Can you cheap out on great hair?

Perhaps?

However I'm leaning towards no, especially with my super processed, super damaged hair XD
I think that unbleached hair or even minimally bleached hair, you can get away with products that say "can achieve salon LIKE results"  @__@ man they really get you with their words sometimes (they must have really listened to the saying that words are more powerful than stones XD) 

When I started majorly changing my hair colour, Viki (my friend/stylist) let me know that Pantene is one of the brands that majorly put wax-based material into their products.  That's why you get that glossy shine, but bleaching through that is terrible (aka wasting more money than you have to la~)

Other than that, for people who don't colour their hair, I've had people who swear by Pantene.  Since there was so much rave about it, I had to try it X3
I tried this one called beautiful length, which donated part of their profit to cancer patients who lost hair.  I thought that was really great, and the bottle was pink/purple, what's not to lose?  MY MONEY D=
I mean I'm glad I got to be a part of something that went to a good cause, but did the product have to be terrible?
My hair felt so greasy afterwards.  No joke, I felt like I had to wash my hair again at the end of the day...=__= I call product fail

Next on the line, I thought I try Nexxus.  I loved the smell, but again it was greasy.  Though I think back on it and think if I used it on my hair, if it would make a difference.  I mean my hair is so dry now, I wonder if it would make my hair stronger?
Result?  I loved the shampoo, mixed feelings about conditioner.