1. Silicone Material Introduction

Why Material Sets the Price

Two figures can share a height, a face and a wardrobe and still differ by a thousand dollars. Material decides how fine the mold can be, how crisp the paint stays, and how much the body weighs.

Silicone is a two-part elastomer cured in a mold: it holds sharp edges, accepts layered paint, and stays dimensionally stable. TPE is a thermoplastic softened with mineral oil, which migrates, so the skin feels tacky and needs powder.

The practical question for an Irish buyer is whether you can lift the figure, store it cool and dry, and keep up the care each material demands.

Silicone and TPE Side by Side

Neither column is a defect list. TPE suits tight budgets and light lifting; silicone earns its premium only if you keep up with care.

How to Tell Them Apart in a Listing

A 165 cm doll listed at 30 kg is almost certainly TPE, or a hybrid with a silicone head on a TPE body. Silicone at that height usually lands between 35 and 45 kg. Ask which parts are which, because the head sets face quality and the body sets the weight.

Texture is the second signal: silicone shows a faint matte grain and holds tight shadow lines, while TPE reads glossier under flash. Our comparison of silicone vs tpe sex doll covers hardness, repairability and five-year costs.

2. Customization Options

Height, Build and Weight

Catalogs run from about 100 cm to 175 cm, with useful break points at 120, 150 and 165 cm. Below 120 cm a figure usually stays under 16 kg. A 150 cm body sits near 20 to 30 kg, and a 165 cm silicone body can pass 40 kg.

Build matters as much as height. A fuller 150 cm torso can weigh more than a slim 160 cm, and larger busts shift weight forward, which makes standing poses less stable.

Heads, Faces and Hair

A fixed head is molded into the neck and gives the cleanest seam. A removable head lets you swap expression or share one body between two faces, and it makes wig changes easier. Implanted hair photographs well but limits styling; a wig lets you change color and length cheaply.

Eyes may be painted, inset acrylic or movable half-spheres, and each step adds cost. Eyelashes are usually applied, so expect to replace them after a year or two.

Skin Tone and Paint Detail

Good paint is layered: base tone, blush at knees and knuckles, freckles or faint veining, then matte sealer. Silicone holds that stack for years, while TPE gradually absorbs it. Ask for photos in daylight and under indoor light, since both materials shift between the two.

3. Buying Guide

Start With Weight, Not Height

Buyers fixate on height and then discover the weight. A 170 cm figure at 45 kg is hard to move alone, awkward to clean in a small bathroom, and difficult to hide.

Measure storage first. A 150 cm doll needs roughly 160 by 45 cm of floor or shelf, plus 60 cm of clearance to lift it; a 165 cm doll needs 175 by 50 cm. If the only option is under a bed, a torso will get used more often than a full-size body.

Sizing, Weight and Price Bands

Weights assume TPE; add 15 to 25% for full silicone. Prices are in US dollars, charged in the currency shown at checkout. Import VAT and duty sit on top, so a $1,400 doll can land nearer $1,750.

Joint Counts and Skeleton Quality

Skeletons are sold by joint count, and placement matters more than the number. A 28-joint frame with articulated hands and a waist joint poses better than a 30-joint frame with stiff wrists. Full-size figures run 18 to 28 joints; minis run 10 to 16.

Look for a steel or alloy frame, not plastic. Standing feet with bolt fittings allow upright display but concentrate stress at the ankle, so use a stand for long poses, and check that the shoulders rotate and the knees lock.

What to Ask Before You Pay

• What is the shipping weight, not just the product weight?
• Which parts are silicone and which are TPE?
• How many joints, and are the hands articulated?
• What does the warranty cover, and for how long?
• Is the return policy in writing, and who pays return freight?
• Will the commercial invoice show the full value for customs?

4. Maintenance & Care

The Routine That Actually Gets Done

A ten-minute routine after each use beats an hour-long deep clean once a month. Wipe with mild, unscented soap and lukewarm water, rinse with a damp cloth, then dry fully before storage. Avoid alcohol-based cleaners on TPE, which strip oil and leave the surface chalky.

Use a dedicated care kit for internal areas and follow the maker's instructions. Kitchen spray, bleach and scented wipes either dry the material or feed mold.

Drying, Powder and Storage

Dry with a microfiber towel, then air for 20 to 30 minutes in a ventilated room before dressing. Never store it damp against fabric, and never seal it in a plastic bag.

Powder TPE every two to four weeks and silicone every two to three months with cornstarch and a soft brush. Store flat or hanging, never folded, with nothing heavy resting on the torso.

Irish Humidity, Radiators and Sunlight

Irish winters are damp and Irish heating is dry, and both stress the surface. Keep the figure away from radiators, hot cylinders and south-facing windows; sustained heat above roughly 30°C can soften TPE and set a pose permanently. Warm a cold figure slowly at room temperature rather than with a hair dryer.

5. Shipping & Privacy Policy

Delivery Times to Ireland

Plan on 7 to 20 business days from dispatch, with the longer end for rural routes and parcels flagged for inspection. Dispatch takes 1 to 5 business days for stock.

Tracking issues at dispatch, and the first scan can lag 48 hours while a parcel moves between hubs. If tracking stalls beyond five business days, ask the retailer to open a trace. Our page on sex doll delivery time explains how each stage is timed.

Import VAT, Duty and Customs Clearance

Goods arriving from outside the EU, including from Great Britain, are treated as imports. Irish import VAT applies at the standard rate, 23% in recent years, charged on goods value plus shipping and insurance. Duty, where it applies, depends on classification and origin. Rates change, so check current figures before you order.

Carriers differ: some pay the charge and invoice you before delivery, others hold the parcel. Treat it as part of the purchase price and keep the commercial invoice. Our guide to sex doll import duty explains how declared values are assessed.

No retailer controls clearance. A parcel can be delayed, opened or, rarely, detained, and the decision rests with the authorities. Timelines here are estimates, and these notes are general information, not legal advice.

Packaging and Discretion

Cartons are plain, with no product names or imagery, and the sender line uses a neutral trading name. Inside, the figure sits in molded foam with a protective bag over the body.

Discretion has limits: couriers see an address, and customs declarations must describe goods in general terms. If a delivery has to avoid a shared hallway, arrange depot collection instead.

6. Trust & Guarantee

What a Written Guarantee Should Cover

A serious guarantee covers the skeleton and seams for 12 months, plus paint defects present at delivery. It should list exclusions plainly: cuts, heat damage, dye transfer from clothing, and damage from solvents.

Get the terms in writing before payment, and check whether the guarantee covers return freight or only the part. A guarantee that lives in a chat message is hard to enforce.

Returns and Consumer Rights

EU distance-selling rules generally give a short cooling-off window, but sealed intimate goods are commonly excluded once the hygiene seal is broken. Unopened items are easiest to return, and a 10 to 25% restocking fee is common.

Report transit damage within 48 hours with photos of the carton, inner packaging and fault. Our guide to sex doll returns sets out the paperwork that speeds a claim.

Age Rules and the Legal Position

These products are sold to adults aged 18 and over, and checkout should verify age. Irish law restricts certain material, and customs may detain an import it considers to fall within those restrictions. A retailer cannot promise a border outcome. Our page on sex doll age verification explains a proper check. This is general information, not legal advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Ireland is workable for adult figures if you plan around three things: the import charge, the weight of the body, and the space it occupies. A 150 cm TPE figure at 20 to 30 kg is the sensible first purchase for most flats. Silicone earns its premium when detail and service life matter more than the price gap.

Confirm warranty and return terms in writing, photograph the parcel before opening, and keep the carton until you have inspected everything. Charges and rules change, so verify current figures with the carrier or with customs before you commit.