Please help me understand hair colour!

[petitchoupette]

I've never done this before, am 41, and my natural hair is a sort of ash blonde colour like this

img.loveitsomuch.com/uploads/201308/08/ch/cheap%20new%20fashion%20lace%20front%20long%20straight%20light%20ash%20blonde%20100%20human%20hair%20wig%20online-f00272.jpg

It has got a bit darker as I have grown older, so to perk it up i have decided to finally colour it, lighter, as in paler, cooler tones as opposed to yellow, brassy ones.

For example, I like this colour style:

2.bp.blogspot.com/-b6kvX_Nj4Kc/Ul614gK-lKI/AAAAAAAABe4/KwDYlUazgKQ/s1600/blog3.jpg

As opposed to this:

s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/01/09/6e/01096e14048f0c8ead056eebfdc580d9.jpg

Does my post even make sense?

When I asked at salons, I was advised to have highlights instead of a full colour job as the dramatic upkeep and new roots would drive me bonkers (possibly true), but have just googled blonde highlights and the pictures don't appeal to me at all - they all look really streaky and too much contrast between light and dark.

Can anyone advise me? Would the highlights look more natural than that given that i am already 'blonde'? I am really concerned about looking like jennifer aniston in friends era (or her any-era, lets be honest), I really don't want such different contrasts in my hair.

Also, I have a choice in my town of using Toni & Guy, Regis or Norman and Philip. Heard of any of the other 2? Any advice there will help too!

Thanks:)

[stonelog]

Ask for tinting rather than bleach...I'm looking into this too!

[petitchoupette]

ok, embarrassment aside, this is my own hair (a pic of myself), it is a bit brighter due to sitting in sun in window, but it might help you get the picture a bit more

iconosquare.com/viewer.php#/detail/983243394535289028_26045411

[MuttonCadet]

You need extremely fine highlights, that's what I have, and it doesn't look streaky.

[Jackie0]

I'm not sure you can go lighter without bleach.

[petitchoupette]

i think that they mean the highlights wold be less dramatic for upkeep because they'd be graduated as opposed to a solid block of colour which would emphasize the root more when regrowth comes. Still, I am clueless here! I think it's all still peroxide though, isnt it?

[petitchoupette]

Does anyone know whether I ought to go with Toni&Guy?