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Guide to Sex Toy Materials: Silicone - Sh! Women's Store
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SH! Sex Toy Advice

Guide to Sex Toy Materials: Silicone

Silicone is the best sex toy material, with a growing choice as manufacturers and consumers cotton on to its fantastic qualities.

Silicone is odourless, non-toxic and hypoallergenic. It's free from phthalates or latex. Silicone is an excellent choice if you have any concerns about the safety of sex toys. We produce all our dildos and butt plugs in safe, sensual silicone.

Silicone is an expensive raw material. Makers of silicone sex toys tend to be small specialist manufacturers (like Sh!) dedicated to producing quality toys. Hand-poured silicone toy manufacturers (like Sh!) will never be able to compete in cost with mass-produced sex toys from the Far East.

How does silicone feel?

Silicone feels warm, smooth and dry.

Whilst soft to the touch, silicone is a dense material that transmits vibration well. This makes silicone a fantastic material for vibrators and Thrill-Dildos (the vibrating versions of our silicone dildos).

Silicone sex toys are non-porous and hold lubricant well. But - not any lube will do! We recommend using only water-based lube with toys made of silicone. There is a possibility that silicone-based lube may adversely affect the surface of your silicone toy, so it's best avoided.

Silicone is practically indestructible (unless attacked by something sharp, like pinking shears - it's happened) and doesn't break down.

Silicone is exceptionally durable, but it can split if you tear it with a sharp nail, for example. It's best to keep silicone toys away from sharp edges and curious pets (yep, that's happened too!).

Sh! Women's Store Sh! Dildo Cupid 3 Starry Night Dildo

Pros of silicone as a sex toy material

  • The safest sex toy material
  • Hypo-allergenic & non-toxic
  • Feels dry, smooth & warm
  • Non-porous (neither absorbs sex nor discloses any substance)
  • Can be sterilized/disinfected - you can safely share silicone toys between partners or pleasure zones if the toys are sterilized/disinfected between orifices
  • Transmits vibration excellently
  • Warms quickly to body temperature
  • Holds lubricant well
  • Durable
  • Easy to clean

Cons of silicone sex toys

  • Expensive
  • Can tear once the surface is broken, so protect silicone toys from nails, jewellery & curious pets
  • Not suitable for use with silicone-based lube

Care & cleaning of silicone toys

Use Sex Toy Cleaner or antibacterial handwash and water, or 10% bleach solution or rubbing alcohol for cleaning silicone toys. Rinse thoroughly and leave to air dry.

Overall Verdict

Silicone is the best choice for sex toys. Perfect for strong and almost-silent pleasure and safe, sensual experiences.

Browse all our silicone sex toys here!

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