What makes a material body-safe is simple: it's non-porous and free of phthalates, typically medical-grade silicone, borosilicate glass, or stainless steel. None of that is legally required: the FDA doesn't regulate sex toys as medical devices, so "body-safe" on a listing is a claim, not a certification. What actually backs it up is the specific material named, and ideally a recognised biocompatibility standard behind it.
Written by the Oh! Venus editorial team. Last updated: July 2026.
Why Isn't Material Just a Minor Spec?
Genital and anal tissue absorbs substances more readily than skin elsewhere on the body, so what a toy is made of matters more here than it would for, say, a phone case. Porous materials trap bacteria in microscopic surface holes that no amount of washing fully clears. Non-porous materials don't have that problem, which is the entire reason the "right" material isn't a preference, it's a hygiene requirement.
The scale of the problem is bigger than most buyers realise. A CPSC sample of plastic sex toys found phthalate concentrations averaging 39%, with the worst offenders at 77%. For comparison, children's toys are capped at 0.1% phthalate content by law, because kids put things in their mouths. Sex toys, used against far more absorptive tissue, currently carry no such limit (Public Health Post).
Which Materials Actually Pass?
Four materials meet the bar consistently:
- Medical-grade silicone: the most common body-safe material, soft, flexible, and non-porous when properly cured.
- Borosilicate glass: completely non-porous, body-temperature responsive, and easy to sterilise fully (boiling water, unlike silicone's heat limits).
- Stainless steel: non-porous, weighty, and the easiest of the four to actually sterilise between uses.
- ABS plastic: non-porous when used for rigid outer shells (motor housings, remote casings), not for anything meant to flex against skin.
What doesn't pass: jelly rubber, PVC, and most unlabelled "TPE" or "TPR" blends. These are porous, often phthalate-heavy, and degrade with use, which is exactly the CPSC data above.
What Does "Medical-Grade" Actually Certify?
"Medical-grade silicone" isn't a vague compliment, it's shorthand for silicone that has passed a real biocompatibility standard: USP Class VI or ISO 10993, the same testing that clears materials for surgical tools and baby pacifiers. Passing means the material has been tested for toxicity, irritation, and long-term tissue contact, not just declared safe on a product listing (RY Silicone).
That distinction is the actual difference between a listing that says "premium material" and one that names an actual standard.
How Do You Spot a Vague Listing?
A few phrases are a reliable signal to look closer, not further:
- "Premium material" or "skin-friendly" with no material named
- "Body-safe" with no silicone, glass, or steel specified
- Product photos with no material line in the description at all
- A price that's noticeably below the rest of the category (material is usually where the savings come from)
A retailer with nothing to hide states the material plainly, usually in the first few lines of the product description.
How This Shows Up on an Oh! Venus Product Page
Every active Oh! Venus product states its material directly, not buried in a spec sheet. A few examples: Whisper lists body-safe silicone with an IPX7 waterproof rating; FourPlay specifies medical-grade silicone; Duet lists 100% body-safe silicone. If a material line is missing or vague anywhere on the site, that's worth flagging to us directly, not something to guess past.
Material Safety Doesn't End at Purchase
Choosing the right material is the first half of the equation. What happens after you own it, cleaning, drying, storage, replacement timing, is a separate topic with its own set of rules. That's covered in full in our Care Guide rather than repeated here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is silicone always body-safe?
Not automatically. Only medical-grade or platinum-cured silicone reliably passes biocompatibility testing. Unlabelled "silicone blends" can still contain fillers that behave more like porous plastic.
Is glass actually safe to use?
Yes, provided it's borosilicate glass specifically, which is shatter-resistant and used in lab and cookware applications for the same durability reasons.
Does Oh! Venus test its materials?
Every active product lists its material directly on the product page. If you can't find it, ask us before you buy.
What's the biggest red flag on a marketplace listing?
A vague safety claim with no material named. "Body-safe" and "skin-friendly" mean nothing without silicone, glass, or steel behind them.
Can a body-safe material still cause a reaction?
Rarely, and usually as a general silicone sensitivity rather than a material defect. It's uncommon, but if irritation happens, stop use and consider a glass or steel alternative instead.
Does material affect how long a toy lasts?
Yes. Non-porous materials resist degradation far longer than porous ones, which break down, discolour, and become harder to clean within months of regular use.
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