Reportedly, every woman’s idea of getting away with a few extra pounds in such a way that not even her best frenemy can tell is either by wearing loose clothes or by donning black items. Black is a color known and reputed for its slimming possibilities, while also praised for adding a touch of mystery and elegance. Yet, it can also add many years to the face, which is why we should be very careful when choosing black clothes, colorist Jules Standish tells the Daily Mail.

As Standish puts it, not every skin tones go with black, so this means that women who happen not to be among the lucky few can do more damage than good to their appearance by donning clothes in this color. With some (most, actually) skin tones, black can make the face look older, by making wrinkles, dark circles under the eyes and saggy skin become more obvious. The eyes also become more gaunt and tired by wearing black, while the skin acquires a distinctly sickly hue, the colorist says.

“Black clothing can highlight dark lines under the chin, shadows around the eyes and wrinkles on the face, color consultants say. And it can even make those who wear it appear to have dark ‘spokes,’ or fissures, in the iris. While black does give the appearance of a slimmer figure by making the shadows from less visible, wearing it next to the face brings out the worst, explained colorist Jules Standish. Wrinkles and sunken areas appear deeper and more pronounced, meaning the effect is more prominent in older women,” the Mail writes after speaking to the expert.

So, what women gain in terms of hiding the extra pounds, they lose when it comes to the age they look. While this applies mostly to older women (mature ladies, we should say), it can also hold true for younger ones, such is the case of socialite Peaches Geldof, who is only 19 but looks much older for her age when wearing black clothes, which she does on an almost regular basis. As a rule, black goes mostly with a porcelain skin that favors contrasts; for other women, it can also work good but only if accessorized with a spot of color, such as an oversized necklace, scarf or a pair of chandelier earrings in bright colors.

“Black gives the illusion of slimming down the wearer, and designers will have us believe that it’s the color of the season and you must not be seen in anything else. But it can also bring out dark circles under the eyes and lines. The effect can be as serious as making women feel drained, self-conscious and introverted. Warm skins do not cope well with black against their faces as it takes away all the golden glow that they have as a basic skin tone. Black instead looks for dark things on the face such as the shadows, lines and dark circles, and highlights them, particularly as women age,” Standish explains for the Mail.