The types of sex dolls are becoming more and more diverse, and their functions are increasingly appealing. When an adult doll enthusiast decides to choose their very first doll, they often find themselves torn. Selecting the right doll is not as simple as picking clothes or shoes; it requires considering many aspects of the doll and matching them with the buyer's personal preferences. For a beginner, they may be fascinated by dolls but lack enough knowledge. The first and most important step in choosing your beloved doll is to determine which material you prefer, just as when choosing flooring, you need to decide whether you like wood or tile before proceeding. We will explain the differences in materials from the following five aspects to help beginners identify the material that best suits their preferences.
Material
As is well known, the body of a sex doll usually comes in two common materials - TPE and silicone. The doll's head, on the other hand, typically has three material options: TPE, regular silicone, and soft silicone. Both TPE and silicone are elastomer materials, but they differ in nature: TPE sex doll is thermoplastic, while silicone is thermoset. In addition to differences in appearance and texture, there's a simple way to tell them apart by burning them. When TPE burns, it produces black smoke and leaves behind oily black residue, similar to burning plastic. Silicone, however, releases white smoke and forms grayish-white ash, which is related to its respective base compounds. Regardless of whether the doll is made of TPE or silicone, both materials are non-toxic, harmless, and completely safe for human use.
Texture
TPE's elasticity far surpasses that of ordinary silicone, which is one of the main reasons it is so popular. Since TPE allows adjustable softness and density, manufacturers can design each part of the doll's body with great precision, creating a more realistic tactile experience. For instance, to make the breasts softer, they can adopt a hollow structure during filling or adjust the firmness of the gel to control the roundness, elasticity, and fullness. It's worth noting that as technology advances, some high-end silicone dolls can now use ultra-soft silicone with Shore hardness C to enhance realism, though the production cost increases significantly. Because silicone is a thermoset elastomer, it generally feels firmer and more solid, which also makes silicone dolls slightly heavier than TPE ones. However, this firmness gives silicone dolls better stability and the ability to hold poses more effectively, maintaining realistic proportions and excellent balance.
Molecular Structure
Silicone has a higher molecular density than TPE, resulting in distinctly different skin textures. TPE is more porous-similar to a sponge. When magnified under a microscope, its molecular structure reveals countless tiny pores, giving it a softer texture and higher tensile strength than silicone. Silicone, on the other hand, features a tighter and denser molecular arrangement. This high-density structure grants silicone exceptional moldability, allowing it to reproduce human curves, skin texture, and fine details with great precision. Moreover, the chemical bonds between silicone molecules are stronger and less affected by air, moisture, or light, giving it outstanding resistance to aging. In contrast, TPE's looser molecular structure makes it more susceptible to deformation or surface aging over time and with temperature changes. Therefore, silicone dolls generally outperform TPE dolls in detail accuracy, long-lasting texture, and overall durability.
Makeup
The makeup of sex doll heads also varies among the three materials, though the difference between hard silicone and soft silicone is relatively small. While TPE heads can achieve fine makeup details, they only support tattooed eyebrows, glued eyelashes, and wigs-they cannot have implanted hair, eyebrows, or eyelashes. As a result, TPE heads look slightly less realistic than silicone ones. Silicone heads, however, can feature implanted hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes, making the overall appearance more natural and vivid. Many people choose silicone dolls precisely because of this high level of realism-the facial detailing can look even more refined and captivating than real human makeup, often leaving an unforgettable impression.
Function
The functions discussed here mainly refer to the doll's head. TPE's flexibility gives it a functional advantage: the mouth can open, making oral interaction possible. In contrast, hard silicone heads have fixed mouths that cannot open, meaning oral play is not possible. This makes soft silicone heads the most cost-effective and popular choice. As the name suggests, soft silicone is a lower-hardness version of silicone-soft and flexible. This means soft silicone combines the refined, lifelike makeup of regular silicone with the practical oral functionality of TPE. The mouth of a soft silicone doll can open and includes an internal passage, and users can even customize a tongue. The experience feels far more realistic than that of a TPE doll, making soft silicone the most sought-after head material to date. You can also check out the comparison video on the three materials released by BestRealDoll for more details.
Conclusion
Different materials have distinct features, functions, and price ranges. You can view the material list for doll heads on our website. Choose the one that best fits your preferences and budget. Now that you have a better understanding of doll materials, you're ready to find the doll of your dreams.