends who are skeptical of gadgets. Boie Exfoliating Face Scrubber in Mint is the softest way to begin, and works best on a damp face with a gentle cleanser.

Then come the ultrasonic tools. Nurse Jamie Dermascrape and Mario Badescu Ultrasonic Pore Cleaner are the ultrasonic pair, and the place I would start. DERMAFLASH Dermapore+ is for skin that looks congested and is the most specialized of the trio. Foreo KIWI Derma is a microdermabrasion device, so treat it as an occasional exfoliator, not a daily one.

A pairing I like: a silicone brush in the morning and a plain washcloth at night, so your skin gets some variety.

What I would skip: using a cleansing brush and a pore tool on the same night. One new step at a time is how you find out what your skin actually likes.

Dermaplaning is easier to do well on a clean, dry face under a good light, which is the idea behind the LED feature on some of these tools.

The facts are plain. The Cleveland Clinic calls at-home dermaplaning generally low-risk, says it does not make hair grow back thicker, and suggests no more than once a week. It can leave a day or so of irritation, and blades should be kept clean. That is a long way from a treatment, and I like it better as a ritual for a smooth base for makeup.

DERMAFLASH LUXE+ is the sonic one, closest in spirit to the brand's own Sonicsmooth. Mario Badescu Ultrasonic Dermaplane Wand & Eyebrow Trimmer does two jobs, and Skin Gym Barefuzz Pro is the small trimmer you can keep in a drawer. Sephora Collection Metal Facial Razor is the classic metal razor, the one to learn the technique on. StackedSkincare's Dermaplaning Exfoliation Tool, Japonesque's Precision Dermaplaner Facial Brush Razors, the Schick Hydro Silk Touch-Up Dermaplaning Tool and Revlon's Face Defuzzer are the lighter, quicker options for a touch-up before an event.

Dermaplane in the evening, then follow with a simple hydrating serum and moisturizer, and keep makeup for the next day.

What I would skip: dermaplaning over active acne, eczema or any irritated patch. The Cleveland Clinic says to hold off in those cases, and to see a professional first if you are unsure.

Freshly shaved skin is at its most sensitive, so on dermaplaning day I cleanse gently before and after and skip anything with a scrub or an acid. A plain wash is enough.

Mz Skin Calming Cream Cleanser is the rich, comforting one for dry or post-tool skin. Tower 28 SOS Daily Balancing Gel Cleanser is the light gel for oily or reactive days. Lesse Calming Cleanser and PHYLA pH Balancing Gel Cleanser lean toward soothing, and OLEHENRIKSEN B5 Boost is a solid foaming cleanser that travels well. Santa Maria Novella The Gentle Cleanser lives up to its name. ROSE Ingleton MD SuperFruit Brightening Gentle Foaming Gel Cleanser is the one for a fresher, brighter finish, and The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser is the melting, makeup-removing one for evenings.

A simple routine: Squalane Cleanser at night to remove makeup, a cream cleanser to follow, then your usual moisturizer. On mornings after a brush session, a gel is usually enough.

What I would skip: a foaming cleanser with a high pH on dermaplaning day. Reach for the creamy or pH balanced one instead.

Buy into sonic tools slowly. Start with a cleansing brush, use it for a month, then decide whether a dermaplaning tool earns a place in your routine. Keep it to once a week and let the cleanser do the calming. I would rather own one tool I use than three I forget about.

A woman with a poodle and a pair of pyjamas started a whole category from something she already owned. You only need a soft brush, a calendar reminder for once a week, and a bit of patience with your own skin. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together BK Beauty Brushes and Morphe Started With Brushes at a Trade Show.