When many customers are customizing silicone products, they often ask a question: "Is there a significant difference between applying oil and not applying oil?"
Today, let's thoroughly discuss this issue.
What is hand lotion?
Handfeel Oil is a coating material specifically used on the surface of silicone products. When sprayed on, it forms a thin protective layer on the silicone surface. Its main functions are to enhance the feel and provide dust and wear resistance.
It sounds simple, but the difference between spraying and not spraying is much greater than you might think.
Just give it a touch with your hand, and the difference will become obvious.
Products with hand lotion: The texture is smooth, the surface has high glossiness, and it feels delicate and smooth when touched. It's just like the moist feeling on the skin after taking a bath.
Unsprayed products: The glossiness is not high, and the surface feels less smooth. Especially for low-hardness silicone, after a long time, it will feel uncomfortable to touch.
It will be more noticeable after a period of time.
The handfeel oil also has a wear-resistant property, which can extend the service life of the product.
Applied hand lotion: It creates a protective layer on the surface, making it less prone to wear and tear from daily friction, and the product becomes more durable.
Unsprayed products: The surface is directly exposed. After repeated rubbing and cleaning, the surface will become increasingly rough and even sticky.
A simple example: For the same silicone wristband, one that has been sprayed with hand feel oil remains smooth after one year of use. While the one that hasn't been sprayed might start to become sticky and accumulate dust within just a few months. The difference is this huge.
Judging by the quality, the differences are even more obvious.
Judging by the quality, the differences are even more obvious.
Just one step of surface treatment can significantly enhance the quality and grade of the entire product.
Applied hand lotion: The surface is smooth and has a high gloss. It feels textured in your hand, just like a brand product.
Unsprayed products: The glossiness is insufficient, and they feel plain and ordinary, like street market goods.
For consumer products and those that directly interact with users, applying a hand-protecting oil is almost a standard procedure. If your product is intended for sale to end-users, not applying a hand-protecting oil might cause customers to immediately "back away" when they first hold it.
Under what circumstances would it be okay not to inject oil?
Not all products need to be sprayed. If your silicone products are internal components, such as the sealing rings or shock absorbers inside the machine, which do not directly come into contact with users, then there is no need to spray them.
For any components that are exposed to the outside, consumer products, or items that come into direct contact with the human body - such as phone cases, watch straps, buttons, tableware, toys - it is highly recommended that they be sprayed.