Body-Safe Materials: A Buyer's Guide

"Body-safe" isn't a certification, and in most places it isn't a legal standard either — it's shorthand for materials that are non-porous (or, where a material is inherently porous, can still be used safely with the right care), free of phthalates, and unlikely to cause an allergic or irritant reaction for most people. It's a genuinely useful shorthand, but a label reading "body-safe," "medical-grade" or "skin-safe" is a marketing claim, not something a regulator has independently verified for this product category in most countries.

The practical version: know what a product is actually made of — not just the marketing name for it — and match cleaning and lubricant choices to that specific material rather than to the category as a whole. The five materials below are the ones most consistently recommended as body-safe when manufactured and cared for properly. Where a listing is vague about what's actually inside a product, that vagueness is itself worth treating as a caution sign.

Phthalates are a family of chemicals used to soften plastics such as PVC — the material behind some lower-cost "jelly rubber" toys. They're the reason a plastic can feel soft and flexible without being silicone. They've also been the subject of ongoing health research, and a number of countries restrict their use in products intended for children on the strength of that research; rules specifically covering adult products vary by country, so it's worth checking your own market's current guidance rather than assuming a blanket ban either way.

None of the five materials below need phthalates to be soft or flexible — silicone and TPE/TPR get their texture from their own molecular structure, and ABS, glass and steel are rigid by nature. That's a large part of why they're the materials recommended here. If a product description doesn't say what it's made from beyond a vague "skin-safe" or "jelly" material, that's a reasonable moment to ask the retailer directly before buying.

Medical-grade or “platinum-cure” silicone is the material sexual health educators point to first. It is non-porous, meaning it has no microscopic pits or channels for bacteria to hide in — surface cleaning gets it genuinely clean, not just visibly clean. It is hypoallergenic, odourless, and does not need phthalates or other softening agents to feel soft; the material is inherently pliable on its own.

Two things are worth checking before you buy. First, “silicone” is not a legally protected term — some products described as silicone are blends cut with cheaper filler, which can reintroduce porosity. A trustworthy listing says “100% silicone” or “platinum-cure silicone” rather than just “silicone-based”. Second, silicone lubricant degrades silicone toys — it can react with the surface over time and leave it tacky. Water-based lubricant is the safe default with any silicone product.

Because it is non-porous, a solid, seamless, non-motorised silicone toy can generally be sanitised more thoroughly than most other materials — many manufacturers say a brief boil or a dishwasher top rack (no soap) is fine — but check the specific product's own instructions first, and never do either with anything that has a battery, motor or electronic part.

Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and thermoplastic rubber (TPR) are softer, stretchier and generally less expensive than silicone, which is why they show up often at lower price points. The trade-off is porosity: both materials have a microscopic surface texture that can trap moisture and residue in a way ordinary washing cannot fully reach, so they cannot be properly sanitised however carefully you clean them.

That does not make them unusable — it means they need different handling. Wash before and after every use, dry completely before storing, and expect to replace the item on a shorter cycle than a silicone or glass equivalent, especially once the surface turns tacky, looks duller than new, or develops a smell washing does not clear — all signs the material is breaking down. If an item like this is ever shared between partners, a condom used as a barrier and changed between people is the more cautious approach, since the material cannot be sterilised the way non-porous materials can.

As with silicone, avoid silicone-based lubricant — it can degrade the surface. Water-based lubricant is the safer match. Do not boil these materials or put them in a dishwasher; heat can warp or melt them.

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is a hard, glossy plastic used for rigid shells, housings and handles — the firm outer body of a vibrator, for example, or a rigid probe. It is non-porous and does not need phthalates to manufacture, so it is a body-safe material for the surfaces it is used on. It is compatible with water-based and silicone lubricant alike.

Because it is rigid, it is rarely the only material on an insertable design — many products pair an ABS core or housing with a softer silicone sleeve for the parts that make contact. That is fine, but it means the toy is really two materials with two sets of care instructions: follow whichever material guidance applies to each part.

Clean with mild soap and water or a toy cleaner, and dry fully. Do not boil it or put it in the dishwasher — heat can warp the plastic or cloud its finish. Avoid abrasive scouring pads too; a scratched surface is harder to clean thoroughly and can eventually harbour bacteria the same way a porous material does.

Body-safe glass toys are made from borosilicate glass — the same family used in lab equipment and oven-safe cookware — chosen for resistance to heat shock and impact. It is completely non-porous and hypoallergenic, contains no phthalates or latex, and is compatible with every type of lubricant, which is unusual among the materials here.

The habit that matters more with glass than with anything else on this list: inspect it before every use. Check the whole surface for chips, cracks or a rough patch, particularly near the base or any narrower sections. A compromised glass surface should be retired, not used again, even if the mark looks minor.

Glass can be sanitised more thoroughly than almost anything else here: wash with soap and water, or sterilise with a brief boil or a wipe-down with rubbing alcohol between uses or partners. It is also one of the few materials genuinely suited to temperature play — briefly warmed in warm (not hot) water or cooled in the refrigerator — but never the freezer, boiling water or a microwave, any of which can crack it or cause a burn.

Surgical-grade stainless steel (typically 304 or 316 grade) is non-porous, hypoallergenic and compatible with any lubricant, much like glass. What sets it apart is weight and durability: it is noticeably heavier in the hand, which some people specifically look for, and the surface resists scratching far better than a softer material would.

Like glass, it suits temperature play — a brief warm-water soak or a short spell in the refrigerator, with the same caution against extremes: no freezer, no boiling water, no microwave. Clean with soap and water, or sterilise by boiling or wiping with rubbing alcohol.

Because the surface is so hard, a properly cared-for steel toy can last indefinitely. The main thing to check over years of use is surface pitting or scratching from being stored loose against other hard objects — a reason to keep it in its own pouch.