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 really 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 sheers - it's happened) and doesn't break down.

Silicone is exceptionally very 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!).

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.