Reviews

Rowan Moore’s best architecture of 2019

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From hemp and cork buildings to energy-efficient council housing, the climate crisis got us thinking laterally

• Read the Observer critics’ review of 2019 in full here

The best perfumes for Christmas

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Gorgeous scents don’t just come in bottles – try gel, body oil or hair mist for an alternative gift

Hello, Robot review – where human and machine don’t quite meet

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V&A Dundee
From pet cyber-seals to cars with minds of their own, an exploration of the science and fiction of robots raises more questions than it answers

Cars: Accelerating the Modern World review – revolutions behind the wheel

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Victoria and Albert Museum, London
The V&A’s finely tuned exhibition tracing the history of the automobile attempts to balance the car’s wide-ranging cultural impact with the environmental costs of its gas-guzzling success

The best pore-cleansing toners

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Salicylic skin tonics were once the preserve of spendy brands, but serious skincare is now in every chemist