Consider this the Cliffs Notes version of sex toy material safety. 

I know the Experts here love to talk about the importance of using body friendly products.  I’m not giving you a dissertation on the chemical makeup of every material that has ever met a dildo.  I am giving you a quick rundown that will help you make better decisions when purchasing what we like to call “products for sexual health and well being”.

Always avoid phthalates! You can’t be reminded enough.  Phthalates are chemicals that are used to soften plastics. Scientists debate the potential dangers that they have on the human body, BUT phthalates have been banned in childre’n’ toys. I think that might be a sign. How do you know when a product contains phthalates? Smell: that strong plastic smell.  You may have smelled it in a new car or when you purchased a brand new set of plastic storage containers.  Many women claim (including myself) that toys containing phthalates tend to cause irritation and infections after use. Not sexy.

The good stuff:

100% medical grade or platinum grade silicone - There are plenty of products made from true silicone on the market today. The benefits – phthalates free, hypoallergenic, nonporous (does not harbor bacteria) and can be sterilized (using a 10% bleach solution or boiling as long as no motor is present). Toys made from silicone are body safe and they last much longer than their cheaper counterparts. Another benefit – they warm to your body temperature. Make sure you use water based lubricant with silicone toys ONLY! Silicone based lube will break down your silicone toy.

Glass – Glass toys are also body safe. Glass is nonporous, hypoallergenic, phthalates free and easy to clean (just use soap and water). Glass sex toys are next to impossible to destroy. They are made from borosilicate (Pyrex), acrylic or Lucite. Borosilicate is tempered and therefore shatterproof. You can chip it, but you would have to work really hard at it. Glass is also great for temperature play – just place in warm or cool water for fun sensations. In addition to being incredibly satisfying, glass toys can serve as wonderful hand crafted pieces of art. If you don’t have to worry about the kids finding it, place your glass sex toy on your night stand for sexy room decor.

Hard Plastic – Hard plastic is not as luxurious as the previously mentioned materials, but it is perfectly body friendly! If not cared for properly it can crack easily. The main benefit – there are tons of hard plastic bullets and other vibes that can get the job done on a budget. They are hypoallergenic, phthalates free, nonporous and easy to clean (soap and water).

Other body friendly sex toy materials that are worth checking out: wood (no, you don’t have to worry about splinters), ceramic, aluminum and stainless steel.

Compared to the ammount of information that is out there, I promise you, this IS the quick and dirty.  Where does the dirty come in?  I want you to make safe choices, but I still want you to masturbate.

Leave a comment on this blog telling us what your favorite sex toy is and why.  We’ll enter you in a drawing for a chance to win two free tickets to Exxxotica Miami.  The winner will be chosen at random.  Your entry must consist of at least one sentence to be considered.  Don’t be afraid to make your entry funny, sexy or both!  Whether you have a beloved vibrator, dildo, riding crop or cucumber, we want to hear about.

The tickets are good for Friday, May 14th only!

One winner will receive both tickets.

All entries must be received no later than 11:59 pm on May 11th, 2010.

Must be at least 18 to attend the event.

Winners must provide their names as they appear on their licenses. ** You may leave a ficticious name in your comment.  We will need your name (through email) if you WIN!

Tickets will be available for pick up at will call.

*Be sure to enter a valid email address so we can contact you if you are the winner!

Presented by our sister site, HotMovies.com, Exxxotica Miami gives you the chance to be surrounded by anyone and everyone in the adult entertainment industry.  The hottest porn stars and some of the best of the best in the novelty biz will be together in one location in the glamorous Miami Beach!

“From the big booth at the entrance to the expo floor, adult film legend and HotMovies spokesman Ron Jeremy and the incomparable Sunny Lane will headline the big names meeting fans during EXXXOTICA.  Visitors to the booth can chat and have their pictures taken with these megastars and others to be announced, and will receive a gift of free porn.”

Find more information about the events and who will be attending at the Exxxotica Miami web site.

Lube is really important, but sometimes it’s also really expensive. While I believe that you often get what you pay for, I’m always looking for a great deal and I totally found one when I picked up a bottle of Slippery Stuff Liquid lubricant!

Because I love my silicone sex toys, I always have a bottle of water-based lube. While I love silicone lube because it’s long lasting, you can’t use it with silicone toys because it will ruin them. I’ve never found a water-based product that lasts as long as silicone, but Slippery Stuff is a really great product for a few reasons.

The first thing I love is that this stuff is glycerin free. A lot of women have bad reactions to glycerin and it’s known to cause yeast infections. I avoid it at all costs and most women really should. It also doesn’t taste or smell like anything – which is really rare. I’d much rather taste my partner than chemicals any day!

The best thing about Slippery Stuff is that it really mirrors a woman’s natural wetness well. While I’ve yet to find a water-based lube that lasts all night long, all you need to do is add a few drops of water to re-activate this stuff.  Saliva works just as well and is a little bit more fun!

Just a few drops of this stuff and you’re good to go without and weird tastes, scary glycerin or worries about ruining your favorite silicone dong!  What’s even better is that it’s only $6.89 for this 4 ounce bottle!  With the money you’ll save by picking up Slippery Stuff, you can have all sorts of fun…

Hello everyone!  I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself.  My name is Kaley and I am joining Sarah here on the Sextoys.com blog.  I will be dropping a little sex toy knowledge from time to time, along with anything I deem related, relevant or worth reading. 

I have been working behind the scenes as a member of the Experts Team for a bit.  Sextoys.com decided that after testing my 100th dildo I was finally ready to blog.  Actually, I made that up.  They let me write on the blog after my 87th dildo.  Everyone has to earn their keep, right?

Come back later this week when the real fun begins… or when I school you on some basics.  As always, be sure to check out what Sarah has to say this Wednesday.

Hey boys! We’re always working to offer the hottest masturbators, so we’re really thrilled to highlight all of the new Fleshlight items we’ve made available at Sextoys.com.

For those of you who want to get a little more intimate with your favorite XXX stars, we’ve now offering the Fleshlight Girls series. These masturbators are molded from the naughtiest girls in adult including Riley Steel and Eva Angelina.

For something a little different, Slip into the seductive lips of the Ice Mouth Fleshlight and see penetration as you have never seen it before.

When it comes to something to stick your dick in, this is as close to the real thing as you’re going to get! Be sure to head over to the site to check out all of our Masturbators from Fleshlight!