Today’s sex toys are nothing like the toys of – let’s say – a decade ago. What’s striking, is that new and better materials are being used, such as silicone. This is a very versatile material, that in fluid form can be used as lube and in solid form it’s very flexible and extremely soft. What is the advantage of silicone and what to look for when you buy a sex toy of this material?
Silicone is being used to make all kinds of sex toys, such as dildos, vibrators, whips, floggers, cuffs, butt plugs, and cock rings. One of the advantages of this material is that it can be easily cleansed and disinfected, which it’s why it’s being considered as one of the most body safe materials around. It is hypo-allergenic and does not contain any animal materials (important for vegans). These kind of toys are ideal for people with sensitive skin.
Silicone is marketed under many different names, such as ‘medical grade silicone’ or ‘platinum silicone’.
Silicone based toys and lube
Silicone based lube is an interesting substance. It feels thick and stays active for a long time. Unlike water based lube, you don’t have to re-apply often. On top of that, you can use silicone lube under the shower or in bath, because it doesn’t resolve in water. Further more, silicone based lube is suitable for people with allergies. The less ingredients your lube has, the more body friendly it is.
Still, many websites will tell you to never use silicone lube together with silicone sex toys. Because, so they will tell you, it can damage your toys. It can, but it is not necessarily the case. You will be surprised how many silicone based lubes can be combined with silicone sex toys. And the other way around. The trouble is, how can you tell which lube goes with your toy? In general you will run less risk if you buy high quality stuff. Lube made of high quality silicone wil most likely have no effect on sex toys made of high quality silicone. Unfortunately, most of the time you will have no clue what kind of silicone is used for your sex toy. The claim ‘platinum grade silicone’ or ‘medical grade silicone’ is no guarantee
Many manufacturers of both sex toys and lube will test their products, for instance by hanging their vibrator in a bucket of lube for a couple of weeks. Lube with the ingredient ‘Dimethicone’ is an indication that you have a high quality lube. It is one of the most expensive types of silicone, but one that is known to have no effect on silicone toys.
In short, if you buy a really good silicone based lube (read: an expensive one) and use it in combination with a high quality sex toy made of silicone (read: an expensive one), it’s very likely that you run less risk of damage. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee. The good news is that more and more manufacturers put claims on their packaging, but even then there is no guarantee.Are you looking for a high quality lube, go for the products of Pjur.
Is silicone the best material for sex toys?
Sex toys made of silicone is ideal for many people. The material does not react to chemicals. Therefor, it will also not react to mucous membranes in your body. In other words: it is safe to insert silicone based sex toys in a vagina or anus.
Silicone is a non-poreus material. That means that there are no minuscule invisible holes in it, where dirt can cause yeast or infections. Other non-poreus materials, like glass or plastics, are hard. For people that are looking for non-poreus sex toys, but prefer a soft material, silicone is ideal.
Silicones are used more often, because it is a material that is easy to shape. It will keep its shape and not brake or tear. even if the toy is bendable.
Further more, silicone is easy to disinfect. If your toy does not contain motors or batteries, you can even boil it or put it in the dishwasher. But if you want to be really careful with your (expensive) toy, it is best to apply toy-cleaner.
Another feature of silicone is that it transfers vibrations and that it holds boy temperature. The vibrations of the motor will not be muted. And perhaps most important: silicone feels extremely soft, almost like real skin.
Is there nothing wrong with silicone?
There are a few minor issues with silicone. We already talked about the chance that your toy can be damaged by silicone based lube. Something similar can happen if two silicone toys lay next to each other in your nightstand: after a while, the materials can interact, which can cause discoloration or even ‘melting’. It’s best to keep your toys separate in a box or bag.
A second problem is that silicone can take scents. It may be that your silicone toy has some kind of chemical scent when you take it out of the package. Usually this will go away if you let it air for a couple of days. But it can also happen that your toy will start to smell after you used it. Some butt plugs have this problem. You can get rid of these smells, by airing them for a couple of days or to cleanse them with toy-cleaner. A tip we got the other day – but we haven’t tried it – is to use coconut oil to cleanse silicone toys with to remove odors. You can wash of the coconut oil with mild soap and water.
A third issue with poor quality silicone, is that it attracts dust.That is unpleasant and unhygienic. Some websites will tell you to dust your toys with baby powder or starch. We seriously advise against that. Talc or starch are materials you don’t want to end up in your vagina. It is much better to clean your toy prior to use with toy-cleaner. Even better is to orient yourself before buying a toy. Reviews will tell you if the toy attracts dust or not.
Silicone toys we recommend
Are you looking for a good quality silicone toy? More and more brands are known to use high quality grade silicone. These are, among others, LELO, Pulse, Fun Factory and We Vibe. Of course there are many more. Orient and read reviews, before you buy.
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