You finally found the perfect shade, went to a professional, and shelled out major bucks for your fancy new hair color. Now what? Are you just gonna sit back and let it grow out and fade?

I don't think so!

Finding ways to preserve your hair color is essential. Anything less would mean just wasting your money. So if you've got yourself a gorgeous new hair color, you might want to investigate investing in the following five products.

1. ApHogee Two-Step. OK, I admit -- I'm a little afraid of ApHogee. This duo protein treatment is known to be supremely effective and supremely powerful. If you're at all afraid of doing at-home chemical treatments, get thee to a salon with this stuff where they know what they're doing! When ApHogee is done right, it promises to heal your dry, your coarse, your porous, your over-worked and color-treated hair.

2. Clairol Nice 'n Easy Colorseal Weekly Conditioning Gloss -- if you use an at-home hair dye you know the lament. WHY is the intense conditioning treatment that comes in the box in such a tiny tube? You need more? Get this stuff. It's a specially designed weekly conditioning treatment meant to keep your hair color healthy, shiny, gorgeous for 6 weeks afterwards.

3. Pantene Pro-V Color Revival -- empowered with amino proteins, this vitamin enriched conditioner promises to protect and strengthen your hair if you need a day-to-day shampoo and conditioner. Plus it smells d'gorgeous! The complete Color Revival line will restore the shine and luster to your chemically treated tresses.

4. Ken Paves Boost Up Color Drops -- You might recognize him as the main who keeps Jessica Simpson looking like Barbie, so you know Ken Paves knows the secrets of shiny locks. His Boost Up Color Drops are full of humectants and conditioning agents to replenish lost protein and give your hair the UV protection it'll so desperately need.

5. Repelle Hair Color Stain Shield -- because let's face it, your options are either a. go back to the salon or drugstore for a fresh color fix or b. let your color grow out over time. If you go with option a., you need this stuff. It protects your skin from hair color stains, redness and irritation. So if you have a sloppy hairdresser or are a sloppy at-home hairdresser yourself, no more excuses for red-stained ears!

Tell me about your hair color! Do you DIY or leave it to the professionals? What are your favorite products?