It always looks darkest just before it gets totally black.

Remember the words of Chairman Mao: 'It's always darkest before it's totally black.'.

Things are always darkest just before they go pitch black.

Remember the words of Chairman Mao: 'It's always darkest before it's totally black.'.

The more sand that gets tracked in, the more authentic it looks.

Newman's second law: Just when things look darkest, they go black.