Trying to fix my hair... maybe you can help??

I dyed my hair a reddish brown and didn't like it much, but left it alone forever. Now I have like 3 inches of roots. Yeah, I know, ew...

I want to dye it as close as I can get to my natural color (a light ash brown/dark ash blonde), but will the roots affect the dye job? I want to use an at-home brand (Garnier, Revlon...) but will I have a 3" ring of lighter, less red hair where my roots are and darker, more red hair where the old dye is? Or will it, being a permanent level 3 dye, cover all my hair more evenly than that?

If it makes a difference, I was thinking about using Revlon Color Silk in Light Ash Brown 50.

If it's going to leave a ring, should I streak lots highlights through all my hair first so its more even when I put the light brown dye on?

Please please help!! I really need an answer soon as I have to go to a wedding this weekend  and I don't have enough $ to pay a stylist to do it.

I suggest dying your roots as close to the color of the rest of your hair before applying your desired color. If you put A color over it now , especially a lighter color it will come out uneven. Hope this helps. Good luck!

If you are going to a wedding and don't have the money to pay a stylist, maybe to be on the safe side wear a cute hat or pin your hair up with cute clips, bows or something maybe? I know that may sound dorky but color correction can be very tricky, trust me, I know. I have done it myself (and you can go down an even more distraught route and end up with worse color and damage than you started out with) and I have gone to professionals to have color correction and sometimes it takes even them more than one try

I'm probably too late... but I'm going to throw my 2 cents in.

My biggest worry is the intensity of the red. (which I'd assume has probably faded a lot). I know you said you wanted to do at home box dye, but if there is a sally's near you, it can be just as easy to use professional dye. (I would NOT suggest box dye for this job. It will likely make a biggest mess)

If you want to get it done at home, this is what I would do. I would buy a non-lifting color remover from a beauty supply store. This can take out SOME of the intensity from your length without affecting your virgin hair. Also, it will prepare it for the dye. This will affect the quality of your hair a bit, so I'd wait a day or two before doing the next part. (see above for tricks on hiding because usually hair looks terrible right here)

If you want to go ahead immediately wash and condition it very well. Then, use a protein filler (can be bought at Sally's) This will help the hair take more evenly. I'd then put a shade of Ash light-brown (I would pick the darkest you're willing to go because it will cover up the red better) You might need a toner, which I'd just throw on the ends.

My experience with this has been somewhat mixed. When I did my friend's hair it turned out perfectly. When I did my hair I damaged my hair to the point where it won't take dye anymore. I skipped the waiting, conditioning, and protein filler on my hair. (which I utilized on my friend's hair) I would -not- skip those steps if at all avoidable.