Diana FoxI do need to take partial blame for this post. When I signed up as an affiliate with MEO, I was asked to pick some toys that Andy and I wanted to review. We picked a few and were sent over a mix of stuff that was on the list and stuff that wasn’t on the list. This Power Massager/ Vibrating Wand WAS on our list.
While browsing, I saw there there was a massage wand, skimmed my eyes to the section of the page that said: “Material: ABS (staff), silicone (head), without phthalate according to EU regulation“.
I did not read the toy description. Why? Because it looks like a plug-in wand so I assumed it functioned like a plug-in wand. I didn’t delve deeper for more information about the material. I thought it was pretty clear. I’ve learned my lesson.
Upon receiving the wand, I realized that it was a wand from another company (Wand Essentials) and not actually a creation from MEO. Totally fine with that – except the packaging only said ‘ABS Plastic’. I thought it was odd that they wouldn’t promote the silicone material, but I didn’t question it too much (which, in retrospect was a mistake).
Out of the package, the head of the toy was soft, malleable and non-sticky. It didn’t feel like any silicone that I had ever felt, but being a newbie sex toy reviewer – I thought maybe I just wasn’t knowledgeable.
So I used it – it seemed pretty decent. The strength of vibrations is comparable to the Lovehoney wand that we have reviewed. The buttons are easy to press, but they oddly only go in only one direction and there are 2 solid intensities and 8 patterns. This means to go from high intensity to low intensity, you have to either turn off the wand or rotate through the rest of the 8 patterns. Not great for us, but could be great for people who love patterns. The head is removable although I don’t think it is meant to be because it gets wonky when you try to put it on again. The US plug arrived with an EU adaptor that was clearly added by the MEO team.
Don’t worry, this isn’t a horror story about toxic materials. I am totally fine. After using the wand for the first time on myself (I always test toys first so I know how they work before testing them on Andy), my gut was telling me that the material of the head wasn’t silicone.
I then re-checked MEO’s website to find the description of the wand to be completely different from what I had previously read… and even different from the actual product being sold (red = buttons, blue = material).
I then did some research to find out that the Wand Essential’s website indicates that the head is made of TPR.
Before jumping to conclusions, I sent MEO an email asking about this discrepancy.
The first reply included: “The attachment consists of a soft plastic material. In the area of TPR we have different descriptions in Germany.“
I didn’t accept this as an answer so I asked for more clarification.
The second reply included: “From our manufacturer, we got the following information: Material head: TPE. We mainly use the concept of “silicone” in the German-speaking world. Our customers understand the term “silicone” a plastic, which is soft and moldable.”
Here is the thing with TPE/TPR (Thermoplastic Elastomers/Thermoplastic Rubber):
Often latex-free, often phthalate-free and hypoallergenic.
These toys are porous so the pores will continue to hold onto bacteria, mould and chemicals. Sanitizing with a dishwasher, boiling water, rubbing alcohol or diluted bleach will break down the material.
It is recommended to throw out these toys after 6-12 months of use.
Do not share these toys with another person, and do not use for both vaginal and anal insertion.
Using a condom as a barrier is suggested but only polyurethane condoms as the oils from the TPE/TPR will degrade latex.
There is some like REALLY IMPORTANT things to know about if your toy is made from TPE or TPR! It is not made from toxic material but it can never be properly sanitized. Imagine if you thought it was a silicone toy and you thought you had properly cleaned it in order to share it with someone?
UGH.
MEO does specifically target this toy to people with penis’ and there are many external masturbators made of TPE/TPR. However, wands can be used in many different ways, with many different body parts so the materials should be clearly indicated and correct.
I don’t know what a “concept of silicone” is but I do know that it is staying far away from me.
It really sucks that sex toys aren’t regulated because this is allowed to happen. Totally false advertising that can have detrimental health effects. Thankfully it wasn’t a toxic material but that doesn’t excuse a retailer for blatantly misinforming consumers.
I’d normally suggest to always check the materials… but in this case I would have to advise to trust your gut. E-mail the company if you aren’t sure about something. Better to get an answer than to continue using something you don’t feel confident about.
I didn’t really want to give links to this product BUT I am happy to warn people away from it if they too thought it was silicone.
Thanks for reading – feel free to ask questions in the comments.
Check out our Sex Toy Material Guide for more information.
The head gets a bit wonky when you take it off and put it back on… oops.
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