No one wants to have sex with something that feels like a Barbie doll.
The hard plastic material just doesn’t feel good, so you might wonder if sex dolls feel the same.
Whether you have a silicone or TPE doll, here’s what you can expect them to feel like.
The Silicone Sensation: What it’s Like to Use a Love Doll
There are two main types of materials that sex doll manufacturers use to make their products.
Silicone is a slightly cheaper option, but some companies also use platinum silicone which is a higher-quality version.
TPE is the other popular choice for its realistic properties.
Here’s how they both feel and differ from each other.
Silicone Makes Cleaning Easy but Feels Harder
Silicone is a non-porous material that makes cleaning sex dolls a lot easier.
Because it’s non-porous, silicone is a great material in terms of maintaining your doll.
It’s less likely for a liquid to absorb into the doll and become moldy.
As a result, your doll tends to last a bit longer.
Now, the downside of silicone is that it doesn’t feel very realistic.
It tends to feel more like rubber or plastic than skin.
It isn’t as hard as a Barbie doll, for example, but it doesn’t feel like skin either.
You’ll also notice that it’s quite smooth because of its non-porous nature.
It doesn’t have little pores like skin does.
Now, if you like smooth skin, then you might enjoy the feeling of silicone.
If you want something that feels more like skin, then silicone may not be an ideal material for you.
Finally, silicone doesn’t warm as easily as TPE.
While you might feel some residual warmth, especially if you use a heating wand, the heat won’t linger.
It tends to feel cool instead.
TPE Feels Similar to Skin but it’s Harder to Maintain
TPE, which stands for thermoplastic elastomer, is a porous material.
It tends to feel more like skin because of this porosity.
When you run a finger down your own skin, you likely feel some bumps or roughness.
TPE is able to simulate that feeling because it has pores just like your skin.
While this means that TPE tends to feel more realistic, it also makes the doll harder to clean.
Because of its porosity, it’s easier for liquids to absorb into it.
You might notice that your doll will become moldy easier.
It takes a bit more effort to keep TPE dolls clean and sanitary.
Now, one advantage that TPE has over silicone is that it’s able to hold onto warmth longer.
You don’t even need a heating wand to properly warm it, although it can help.
TPE will warm with just your own body heat.
Since it absorbs heat well, this means that when you touch the doll, it actually feels warm.
That further makes the doll feel more lifelike.
While silicone tends to feel smooth and cold, TPE tends to feel textured and warm.
Which Sex Doll Material Is Right for You?
TPE and silicone dolls look very similar.
They’re both high-quality materials for making sex dolls.
However, one might have an advantage over the other based on your needs.
Here are some things to keep in mind to help you choose a doll based on its material.
Want Realism and a Doll That Feels Lifelike? Go for TPE
TPE takes the cake for being the material that feels the most lifelike.
With its non-porous properties, it’s the closest material to feeling like real skin.
It has a texture that is similar to real skin.
It also absorbs warmth like real skin.
This makes it considerably different than silicone even if it looks almost the same.
Silicone is a bit harder, less flexible, and smooth compared to TPE.
While it doesn’t approach Barbie doll hardness, it’s closer to it.
A lot of guys want a doll that feels as close to the real thing as possible.
If you’re one of them, then a doll made from TPE may be the better option for you.
Silicone Dolls are Better for Guys Who Don’t Want a lot of Maintenance
The material of a doll matters for a few reasons.
The first is experience.
If the material doesn’t feel great to you, then it can impact your satisfaction.
You might not even be able to enjoy yourself because you dislike the material so much.
The other important reason is maintenance.
Some materials are just easier to maintain than others.
That’s the case with silicone and TPE.
Silicone is far easier to clean and maintain compared to TPE.
That’s largely due to its non-porous nature.
Since liquids don’t seep into the material, you don’t have to worry about mold growing inside your doll.
You’re able to just wash it off and keep it sanitized.
The exception is if your doll is a standing model and has holes in its feet.
Water can still access the skeleton through those holes and grow mold as well as rust the skeleton.
If you’re mindful of the holes, then a silicone doll is extremely easy to maintain.
Another advantage is that silicone doesn’t leak oil.
TPE does.
Because of its material, TPE tends to leak oil over time.
To prevent it from becoming a mess, you usually have to powder it.
That’s an extra step of maintenance that not everyone wants to do.
It’s also possible to sanitize silicone dolls while it isn’t possible to sanitize TPE dolls.
Since it’s non-porous, silicone dolls keep the mess on its surface.
You can just wipe it off.
TPE dolls, with their porosity, soak liquids and germs right into the material.
You can’t access the germs, so they multiply and grow.
A TPE doll will never truly be sanitary after its first use.
For easier maintenance, silicone dolls are the ones from which to choose.
How to Clean a Sex Doll Based on Material to Prevent Mold Growth
Materials have different cleaning requirements based on what the material is.
Since silicone is the easiest to maintain and clean, it has fewer cleaning steps than TPE.
To ensure your TPE and silicone dolls last for as long as possible, follow these cleaning steps.
Silicone Dolls Require Simple Cleaning Steps
There’s no question that silicone dolls are the easiest to maintain and clean.
The only tools and materials you’ll need to clean it are antibacterial soap, a microfiber cloth, and a fan.
Antibacterial soap is strong enough to kill germs without damaging the material.
Since silicone is non-porous, you don’t have to worry about the cleaner leaking deeper into the doll.
Simply take a microfiber cloth and soak it in water.
Then apply the antibacterial soap and start to dab at the doll.
It’s a good idea to use a microfiber cloth that is either neutral in color or matches the doll’s skin color.
This can help prevent staining.
Once you’ve dabbed all over the doll, you’ll need to clean the vaginal area.
If the doll has a removable vagina, then you can just take it out and clean it in the sink.
If it’s fixed, then you’ll need to use a tool called a vaginal irrigator to squirt water into it.
Once you’ve cleaned everything, it’s a good idea to take a dry microfiber cloth and pat the doll down.
Then stand it up and place it near a fan.
A fan can speed up the dying process.
Make sure you’re using a fan blowing room-temperature air and not a hairdryer.
Once your doll is dry, you’re ready to put it away or use it again.
TPE Dolls Require a Few More Steps to Clean
Now, while cleaning silicone dolls may seem easy, TPE dolls require a bit more effort.
You’ll want to use the same tools to clean TPE dolls as silicone dolls.
Antibacterial soap, a microfiber cloth, and a fan will get the job done.
However, you’ll also need either baby powder or a powder specifically from the doll company to maintain TPE dolls.
Since TPE absorbs liquid, you won’t be able to clean below the surface.
You might notice that it’s a lot easier to stain TPE dolls than silicone ones.
With that in mind, make sure you’re using a neutral microfiber cloth or one that matches the doll’s skin color.
TPE is also a bit more sensitive than silicone.
You’ll need to dilute your antibacterial soap to ensure it isn’t strong enough to ruin the doll.
To dilute it, just drop some antibacterial soap droplets into a bucket of water.
Then soak the microfiber cloth in the mixture and start to dab at the doll’s skin.
You should never scrub the doll as this can severely damage it.
Once you’ve dabbed the doll with the diluted soap, you can rinse it with some clean water.
Avoid hot or boiling water.
You can dry it by dabbing it with another microfiber cloth or just hang it to dry.
A fan can help speed up the drying process.
Once it’s dry, you’re not done yet.
You’ll need to use powder to ensure the doll doesn’t leak oil.
Powdering is something you’ll need to do often even if you’re not using the doll.
It’s a good idea to powder your doll every 14 days to keep its skin healthy.
By following these steps, you can ensure your TPE doll lasts for a long time.
Save Money By Buying the Right Doll With the Right Material
The last thing you want to do is buy a doll whose material feels wrong to you.
Platinum silicone and TPE dolls tend to be on the expensive side.
Determine which material sounds like it feels the best to you and avoid wasting your money on a doll you don’t even enjoy touching.
- For more information on how to clean your doll, be sure to check out this guide.
- For more information on where to buy a sex doll, check out this guide.
