What exactly is the goop inside a lava lamp?

Unless the lamp has broken, the 'lava' is inside the glass, so shouldn't they be 'magma' lamps?

Hah, see, that's funny.

And some lava lamps have an important use in internet security, but what's inside them?

I'll say that I appreciate the presenter's sense of humor. YRMV

Clearly...

To the seriousness, the recipe is, as the presenter admits, rather finicky. Add a little of this, add a little of that, try adding a little more of a third thing. Repeat until it works. 

For a classroom activity, I would want a much more precise so my students could get a higher rate of success. I'm guessing that they might not be as persistent as the presenter. We've talked about the students needing a bit more grit and perseverance, but I'll admit that I would likely get frustrated with trying the method that the presenter presents.

I am curious about the IMFs in the braklean (still available as tetrachloroethylene (with CO₂ propellant, by the way) and how well it mixes into the paraffin. 

Curious...might be a fun summer project, but I'm happy to just buy a lava lamp.