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Vitamin E is to prevent rancidity of oils, so if you don't plan on adding oils, you won't need to add it (it's also oil-soluble, so it won't mix with water). Anything that might be introduced to water should use a preservative.

Liquipar optima is suggested for usage at 0.5-1% of your total product weight. You need to use weights for your formula, as it'll give you the most accurate measurement. Invest in a small scale, and weigh out your formula instead of using cups and teaspoons.

I've found that Cosmocil will sometimes do that to a formula, but I have no idea why. Just shake it up and it'll be fine to use.

SLSA is a good choice for bubble bars because it comes in a fine powder form, hence the bubble factor. I'm not too familiar with SLES as I don't use it myself, but if it's in a powder form, I don't see why you can't use it for bubble bars.

Neem is a pretty strong smelling oil, but it's great for problem skin. I'm sure it'll be great for a salve!

You're welcome. :) I usually use it at 2-3% total for all proteins. Soy and silk are more penetrating than wheat since the molecule sizes are smaller, so I would try just one protein at 2% and see how your hair likes that. It might take a little experimenting to find which protein your hair...

It's not. Try emulsifying wax or polawax as an emulsifier.

You can use any oil you like, although coconut oil is very good for hair. :) The wax is referring to emulsifying wax, correct?

Try this basic recipe from the Sage: 20% beeswax 15% hard butter (cocoa butter etc.) 25% soft butter (shea, mango, aloe etc.) 40% liquid oils Obviously you can tweak your ratios from there and replace different oils/butters with your ingredients of choice. If you use candelilla, keep...

Hydrolyzed proteins are great for hair, but I personally think they're a waste if used in a shampoo (since it's a wash-off product). Proteins can also build up in hair, causing it to be weighed down. I make a protein and non-protein version of my conditioner recipe, and just alternate throughout...

Castor gives a glossy/slick look and feel to lip balms, so I don't usually go above 10%. I'd reduce it to no more than 10% and see how you like the feel of that. Aalso, try replacing some of your beeswax with a brittle butter like cocoa butter. It'll give you some moisture, but also keep the...

I could be wrong, but I believe that the hardness is due to the brown sugar. I found a bag of brown sugar that I purchased a few years ago and forgot all about, and it's hard as a rock. Try your same recipe with white sugar, and see what happens when you let it sit the same amount of time as...

I usually make "single serving" masks for my personal use. Just mix your liquid of choice with the clays until it gets to the consistency you want. :) One note of caution is that rhassoul clay can be very drawing, and I can't use it at full strength on my sensitive skin (I usually mix it with...

You're welcome! :)

No. Citric acid is a pH adjuster, not a preservative.

Two very important notes: 1) Always use percentages/weights to figure out your recipes. One person's 1/2 cup measurement is different from another person's, but 1 oz of coconut oil is the same as another person's 1 oz of coconut oil. 2) If you plan on keeping it longer than a week, use a...

If you're adding glycerin into an oil-based scrub, it'll separate eventually since water (glycerin is water soluble) and oil does not mix without an emulsifier. If coconut 76 is too stiff for you, I'd recommend just dropping it altogether and using a liquid oil instead (such as FCO or Sweet Almond).

Propylene glycol is water-soluble only, so it will not incorporate into a lip balm.