I’m a dupe hunter and save £500 a year without scrimping on style, scent or beauty – Aldi and Primark are my top shops
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Meet the dupe fanatic who saved £500 last year filling her home with all the trending bargains from Aldi, Home Bargains and Primark. Rachel Davey, 29, has always loved finding a good deal but started hunting out more dupes for her favourite perfumes and make-up after finding herself unemployed two years ago.
![[Woman wearing a Hello Kitty sweatshirt.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SWNS_DUPE_QUEEN_010jpg-JS965957001.jpg?strip=all&w=720)
She scours TikTok most days looking for the newest deals - such as a fake Olaplex from Headshock for £5 and a £4.99 Home Bargains Sol De Janeiro dupe. The original body butter costs £21. Rachel gets her clothes from Primark and is currently eyeing up a gym set which looks similar to a Lululemon one.
![[Headshock Bond 2 Nourishing Hair Mask.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SWNS_DUPE_QUEEN_001jpg-JS965956947.jpg?strip=all&w=720)
Rachel, from Nottingham, said: "Over the last year I have saved a lot of money. "It's like a hobby. "I go out comparing the actual thing.". Rachel has been dupe hunting for as long as she can remember but it became more of a necessity when she stepped away from her job at the end of 2022.
![[Vanilla almond and salted caramel body butter and perfume mist.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SWNS_DUPE_QUEEN_003jpg-JS965956915.jpg?strip=all&w=720)
Now Rachel hunts out designer dupes for her own collection as well as for presents for friends and family. For her skincare, Rachel uses the Primark Prep and Perfect primer which costs £4.50 - instead of the £52 price tag for the Bobbi Brown moisturiser version.
![[A smaller bottle of The Essence Vault perfume next to a larger bottle of Alien perfume.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SWNS_DUPE_QUEEN_005jpg-JS965956974.jpg?strip=all&w=720)
She said: "I've tried the originals and I prefer the Primark one.". Rachel started getting her perfume from The Essence Vault after realising she couldn't afford her favourite scent Alien from Mugler - costing £67 for 30ml. She now gets a similar scent - The Essence Vault 61 "inspired by Alien" - for £15 for 30ml.
