Types Materials Toys are Made of
Plastic"""Jelly-Rubber """Glass
Silicone"""CyberSkin (UltraSkin)
Toys can be made from different materials, each one having an upside and a downside. The main materials used are: plastic, jelly-rubber, glass, silicone, cyberskin (sometimes called ultraskin).
Plastic
"Plastic" is really a rather mystifying thing to call an object. Toys can be made with different types of plastic, in the same way that plastics are used for everything from packing peanuts to piping, plastic can be different within the idea of toys. The ones that people use are hard plastic (for it's low cost), and PVC (polyvinylchloride). I like to remember Fariy Butch's saying "Versatility, thy name is poly vynyl chloride."
Plastics tend to be pretty inexpensive as far as toys go. They also tend to not be as popular as most other types. The plastics that are used are often harder plastics- they don't have much 'give.' Plastic toys are porous and can't be sanitized because they would melt. The way to keep them clean is to use a condom every time and clean them with hot soapy water or toy cleaner often.
Jelly-Rubber
Jelly-rubber is next on the list of pretty inexpensive toys. They feel more like skin (although not really like skin) and are softer as a material. They tend to be soft externally with a hard internal rod to keep the toy erect. Don’t worry, they’re made so that anything inside the toy will absolutely stay inside the toy- but be careful if you’re packing this toy, don’t bend it over all the way (it could snap!). Jelly-rubber toys are porous and can't be sanitized because they would melt. The way to keep them clean is to use a condom every time and clean them with hot soapy water or toy cleaner often.
Glass
Non-porous and easy to clean by boiling water or a trip through the dishwasher, pyrex and glass toys are a good investment provided you like the feeling of something hard. There is, obviously, going to be no ‘give’ from this toy, so it’s likely better for solo use or with a partner who knows you extremely well (and with whom you can speak during sex).
Silicone
Silicone is the gold standard of sex toys. They feel more like skin than glass or plastic, have a bit of ‘give’, are non-porous (so you don’t need to use a condom if you’re not sharing it), and can be sanitized. Drop a silicone toy in boiling water for a few minutes or send it through the dishwasher (and remember to rinse it) and you’ve got a sanitized piece to play with. You won’t want to drop your silicone vibrator into boiling water because of the inner workings, but check the company for specific instructions relating to cleaning your silicone vibrator. Silicone warms quickly to skin or can be dropped in warm water for a few minutes beforehand and will keep that warmth for a while.
There’s one warning that goes along with silicone toys-don’t use silicone lube with them! Using silicone lube with a silicone toy causes the toy to break down, in some cases more or less melt, and that’s really not something anyone wants happening in his or her personal orifices.
CyberSkin (UltraSkin)
Cyberskin and ultraskin are actually the same product. It’s a mixture of silicone and PVC that feels remarkably like human skin. These toys are generally made to look and feel just like their non-detatchable counterparts. It’s also extremely porous and should be used with a condom every time (it’ll add to the realism).
Written by Lucy Gent '08, and Umass Boy '07
Last Updated: 3-24-06
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