Well, here's my 2 cents worth . . .

Sounds like you have the same color hair as I do and trust me, they don't make that color. LOL I have a full head of fine, fine hair and it damages easily. When I dye it myself, I use a semi-permanent that washes out in 24 shampoos. It gentler on your hair. I only go to the salon about 1 time a year. That's all I can afford.

I go to Sally's Beauty supply as the dye is much, much cheaper. Also, the staff there is very helpful in picking the right color and product for your hair as well as how much you will need for your hair. Additionally, make sure you get a great conditioner or use a homemade conditioner (I use olive oil once a week for a deep conditioning. It's insanely inexpensive and you only need a little bit..

I use Wella dark blonde. After about a week the highlights start showing up again. I put the color on the roots 1st and let it sit for whatever time they say and then the last 5 minutes or so I put it through the rest of my hair. The ends of the hair absorb hair color quickly. This way, you only get a tint of color on the rest of the hair so it looks more uniform and natural.

I have made the mistake of buying a store brand type and burnt my hair. It turned a real funky color. Never again. I will stick with Wella semi-permanent.

I have a weird gray streak on the side of my head in the crown area. It looks so dumb. My wish for going gray gracefully is not happening. LOL. I can't wait for more gray to come in so I don't have to cover up that streak. I am getting some gray now on the side of my head by the temple. Phew! Finally. It actually looks like blonde highlights from a distance but up close. . .

Good luck and let us know how it goes.