So many sex toys to choose from, what's the difference? Well, a lot actually. Here we give you the scoop on sex toy materials so you can make a better purchase.
Silicone
Silicone is often considered to be the ideal material for just about every kind of sex toy. Lifelike with a soft, smooth texture, silicone quickly reaches and retains body temperature. There are no hard edges, no snags or imperfections. Silicone is also easy to clean with soap and water. Because you can boil silicone, sex toys made from this material can be fully sterilized and are safe to share. Just make sure you clean them thoroughly between uses. In addition to being durable, silicone toys are nearly hypo allergenic. The only drawback to silicone is the price - because silicone toys are hand-cast, they can cost significantly more than rubber or jelly. If you're looking for a high-quality, realistic toy that will last a long time, silicone is a perfect choice.
Cyberskin™, Futurotic, UR3 (Ultra-Relaistic)
Also known as thermal plastic, sex toys made from Cyberskin™ become warm with use and are the closest thing to skin-to-skin sensation you'll find in a sex toy. Cyberskin™ products work best when used with the included powder and lubricant which has been specially formulated to work with them. Talcum powder and a soft cloth may also be used to bring the toy back to life. These materials are extremely sensitive and should be cleaned with warm water and a mild soap.
Jelly
Jelly sex toys are nearly half the price of silicone. While not as smooth or silky as sex toys made from silicone, jelly toys can still bring you a tremendous amount of pleasure. The secret is using a generous amount of lubrication. Usually available in bright colors, jelly toys are crafted from a thick, translucent, flexible rubber. You don't want to use soap or boiling water to clean your jelly toys, just warm water and a gentle touch. Unfortunately, that means these toys aren't safe to share unless you want to use a condom on them, but they're so inexpensive, your partner can just go out and buy his or her own! If you want a smooth, good-quality toy at a reasonable price, try jelly sex toys.
Rubber
Most sex toys are made out of simple latex rubber. Quite a bit firmer than silicone or jelly toys, rubber sex toys are still soft and somewhat flexible - but nothing like the real thing. Regardless, latex rubber is very popular because of its low cost, versatility and resilience: it's cheap and it does the job just fine if you aren't too picky. Latex toys wear out much faster than silicone or jelly toys, and because they are very porous, rubber toys can be very hard to clean properly, so no sharing without a condom. Finally, some people are allergic to latex and can't use it at all. Also, rubber latex toys come in a wide range of colors, although "flesh-colored" and black seem to be the most popular. If you're looking for an inexpensive toy, rubber latex might be your best choice.
Plastic
Plastic is hard, cold and completely inflexible. However, some people really like plastic sex toys... there's something about the cool, sleek casing and the strong internal vibe. Plastic vibes aren't a top pick for internal use or in-out thrusting, but they make wonderful clitoral teasers. To clean it, soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and wipe down your toy. If you're nervous about bringing alcohol in contact with your sensitive genitalia, you can follow the alcohol wipe with a gentle water wipe-down. Try a plastic sex toy if you like the sensation of cool metal and a hard, pulsing vibration.
Other Sex Toy Materials Materials
Metal
Used mostly by S&M aficionados, metal sex toys are rare and potentially harmful.
Vinyl
Similar to rubber, this inexpensive and non-porous material is a favorite with fetishists.
Pyrex
Pyrex is a special laboratory grade glass that is several magnitudes stronger than regular glass. It makes a great material, as it is hard and solid, yet has silky smooth caressing texture. Glass sex toys are also the easiest to clean.
Acrylic
Its firm texture makes acrylic perfect for PC muscle-strengthening toys.
Lucite
This hard material provides firm pressure, making it a favorite for prostate-stimulating toys.
Leather
Used for harnesses and restraints, many people find leather sex toys tough and sexy.
Better Sex TipsSex Toy Materials - by SweetSpicy
