Materials: Silicone vs TPE and Everything Else

Sex toys are unregulated in most markets. "Body-safe", "medical grade" and "hypoallergenic" are marketing terms with no enforced definition. What actually matters is porosity and what the material is made from.

Non-porous materials

These can be fully sanitised, do not harbour bacteria, and are the only sensible choice for anal use.

• Platinum-cure silicone. Flexible, warms to body temperature, durable for years. The standard.
• Borosilicate glass. Rigid, non-reactive, excellent for temperature play, dishwasher safe.
• Stainless steel. Heavy, rigid, sterilisable, very long-lived.
• ABS plastic. Hard, non-porous, common in bullets and vibrator shells.

Porous materials

These have a microscopic open structure that traps fluid and bacteria and cannot be sterilised.

• TPE and TPR. Soft, cheap, extremely common. Fine to know about; poor for anal use.
• Jelly rubber and PVC. Often contain phthalate plasticisers. Frequently have a distinct chemical smell. Avoid.
• "Realistic" blends. Marketing names for TPE variants in most cases.

If a porous toy is your only option, always use a condom on it and treat it as disposable.

Reading durometer

Shore A hardness describes firmness. Roughly:

• 00–10A: very soft, floppy, hard to insert without a harness.
• 10–20A: soft with a firm core. Comfortable and common for anal.
• 30A and up: firm. Better for precise prostate pressure, less forgiving.

Dual-density toys pair a firm core with a soft outer layer and are generally the most comfortable option once you know what you like.

Practical buying rules

• If the price seems impossibly low for the size, it is TPE.
• If the box will not name the material, assume porous.
• If it smells strongly out of the packaging, do not use it.
• Buy from retailers who publish material specifications. Reputable ones always do.