Made with local and organic oils and ingredients, Oliófora is our bath & body amenities provider and an integral part of the Ando Living experience, in Portugal. Together, we are keen on taking the travellers’ experience to a whole new level. The products developed by Oliófora are specially designed to, among many other things, hydrate your skin, shine your hair, and offer a restful night.
The brand’s founder, Daria Maximova, lifts the veil on how the exclusive collaboration started and what unique scents and products you can find in all of our homes in Portugal. She also shares a few of her favorite spots in Lisbon.
How did your brand get started, and what inspired it?
OLIÓFORA started as a cold-pressed oil extraction project to supply high-quality Portuguese oils to cosmetic companies. We started selling them in local markets and small shops before launching the website and online shop. The inspiration was Portugal and its abundance of natural ingredients. Our oils contain countless beneficial components, like Vitamin E, polyphenols, and phytosterols, and are completely free of parabens, sulfates, and other harsh additives. They are also vegan, ensuring an ethical skincare experience.
What makes your brand uniquely Portuguese?
OLIÓFORA’s lab and factory are located in Amarante, north of Portugal. From there, you can walk around and see the Marão mountains. 99% of our ingredients and packaging solutions are of Portuguese origin. Our products are inspired by the vast natural diversity that Portugal offers: seaweeds, nuts and seeds, wines, herbs, fruit, and so on. Our scents are unique, with tones of orange blossom, fig, or jasmin, all reminders of Portugal.
If you had to describe your brand in one sentence, what would it be?
OLIÓFORA is constantly seeking to innovate and work in harmony with nature.
What drew you to collaborate with Ando Living?
Ando Living is a very interesting concept because it invites travellers to live like locals alike. We are very happy to be part of this experience, offering an exclusive pampering experience with our organic and vegan bath and body products. We’ve developed five exclusive products for Ando Living: orange blossom shower gel, shampoo, hair mask, hand soap, and an amazing “good night pillow spray” made with eucalyptus and other natural ingredients – it will surely allow you to sleep like a baby.
We are looking forward to continuing this long-term collaboration developing new products for Ando Living to make the experience in Portugal even more special.
ANDO INSIDER PICKS
The best sunset spot in Lisbon with a drink in hand?
Oh, definitely Cais da Ribeira das Naus. Nothing beats watching the sunset there with a drink in hand – pure Lisbon magic!
A hidden gem restaurant only locals know about?
Karater, Bairro Alto. It’s an absolutely amazing Georgian restaurant. A special space with a lot of soul, fabulous food from chef Guram Baghdoshvili, and a choice of Georgian wines, which you won’t find anywhere else in Portugal.
Your “happy place” in Lisbon – the spot that instantly lifts your mood?
I am absolutely in love with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation gardens and museum, a very different place, full of amazing trees, plants, and cosy spaces, where you enter into another reality – even time seems to go slower.
A food or drink experience in Portugal that truly surprised you?
The whole of Portugal itself is a food paradise. The diversity of dishes and wines, from the very North, with its ensopados de carnes de caça, feijoada a transmontana, posta, cabidela, to Alentejo, with its sopa de cação, açorda de bacalhau, lamp chops and a lot more. On the other hand, a generation of high cuisine chefs emerged and created new ways to cook and present Portugal’s rich heritage with creative food masterpieces. I’d say the places where I had the most impactful food experiences were KAMPO and AKUA restaurants, both located in Funchal and owned by the very talented chef Júlio Pereira, who made me look forward to going back for more amazing food.
The one shop or market in Lisbon we absolutely shouldn’t miss?
LX Factory. It’s not only a market but a whole concept with a lot of character.
What does a perfect day in Lisbon look like for you?
Spend a day walking around Alfama, Baixa, and Chiado, stopping for a snack or drink, sitting down in a bar close to the river, breathing Lisboa life.
