Hair - what colour next?

I've started thinking about my hair a fair bit lately. Well, today.
As much as I love the pink, I'm getting bored. For those that have known me over the last few years will know that I am a bit of a chameleon when it comes to my hair. I have gone from black, to pillar box red, to platinum blonde, to purple, to burgundy, to pink. And now, as my big life changes beckon ever closer, I find myself feeling like a change.

And shock horror - I want a NORMAL hair colour (I saw you faint back there Mum!).

There is a part of me that wants to find a way back to my natural hair colour, although that little devil on my shoulder quickly gets slapped down by the memory of what my natural colour was when I first started messing it - a weird gingery blonde which looks terrible with my odd coloured complexion.

Maybe I will find a way to be at peace with a version of my hair colour, but I think it is going to be a while before that happens. For starters I have shocking pink hair right now. There is no way I am putting any more bleach near my hair, so I have to find a way to get it out in a graceful fashion, and I suspect the only way to do that (without enduring weeks of horrific hair while it gradually fades) will be to go darker. Or spend a weekend in the house with a bottle of fairy liquid and a tub of coconut oil (that sounds a bit kinky... maybe I should try that?).

I may have to embrace light brown with a healthy hint of pink... we shall see.

I'm a bit stumped about what colour to dye it to be honest, and I'd be really grateful for any help in choosing!

Do I go dark and splendidly gothic, enabling the use once again of my beloved dark colour lipsticks which currently match the colour of my hair, making wearing them a little, um, weird, or do I go for a slightly darker version of what I think my natural hair looks like, so I can still wear those lovely gothy lipsticks but in a slightly more edgy fashion?

To help you choose (and I am one of those annoying people who can probably pull off any hair colour thanks to my fantastically awkward skin undertones), I present to you a visual guide of the hair colours I have sported in my adult life....

Red to blonde in one night... fruit salad hair!

Circa April 2009

Aged 19, and no, this is not my natural hair colour!

I actually don't remember when this was, possibly 2009

2008

2006/7

Purple in 2009

Mar 2010

This week!

I actually love the platinum blonde, it was great fun, and looked so cool, but... and its a massive, baby-got-back style but.... it is hell to keep up and I stopped because my hair starting falling out. I admire those who can keep platinum blonde hair without wrecking their own, but unfortunately my natural hair has a tad too much of the ginge to be able to sustain platinum without falling apart.

So amigos... where to now (excuse my best Westcountry parlance there)? I ask as it appears my favourite 'go to' hair dye (Garnier 100% Color shade 426) has been discontinued.

My thoughts so far are:

Garnier Nutrisse in 4.26 Blackcurrant
Schwartzkopf Bitter Sweet Chocolate (I just did my best mate's hair in this yesterday and it is a fab colour)
Some kind of mid brown with a view to going au naturel (this isn't really that much of an option tbh).
Back to black, circa 2006/7, which was Indola Violet Noir (if you think the upkeep of dark roots against light hair is bad, try it in reverse)
Or ginger (The Beard isn't keen, not that I care, seeing as it is my head. Not sure it would jeopardise my relationship too much but, you know, when you're loved one tells you he's not keen, it is probably him being diplomatic to stop him screaming "NO, don't do it, you'll look shit!" at you)

So tell me - I'm at your mercy. Oh, and any recommendations for good shades/brands would be gladly welcomed, because as much as I love my hairdresser (and he's a Master Colourist too), I can't afford him.

<3