If you’ve ever shopped for a vibrator online, you’ve seen the material labels: “Body-safe silicone,” “TPE,” “medical-grade ABS,” “premium silicone,” “phthalate-free jelly.” They all sound fine. They’re not.
The material your toy is made from determines three things: how safe it is for your body, how long it lasts, and how easy it is to keep clean. (New to all this? Start with our Complete Beginner’s Guide to Sex Toys.) These aren’t small differences — they’re the difference between a toy that serves you for five years and one that gives you a yeast infection in six months.
This guide breaks down every material you’ll encounter, what the labels actually mean, and how to choose (and recognize) the right ones.
Silicone is the material against which everything else is measured. When we say “body-safe” at AmorSerere, we mean platinum-cure, medical-grade silicone — the same material used in medical implants and baby bottle nipples.
Non-porous surface. Silicone has a completely smooth, non-porous surface at the molecular level. Bacteria, yeast, and mold spores can’t penetrate it. When you wash silicone, you’re actually cleaning it — not just the surface, but the entire material.
Heat-resistant. You can boil silicone toys. You can put them in the dishwasher (top rack). You can soak them in a 10% bleach solution to fully sanitize them. Try that with TPE or jelly and you’ll have a melted puddle.
Hypoallergenic. Medical-grade silicone is inert — it doesn’t react with your body chemistry, it doesn’t leach chemicals, and it doesn’t cause allergic reactions. It’s the same material hospitals use for catheters and implants.
Durable. A well-made silicone toy lasts 3–5 years of regular use, sometimes longer. It doesn’t degrade, doesn’t get sticky, and doesn’t develop odors.
Not every toy labeled “silicone” actually is. Here’s the burn test (destructive, so only do this on a discarded toy or an inconspicuous area):
Not all silicone is created equal:
| Grade | Quality | Common In | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platinum-cure silicone | Highest | Premium sex toys, medical devices | Excellent — hypoallergenic, no byproducts |
| Tin-cure silicone | Lower | Cheap “silicone” toys | Adequate but may contain trace catalysts |
| Food-grade silicone | High | Kitchen utensils, bakeware | Excellent for body use |
| Industrial silicone | Variable | Gaskets, seals | Not body-safe — may contain fillers |
At AmorSerere, we use platinum-cure, medical-grade silicone exclusively.
TPE is the most common material in mid-range sex toys. It’s soft, stretchy, and much cheaper to manufacture than silicone. If you’ve bought a toy under $20, there’s a good chance it’s TPE.
Semi-porous. TPE has a microscopically porous surface. Bacteria and mold can penetrate below the surface, which means you can never fully sanitize a TPE toy. You can wash the surface, but you can’t eliminate what’s living inside.
Degrades over time. TPE contains plasticizers (chemicals that keep it soft and flexible). Over time, these plasticizers leach out. The toy becomes sticky, develops a permanent odor, and eventually cracks or tears. This process takes 1–2 years, sometimes less.
Shorter lifespan. Even with perfect care, a TPE toy rarely lasts more than two years. Once it starts feeling sticky or develops an odor that won’t wash out, it’s done.
TPE isn’t evil — it has its place:
These materials should not exist in the sex toy industry. They persist because they’re cheap to manufacture and many consumers don’t know better.
“Jelly” toys are made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) softened with phthalates — chemical plasticizers that are banned from children’s toys in the EU and many US states because of their hormone-disrupting effects.
Jelly toys are:
Our recommendation: throw them away. A $5 jelly toy isn’t a bargain if it gives you a yeast infection or exposes you to endocrine disruptors.
Even “phthalate-free PVC” is problematic for body use. It’s porous, difficult to clean thoroughly, and the “phthalate-free” label doesn’t mean “chemical-free” — it just means different plasticizers, which haven’t been studied as thoroughly.
Natural rubber and latex are porous and common allergy triggers. Unless you’re certain you don’t have a latex allergy (and even then), these materials aren’t ideal for insertable toys.
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is the hard, smooth plastic you see in toy handles, buttons, and non-insertable parts. It’s the same plastic used in LEGO bricks and computer keyboards.
Most vibrators combine a silicone head (the part that touches your body) with an ABS plastic handle (the part that houses the motor and battery). This is an excellent, safe design.
| Material | Porous? | Boil-Safe? | Lifespan | Body-Safe? | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Silicone | No | ✅ Yes | 3–5+ years | ✅ Yes | $$$ |
| Food-Grade Silicone | No | ✅ Yes | 3–5+ years | ✅ Yes | $$–$$$ |
| TPE | Semi | ❌ No | 1–2 years | ⚠️ External only | $–$$ |
| Jelly/PVC | Yes | ❌ No | 6–12 months | ❌ No | $ |
| ABS Plastic | No | ✅ Yes | Indefinite | ✅ Yes | $–$$ |
| Glass | No | ✅ Yes | Indefinite | ✅ Yes | $$$ |
| Stainless Steel | No | ✅ Yes | Indefinite | ✅ Yes | $$$ |
Sex toy listings are full of misleading labels. Here’s what to watch for:
“Body-safe silicone” — Could be real, could be TPE marketed as silicone. Check the price and do the flame test.
“Phthalate-free” — Good, but only meaningful if the material itself is body-safe. “Phthalate-free jelly” is still jelly.
“Medical-grade” — This is a meaningful claim only if the manufacturer can provide certification. At AmorSerere, our silicone is certified medical-grade.
“Latex-free” — Meaningful for allergy sufferers, but latex-free doesn’t mean body-safe. Many toxic materials are latex-free.
No material listed — Red flag. Any reputable manufacturer will tell you exactly what their toy is made from.
If you can afford it: Buy medical-grade silicone exclusively. It’s the safest, most durable, and most hygienic material available. Every AmorSerere product that touches your body is made from platinum-cure medical silicone.
If you’re on a budget: ABS plastic toys (non-insertable) are completely safe and affordable. For insertables, save up for silicone — it’s worth the wait.
What to avoid entirely: Jelly, PVC, and rubber toys. They’re not worth the health risk at any price. Once you’ve chosen safe materials, learn how to properly clean and store your toys to make them last..
Clinical sex educator with 10+ years experience. Specializes in body-safe materials and sexual wellness education.
