Body-Safe Sex Toys: What's Really Going Inside You?

The dildo looks fantastic. The colour's perfect, the shape has your full attention, and the description says "body-safe" three times. You're already picturing it. So what's the bloody thing actually made of?

That question gets you further than the reassuring phrase. "Body-safe" doesn't identify a material, prove any testing or tell you how to clean it. It's going on, or in, the most sensitive parts of you, so you want some real information.

Look for the actual material

Silicone, ABS plastic, stainless steel and glass are specific materials. "Silky", "luxurious" and "real-feel" just describe an impression. A vibrator might have a silicone surface and an ABS handle, while a soft masturbator sleeve may be TPE or TPR, which aren't silicone. You don't need to become a chemist. You just need to know what's going where, and if the seller can't say, a sexy photo isn't enough.

What each one feels like

Silicone comes in every firmness from squishy to solid, and it warms up to your body. The Colours Dual Density is platinum-grade silicone, soft outside and firm inside.

Glass and steel are rigid and slick and don't compress at all, so all that pressure goes exactly where you've aimed it. Our silicone vs glass guide covers how they differ in use.

TPE and TPR have a soft, skin-like feel that's great in a stroker or a realistic dildo, but they often need more careful cleaning and drying. Softness and cleanliness are separate things, so don't assume one tells you about the other.

A safety claim needs more than a nice word

"Phthalate-free" tells you one group of substances isn't in there. It's not a complete verdict on the toy. "Medical-grade" needs some evidence behind it as well. There's an international standard for sex toys, ISO 3533, that covers material, design and user information, but a toy doesn't meet it just because its description sounds confident. Our guide to reading sex toy descriptions helps you sort the facts from the adjectives. Sexy copy is allowed. Mystery ingredients don't get a free pass.

Look after it once you've got it

A chipped glass toy, a torn coating or a cracked surface means stop using it, and so does a material that turns tacky or starts breaking down. Our guide on when to replace a toy has more.

Clean and dry your toys properly between uses, as non-porous doesn't mean self-cleaning. Our toy cleaner vs soap guide explains how. A waterproof surface also doesn't tell you if a whole powered toy can go under water.

Now choose it for how you'll use it

Material's only part of the decision. Shape, size, an appropriate base for anal use and comfortable controls all matter too. Browse our dildos with the feel you want in mind. Keep the great colour if you love it. Just don't let it do all the thinking.