To set a base for such a discussion, let it be said that phthalates are to be found in thousands of the items we use from day to day, from pills to glues to paint to floor tiles to perfumes to pesticides, and on and on. Four hundred thousand tons of phthalates are produced each year.

On the surface, it will be said that their prime use is to soften plastic, often called plasticizing, and although many of these uses mentioned and unmentioned don’t seem to be related to plastic as we know it, it is not hard to get from plastic to sex toys. Although toy manufacturers do not commonly call the material of their products ‘plastic,’ that, indeed, is the generic term that can be applied.

The highest percentage of phthalates in sex toys is found in what is often called ‘jelly,’  ‘jelly-rubber,’  or sometimes just ‘rubber.’ These toys are porous, can harbor bacteria, and exude phthalates and more. They can usually be recognized by a chemical or other smell, because the good materials do not have any smell. (To be fair be careful, because the packaging itself might might have a temporary smell.)

What is our interest in Phthalates?

Since 1999 there has been concern about the possibility that exposure to phthalates could cause birth defects. It is important to note that we are all exposed to many forms of this product. As the various plastic products break down, the phthalates are released into the air. The concentration is reported to be higher and lower right where you might expect: more in rooms, then in cities, and finally less in less occupied areas. There is a study reported in 2005 that appears to show some genital development problems in boys born to the mothers who were more exposed. We can only say that the validity of that report has been challenged by a number of serious medical research groups. However, remember that if the percentage of phthalates is above a few percentage points, cleaning and disinfecting the toy becomes difficult or impossible.

So…, where does that leave us? Even though the jury is still out on the subject of risk and harm, you may decide that it simply behooves you to avoid contact with a suspect substance. You might call it an insurance policy against the possibility of problems.

OK, Where are they so that I could avoid them?

That seems to be the real question.  First of all, let’s take this with a grain of salt. The last study (it was called ‘exhaustive’) came up with a negative result. If it’s that hard to determine that there is a problem, it’s certainly not a problem that is very evident. Never-the-less, this post is not intended to tell you how you should think about this subject, but rather to give you a bit more information upon which to make your decision.

Many, perhaps most, sex toys come out of the factory with absolutely no comment on the existence of phthalates. However, in some cases, especially recently, manufacturers, wanting to show their standard on the subject, will note in their description of the product that it is free of phthalates. It’s understandable that no one is announcing that their product HAS phthalates, and, although I have no reason to challenge such a statement, either positive or negative, it would take chemical analysis by gas chromatography to be sure.

What are my options?

You have several:

• Use only those that specifically say they do not have phthalates.
• Use your unsure toys with condoms
• Accept the reports that say they can find no danger

And MyRacyToybox?

At this time, if the factory has indicated in their description that the product is phthalate free, we report that in our description as well.

But having had this opportunity to consider this subject from the view of our clients, we have made the decision to put several new specifications in our ‘More Information’ product page. One of them will be a ‘Yes, No, or Don’t know’ specification with regard to phthalates. If we have such an interest for our own use, the least we can do is make the information available to the people who trust us enough to shop in our store. (This change will take around 30 days to be implemented.)

Thanks! Please leave your comment on this subject!

Some presentations of lubricants

First of all, I am NOT an expert on this subject. In fact the reason that I am writing is that I was confused by the ‘this is great for silicone’ type of statement, which certainly implies that it is NOT great for something else,… or the reverse: ‘Do NOT use this on rubber!’ Does that imply that it is good for EVERYTHING else? Hmmmm. As I was seeing certain lube products being put on www.myracytoybox.com for sale, I felt that we should be able to give the possibly confused buyer some good counsel on the uses of individual classes of lubes, and, perhaps even better, an overview from which he or she could actively LOOK FOR what they needed rather than passively being told that this is not suitable for the particular toy being considered.

Why lubricants in the first place?

Sex without lubricants would, in most cases, not happen, but fortunately, nature has prepared us for this eventuality by producing natural lubricants. Otherwise, our ancesters would surely have never reproduced, and you and I would not be reading this at this moment. However, there are two points which bring us to the subject of lubricants for sex.

• In some cases our bodies do not produce sufficient lubricant for real freedom and enjoyment.
• We  have discovered that desirable sexual pleasure can be acquired from activities for which our bodies do not produce lubricants.

As a result of this, lubricants have become an important part of many people’s intimacy.

I’d like to believe that we should not have to be chemists or physicians in order to have good sex, but, if not, at least we need to be aware of dangerous uses and mixes of lubricant, sex products, and our bodies. In some cases the manufacturer of a product or a lubricant will put some comment in the description of the product, but most of the time we are on our own when it comes to looking out for such problems.

OK, let’s get into it. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT THOSE CHEMISTS OR PHYSICIANS. THESE COMMENTS ARE DERIVED FROM THE INTERNET, AND YOU NEED TO DO YOUR OWN ASSURANCE STUDY. This is intended to give you a general idea of what you need to consider, and a point of departure in your study of the subject.

It’s not as complicated as it sounds! There are two major areas of concern:

• Irritation-free and yeast-free vaginal sex
• No damage to your condoms or sex toys.

With that in mind let’s run through the possibilities:

What kinds of lubricants are there?

• Water based lubricants: One size fits all. This is the big one that causes no problems. You can use water-based lubricants without concern for your body or your pariphernalia (they do not destroy latex or silicone). It’s draw-back is that it tends to dry out rather quickly, and obviously disappears immediately in the bath or jacuzzi. In spite of those short-comings, for vaginal sex, it may be the right choice. They very rarely cause irritation, even for folks with allergies, and they are edible, can be flavored, and don’t stain clothing. That’s a pretty good report card.

 

• Silicone based lubricants: We found no references to vaginal irritation, or changes to the pH factors which cause or allow yeast infections. In addition, they do not dry out rapidly and are water proof, so they go well with longer sessions, even in the bath or the jacuzzi. Painting with the broad brush, as we say in Spanish, silicone-based lubricants come highly recommended, especially for their durability and their being water-proof. Their short-coming is that, for vaginal sex, they do coat the vaginal area, which takes longer to be cast off after the sexual activity terminates. They also do NOT destroy latex, so can be used with condoms and other barrier forms of birth and desease prevention. HOWEVER, note this:…. THEY CANNOT BE USED WITH SILICONE SEX TOYS OR OBJECTS! They will interact with and break down the silicone in the toy.

 

• Petroleum based lubricants: NOT RECOMMENDED! These include the baby’s baby oil (which is basically mineral oil), other forms of mineral oil, Vaseline, and some other lubricants from your bathrom. They do all the bad things: destroy latex, irritate the vagina, and stain your bedcloths. If your use is none of these, such as male masturbation, their next attribute is that they are very long lasting. Have at it!

 

• Vegetable oil based lubricants: Sometimes called ‘natural’ lubricants, these may be nut-oil, corn-oil or such. These have all the negatives of petroleum except that they do not irritate the vagina, so if your vaginal sex is without latex (completely unprotected), they are long lasting and suitable. Also considered very suitable for masturbation, either sex.

In addition to the class of lubricants, you can choose between pump bottles, sprays, cremes, and other presentations, but within their class, these qualities are just your choice of favorite. You can check out our offering at http://www.myracytoybox.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/lubes_lubricants.htm.

Well, that’s the quick rundown. If you were not aware of the above, this may give you a starting point to look into your own needs and interests. There can be errors or important information that is lacking, so do your homework, and tell us what you learned. Leave a comment.

ToyboxCharley