color and highlights...help!?

Hey I have brown, level 2 or 3 color hair and I want to highlight to maybe a gold or caramel color.  The thing is...I've NEVER done this before and I'm extremely lost in all this color business.  I want to do this before school starts on August 14th but I don't want to be another horror story...  So if anyone has any tips or any suggestions on products I would really appreciate it. 

Oh and some helpful information is that I'm african american and I have curly hair.  My skin is kinda like brown sugar and I'm planning to put my hair in twists after I color it.  Do you all think that will look good or is it a mistake???  Don't hesitate to write back!

Andi. 

if school starts that soon and you really dont know what you're doing, i'd bring a picture to a salon and show them what you want, like go for a consultation so they know exactly what you want and then get it done there...it's really the only way to avoid a big hair color mishap. i'm really just saying this because i personally don't know anyone who has colored their own hair successfully who was new to it.