Try going to sally beauty and buying your color and developer there, *if* you are experienced with hair color and are willing to accept the fact that it may not turn out the way you want . If you are ok with it. I would buy the wella hair color in light ash blonde 10A or 10AA the ash ( blue base) with a 30 vol developer will keep your hair from going to brassy. I have light/ medium brown hair naturally approxomately between a level 4-5 and use the 10AA and get a nice neutral medium blonde . Since my hair is dark it doesn't turn platinum like the color swatch. You might need a 30 or a 20 vol developer with your color . If your hair is turning brassy with other colors I'm assuming store bought it might mean you need a little extra lift in the color to get you where you want to go color wise. I would suggest a stand test. Also snip out a little section of hair from somewhere on your head where its not going to be visible and secure it with tape or a little rubber band and mix a small amount of product and apply it to this hair to see if you like the results, also try a patch test to make sure your not allergic to the color. BTW wella color is a 1:2 mixing ratio so, for hour patch test and or stand test I would mix 1/2 a teaspoon with 1 teaspoon of developer. Hope this helps

Oi, we have the same hair, methinks!

that... faded auburn-y or dark strawberry kinda colour you end up with?
that's the colour my hair is once whatever colour i've used on it wears or washes out.

my natural haircolour is... khaki. a shade of dark blonde that doesn't exist in a bottle, apparently. not unlike the colour of this here shirt:

i don't have much advice to give on making it a lighter blonde - i tend to gravitate towards reds and pinks - but there are some really smarterrific ladies around here who may have good advice!

i just wanted to let you know you're not alone