Sex.co.nz

When most people buy sex toys, they couldn’t care less whether it’s made of jelly or latex or silicone.  In fact, not many people even know the difference.

But discerning sex toy consumers are beginning to realize that it DOES matter what a vibe or masturbator is made of.

You may have heard the controversy over phthalates, a chemical used to soften rubber.  Many jelly-style toys contain phthalates, but jelly toys are so inexpensive to produce that sex toy manufacturers won’t phase them out.

Latex rubber, another common material, can cause allergic reactions.  Latex is so porous that toys made of this material are impossible to clean thoroughly, so they should never be shared.

If you’ve got the money and care about your health, look for sex toys made of these materials:

• Medical-grade silicone
• Glass, or
• CyberSkin.

They're more expensive, but they’ll feel better and last longer than cheaper jelly or latex alternatives.

Buying and Caring for a Silicone Sex Toy

Silicone is an incredible material.  Soft, lifelike, hypoallergenic, and easy to sterilize, silicone has become the material of choice for sex toys.

Silicone toys feel smooth against the skin and are non-porous, which means that you can share them as long as you sterilize them in between each use.  You can even boil a silicone toy (assuming it doesn’t have any electrical parts) or soak it in a 10% bleach solution.

When you compare the price of a silicone vibrator and a latex or jelly vibrator, you may wonder whether the extra money is worth it.  Trust us: it is.  Silicone is much softer than the more rigid latex, and it’s less likely to have any off-putting odors, which are common in jelly toys.

We carry a range of silicone toys in our online store, including a silicone “Senso Lips” masturbator, an ultrasoft silicone Penis Vibe, and a 100% hygienic silicone anal plug.

Just make sure to restrict yourself to water-based lubricants with your silicone toys, as silicone-based lubricants can damage them.

Buying and Caring for a CyberSkin Toy

CyberSkin, also known as thermal plastic, is the newbie on the sex toy scene.  It’s one step up from silicone, and when you touch it you’ll know why.  It warms to the touch and was designed to feel just like human skin.

TopCo Sales, the sole manufacturer of CyberSkin, claims that its material is “made with ingredients from FDA approved lists” and “contains no PVC, no phthalates, no latex and no heavy metals,” making it one of the safest and most hypoallergenic materials on the market.

We carry a range of CyberSkin maturbators, vibes, and even lifelike dolls.

CyberSkin requires some maintenance.  According to the manufacturer, CyberSkin toys should be cleaned with liquid antibacterial soap and water, and they should be stored separate from other toys.  As always, use oil-based lubricants can damage the toy, so keep to water-based lubes.

TopCo also makes a product designed to ensure the long-life of CyberSkin, called “Renew.”  It’s inexpensive and maintains the soft, non-sticky texture of the material.  If you’re investing in a CyberSkin toy, it’s a good idea to get a bottle of Renew to make sure your toy lasts forever.