Help me choose the right dye

What you have in the two photos you posted is one is slightly more on the orange side and one slightly more on the pink and possibly faded side. Otherwise, the method to get both is the same. I have to say, it's the first time I've seen the colour in the second photo as not being the one too bright and neon! It's about as bright and neon as you can get, BUT it's the colour you want and that's great! It looks like what you actually don't want is a pinkish red.

So, your hair is virgin? Not highlighted or anything? To get the second photo, you'd need to lighten your hair at the roots at least a little bit or it'll always be darker red rather than a true red. The ends will be light enough though. It'd make a nice ombre as it is.

Here's a great thread on pretty much everything else you asked http://www.hairdyeforum.com/index.php/topic,9658.0.html

My hair is virgin, only lightened naturally by the sun, no products (natural or artificial).

Thank you for the link I will definitely read the entire article.  😀

As for the images, it might be that my monitor is just weird and has funny settings... How do the images below look on your computer (the first one is what I would like to achieve, the second is what I would like to avoid)? Basically I don't want anything too neon (think highlighters lol, I'm terrible with words). I do like the super bright hair too, I just don't have the confidence to pull it off, plus I'm looking for a job and I'm not sure they'd be delighted to see such bright hair.  🙁 I guess it wouldn't exactly pull super neon and bright if my hair is darker? Considering that, I should be safe using special effects dyes I mentioned above?

I used to use Nuclear Red mixed with Candy Apple Red, which is quite dark and it still came out quite neon, nuclear is very pigmented and very bright!

My natural colour is also dark blonde/ light brown mix and the colour did show up over it, but it washed out of the virgin hair very quickly (like after 2 washes). Hard to say if that would be the same experience for you as everybody's hair is different in terms of how porous it is, but it could be something to take into consideration.

Thank you for sharing your experience, very appreciated. How is blood red, pink based or orange based? Perhaps it would help it tone down nuclear red a bit because it is darker?

I never used Blood Red I'm afraid, this was the mix of about half and half Nuclear Red and Candy Apple Red (which is a very deep, pink based red) I'm the one in the blue top by the way!

Thanks for replying. That red is gorgeous it looks great on you!  😀

Thank you! I do really miss it but unfortunately the job I'm about to start don't allow it! Hope you find the right shade for you 🙂