The smoky eye is a classic makeup look—it will never go out of style and if done correctly, can look good on most people. You can go light, slightly heavy, use black, brown, green, purple—almost any color for your smoky eye.

But what I cannot stand behind…

…is black shadow completely overpowering your entire eye and under eye area. I’ve sat idly by as Gossip Girl star and rocker Taylor Momsen walked around with these larger than life smoky eye looks. I get it, she’s in a band, but even this is excessive.

I wonder how many containers of MAC Carbon Eyeshadow perished creating her looks?

To avoid a similar fate, follow these tips:
* Darker eyeshadow shades should go no further up on the eye than the crease. A lighter color should go in the brow bone area to create dimension to the eye.
* Eyeshadow and liner under the eyes should be go no further than just beyond the bottom waterline. You run the risk of making it look like you have dark circles and if you already have them, you can make them more pronounced.
* Vary your look from time to time. I think what makes Taylor’s look even more excessive is that she wears this look for almost every single appearance. It’s ok to go soft on the eyes every now and then.