Ok...so, my previous experiences with doing it myself haircolor were when my friend bought lightest golden blond, and put it on, and I was a bright yelow color...and when I decided to give myself highlights by painting a light colored demipermanent on with one of those big brushes that come with mixing, and I applied heaviest at the roots...which basically gave me huge orange roots...

So, after spending $200 for foils, and not always able to pay that every 6 weeks which is why I currently have the roots that I do:)...I need to start learning how to do this myself...

Ok...this is about what my hair looks like now...the top 3 inches or so are my actual hair color, which is pretty light anyways...and the rest is foiled...

Ok, so I really like how Jennifer Anistons hair looks in "Rumor Has It"...

though I know that her color is darker and more red than mine naturally...and the color of hers costs a fortune...and dont need it exact...but anyways...what I was thinking (based on what I've read on here - wow Rebekah, you know so much about this stuff!!)...

I could do an all-over color in dark ash blond using a 10 volume peroxide - which I think should only be about 1 step from my natural color (do any of you know where to find a good chart for natural color??)...

now, this is where I get confused...I know that my hair is fairly light, and very ashy...so can I just use that color which is also ashy, or do I have to worry about it going green...when I first got it done at the salon, they would make it WAY too brassy, and I used this purple stuff from sallys to try to get rid of the brassiness...

Then after the color...I'd want to do just a few foil type highlights...again, based on what Rebekah said, I was thinking of using the LOreal Excellence CremeHighlights...

around the face and hairline...

Do you think that this is a plan that I cant mess up too much...the only other time I've done all over color was that lightest golden blond, so I'm scared, cause that really didn't go well...

Do I need toner...what is that even?

And, I got one more question...but I'll ask it later, thanks:)

I wish I could tell you how to get that perfect colour of Jennifer Aniston's ...because I agree~ It is absolutely gorgeous.  I think it will look very pretty on you with your colouring as well.

Someone on here should be able to help you though!  Good luck~ make sure you post pics~ I'm sure it will look terrific!

Here's an idea of how to do Jen's hair color. 

http://www.robertcraig.com/celebsOLD.html - http://www.robertcraig.com/celebsOLD.html

What you are talking about doing is called tone-one-tone, it's what I currently do with my warm level 6.5 hair.  I use Clairol Moongold, level 7, green base, and highlight with creme lights to light golden blonde using a cap.  I REALLY LOVE Jen's hair! 

Here's what I would try to get her color.  An ash Dark Blonde, use Clairol in Moonhaze with 20 vol. peroxide, process for 45 min.  (also strand test moonhaze, it's a bit warmer, lighter) If that makes you too ashy, get a neutral level 6 and mix with moonhaze or moongold half and half.  Get a streaking cap, and use the Excellence Creme Lights, but buy it at Sally's.  http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/1462/500350 - http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/1462/500350   It seems to take a lot longer to bleach highlights to gold with the OTC product for me. 

http://www.robertcraig.com/ultrablond.html - http://www.robertcraig.com/ultrablond.html

http://www.robertcraig.com/bleach.html - http://www.robertcraig.com/bleach.html

Scroll down to Cap Frosting and Highlights Instructions.  Highlight hair to gold, light gold , somewhere in between orange and yellow.  But listen, strand test prior to doing all the highlights and write down how long it takes to get to the color you want.  You may want to bleach until you can match the older highlights in your hair. 

Another idea, if you want, just skip the dark blonde all over color and do a few highlights with Creme Lights where you want them with foils. 

Good luck and strand test. 

Thanks so much Rebekah

I'm a teacher also, but not with this stuff...I'm definitely a student...I registered for the clariol thing here,

http://www.thecreativestudio.com/main.jsp?nav=studio - http://www.thecreativestudio.com/main.jsp?nav=studio

and have been pouring over it all day!!

Of course, being a teacher means that I have tomorrow off, and Tuesday is a storm day that we have off as well...and since I was very good and finished up my second quarter grades on Friday, I can play:)

Ok...that sounds like a plan...

I think that I'm a level 5...based on Clariol...with a blue undertone (it is definitely not warm)...

I think I'm going to get what you suggested, the 20 vol. peroxide, with the Miss Clariol Moonhaze (level 7, right?) and Lightest Neutral Brown (just in case - level 6 - neutral)...I'm going to test both separately and test them combined and see which one I like better...

Why would that be a green base even with ashy color...the color charts arent explained very well at the clariol board...I only understand how to neutralize...anyways...

Then, whatever I like, I'm either going to do one of three things...

1. All over color with the one I like best OR

2. Just color the top part of my hair (like in a half ponytail), so that the bottom remains my "virgin color"

3. "paint" on large foils of the color (if its pretty close to my own color, it would be like big highlights - though this would be easier to mess up, yikes!)

Then, I'll do the highlights with the Cremelights in a cap...OK, thank you thank you I think this actually could work:)

Can I ask two more questions...

I've also been playing around on the extensions board (in the pic, I got the extensions in, normally it is very thin)...anyways, the extensions that I have are colored a chesnut brown, which is much much warmer than my blue"cool" tone ashy color...so, I was going to try to dye them as well...I'm thinking a demi or semi permanent since I need to reinstall every 6 weeks or so anyways (can dye them when I redo my own dye:))...but to get it an ashier color...I'm assuming that I need a green or a blue color to make it ashier??  Since its already about a 5 now, I think I could get away with

Second, I'm getting undyed Indian hair extensions also, and would need to dye them...I'm assuming that they are a 1 or 2...so they would need to be lightened first...and then colored? 

And, you can bleach twice safely...but no more than that...ok, so...

My idea for that would be to lighten to a 5 or a 6 with Instant Whip (Liquid Lightener by Clariol)...seems to be gentle-ish (as gentle as could be expected for that much lightening)...so, at that point, its probably going to be a pretty nasty red-orange in color...and from there, I would do what I did to my own hair with the Moonhaze and Lightest Neutral Brown...

Does that sound possible...

Sorry to ask so many questions...you all on here are a wealth of knowledge, thanks again

If you are certain that you are a level 5, and the only real way to tell is to go to Sally Beauty and ask one of the girls there to match your roots--outside please, in sunlight--to the swatches there.  Ask them if your hair is warm or cool.  Those swatches posted on the site aren't accurate.  But it sounds like you are very ashy.  

If you are sure your hair is an ashy color, and you want a little warmth, then go with a level 6 neutral with 20 vol. for your base. 

Since you already have some highights please be careful about coloring over those, since they may become discolored.

Remember, don't overlap your bleach if you decide to use a cap and bleach in more highlights--hair gets damaged to the breaking point this way--only highlight the parts not already bleached.

I'm sorry, I must admit, I am clueless about dyeing extentions.    However, I do hear that it is a real JOB. 

Can I also say that I really do like color you have now! 

Good luck and I hope this helps!  PLEASE remember to STRAND TEST prior to doing anything.   

OH!  and I TOTALLY AGREE with what Alayney said! And you could just get highlights once every three months or so.  Your current highlights look great!  

Thanks:)

Ok...so, I went to Sally's and went a bit crazy (which was still less than half of what I would have spent at the salon:))

First, I figured out what my color was - it really looks a lot darker in the picture, but I'm actually a 7!!! So, I was going to get moonhaze, but they were out...so I got moongold and lightest neutral brown as you suggested...when I held the strands up to my head, I'm very close to the moongold...

I got the Cremelights as you suggested...

I also got this really expensive highlighting cap...I wanted it to be the best possible one, and reuseable, because I've had some experiences of leaking with the cheap caps...this is the one I got (would recommend, it worked perfectly, holes were all already cut and so easy to get the **right** amount of hair out):

http://cameobeauty.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=Cameo&Product_Code=420&Category_Code=Bibs+%26+Caps - http://cameobeauty.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD& ; ;Store_Code=Cameo&Product_Code=420&Category_Code=Bib s+%26+Caps

I got some combs, clips, shampoo, conditioner, mixing boxls, highlighter prodding tools (don't know the real name), bowls and brushes, and the 20. vol developer...

So, I did the strand tests (I did them all at the same time)...

first one was just moongold --> 45 minutes and I swear, it looks almost exactly like my regular hair color...

second was 1/2 moongold and 1/2 lightest neutral brown --> 45 minutes, and it was darker than my color...

third was the highlighter --> tried at 15 minutes, just red...then at 35 minutes, and was a very nice gold color...

Based on that, I decided to do just the highlights (as you had suggested:))...

poked them through, lots in the front, and then fewer and fewer as I went back...the hat had tons of hols, would poke through three hairs or 20...not trying to make them all the same size (my arm got tired:))...left it on for 40 minutes, till yellow...came out really well...the only thing that I should have done was to put it on the new growth more than the older growth (it got a bit too light in a few spots - but only on a few hairs)...but still, the highlights look just as good as if I'd had it done at the salon (they used foils) for $200...

So, I'm thrilled

I also tried to play with the extensions that I have now...auburn didnt do anything...but the blond I had did go a pretty good dark ash blond (very close to my own)...one question...there is a bit of an almost grey/purple to it (still brown now, but I can see the hue)...is there a toner of some kind that I could use to seal in the browner ash color (so it wouldnt go grey with 4 weeks of wear)...

THANKS AGAIN!!  I would have been too scared to have done it without you, and I think I can really do this!!