Silicone – The Gold Standard for Sex Toys

Importance of Body Safe Materials

There should be no compromise between safety and pleasure, so we recommend you be very mindful of the type of material your sex toys are made from. It is because the sex toys come in direct contact with your most sensitive body parts, so you don’t want to use a material that could release harmful chemicals. We always recommend choosing a toy made from a non-porous material that is easy to clean and can withstand multiple uses over time. And the material that trumps all is silicone. But there are several types of silicone used for sex toys. Here, we break down the key differences between the different silicones used in sex toy manufacturing.

Generic Silicone

Silicone is often thrown around without much regard, as it refers to a class of polymer materials that consist of long molecular chains with silicon, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen atoms. Such silicone has a broad range of uses as it is flexible, durable, non-flammable, and temperature-resistant.

When it comes to sex toy use, less expensive models that claim to be made from silicone are often made from impure silicone that has fillers to increase their volume. In other cases, generic silicone used tin as a catalyst, which is not the most body-safe compound out there.

Also, the fillers may have some adverse effects, which is why you need to be diligent and check the quality of your silicone sex toys. Also, such silicone has a shorter lifespan and can even have a slight artificial smell.

Platinum-Cured Silicone

The platinum-cured silicone is a premium silicone material that is non-porous, strong, durable, and stable. Unlike the generic silicone, the platinum silicone is pure and is cured using a platinum catalyst, which makes for a more stable compound.

Such silicone is odorless, tasteless, and is completely biochemically inert. Platinum-cured silicone does not degrade over time, and it does not leach any harmful chemicals. The material also does not melt when exposed to heat, making it ideal to use in sex toys that need to be sterilized in boiling water. Besides its use for high-quality sex toys, platinum-cured silicone is often used for baby pacifiers and kitchen utensils like baking molds.

We recommend you look for sex toys that are made from platinum-cured silicone, as this is the best, body-safe option. If you have any doubts, look for sex toys made by companies like Fun Factory, LELO, We-Vibe, Dame, and Tantus that use platinum-cured silicone in their products.

Medical-Grade Silicone

The highest quality silicone you can find is medical-grade silicone. This material is certified for use inside the human body, for example, for implants, catheters, and similar uses. We must emphasize that medical-grade silicone is platinum-cured, adhering to a strict composition recipe and manufacturing process.

Medical-grade silicone undergoes rigorous testing and must pass specific regulatory tests under the FDA and ISO 10993 standards. Medical-grade silicone is suitable for long-term contact with tissue and is very easy to clean, as this material is non-porous and can withstand different types of sterilization.

When your sex toy states that it is made from medical-grade silicone, it means you can rest easy in using it, as this is the safest material you can find. The downside is that the medical-grade silicone is usually more expensive than other materials, and very few sex toys are made from such silicone. However, you can find some premium sex toy manufacturers that use medical-grade silicone for some of their products. For example, Lovense, Womanizer, and Je Joue have models that are made from medical-grade silicone.

• Generic silicone – be careful with this material as it may contain unsafe fillers; avoid it if it’s unlabeled or too cheap.
• Platinum silicone – the gold standard for most sex toys, as it is safe, non-porous, and long-lasting.
• Medical-grade silicone – the highest quality silicone, certified safe, used when the highest biocompatibility is needed.

Silicone Toys Shopping Tips

Because not all silicone sex toys are created equal, you need to be diligent and do your homework and research what type of silicone your sex toys are made from. Here we share some essential tips on the main things to note for when shopping for silicone sex toys:

• Look for transparency – the sex toy manufacturers that clearly state they use medical-grade or platinum-cured silicone. While you are at it, check if they have an ISO 10993 certification or an FDA approval. If the package only states silicone, then you should do further tests, but if the brand clearly states they use platinum-cured or medical-grade silicone, you can breathe easy and enjoy your silicone toy.
• Smell – pure, clean silicone does not have any scent, so if your sex toy releases a strong chemical, plastic-y smell, this is an indication that your silicone toy is made from impure silicone or a blend of silicone or TPE. Such material can be porous, contain fillers, and will degrade quickly.
• Pinch test – pure silicone is very durable and does not wear and tear easily. If you have a flexible silicone dildo, you can do the pinch test – pinch and twist a small part of the toy, and if white streaks appear, then you probably have a toy made from impure silicone with fillers. The pure silicone is uniform and highly elastic, so it does not turn white when stretched, which is excellent for a non-invasive test of your silicone sex toy.
• Water-Drop test – pure silicone is non-porous, allowing for a water drop test. It is a non-invasive way to check the porosity, and you only need a few drops of water. Place a drop of water on the surface of your toy and wait about a minute. If the water beads up or slides down the toy, it is most likely a non-porous material, and if the water drops soaks in, or smears, it indicates a porous surface.
• Burn test – pure silicone does not burn or melt. If you still have doubts, not recommended unless you absolutely must and prepared for possible damage, try applying a lighter or a match to the back of the toy and see if it burns or melts. Pure silicone will become black from soot but will not smell. Once you wipe it away, it will not have any burn or melt marks. However, if the materials start to melt, bubble, or stink, this indicates that the toy is made from impure silicone or a silicone blend.

The Bottom Line: Silicone vs. Silicone

It is essential to only use sex toys made from premium, body-safe silicone, and medical-grade silicone fits all the criteria. We recommend verifying that your chosen toy is made from 100% platinum-cured silicone, non-porous, and additive-free. Also, prefer to purchase toys from reputable brands that have an excellent reputation for providing quality sex toys made from premium materials. Many of the brands we stock use platinum or medical-grade silicone, so you can shp with confidence.