Your Perfect Manicure, According To Astrology

No coincidence that the bleakest stretch of the year is the first months of the calendar, give or take.The hopeful netherworld between the deflated winter holidays and distant-seeming spring fever is the perfect space for incubating ideas and experimenting with new looks. After all, a whole lotta future planning is done now, whether with New Year’s resolutions, astrological forecasts, or in brainstorming ways to reinvigorate your sense of style once the layers eventually come off. All 12 signs of the zodiac have something different to look forward to in 2016. Guided by the ruling themes of your element—Earth, Air, Fire, or Water—we created four distinct manicures for each, along with what’s to come in 2016. Click on, and wear your cosmic connection on your sleeve, er, nails.   

Photography and creative direction by Tory Rust; styled by Marley Cohen; nail art by Gracie J, The Editorial Nail; Modeled by Sharon Piccininni; illustrated by Tyler Spangler; jewelry by Susan Alexandra and Kara Ross.

What do most people think of when a Fire sign comes to mind? Unpredictable and destructive. Still, the Fire element is as transformative and constructive as it is caustic, and those born under Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius are in for a year of expansive growth—especially for those whose egos mopped the floor of 2015. Financially, 2016 is your comeback year. Any losses you took last year will all seem to be repaid now, either with a high-paying gig, a sizable settlement ending a major legal dispute, or the sale of property. Many Fire signs have an entrepreneurial streak, and 2016 couldn’t be better poised for the launch of a new business or product. You’re on fire, but don’t let your money burn a hole in your handbag.

The flighty intellectuals of the zodiac are a hard audience to keep, unless there’s something cerebral to stretch the mind. In 2016, Air signs Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra will take a year-long breather from the mental gymnastics their finances and professional standing had them doing through 2015. Now the focus will turn inward to the more calm, though slightly less exciting, domestic realm. If you’ve been considering moving someplace more permanent, buying a home, or investing in a serious spacial upgrade, 2016 is the year you’ll follow through. Feather your nests now—it could turn out to be essential prep work for growing your family in 2017.

Earth signs are simple creatures, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t complicated. This year, those celestial beings with their roots firmly planted in the element of Earth—Capricorns, Taureans, and Virgos—can expect to have their hearts set on establishing meaningful relationships. That could be through a business partnership that can guarantee a consistently juicy paycheck, a new roommate who just oozes stability, or finding yourself in near-perfect conditions for finding true love. In 2016, establishing sturdy foundations to build long-term partnerships rules the day.

The true mermaids of the zodiac, indeed those ruled by the Water element have no fear of diving to great depths and an aversion to anyone who dwells in shallow places. The most emotionally sensitive signs—Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio—are also the most intuitive, psychic-leaning ones, literally feeling their way out of dark places. Despite their uncanny knack for becoming emotionally fluid through their rich sense of empathy, Water signs can expect to be firmly grounded in 2016. You’re on a roll checking off those accomplishments that make you feel safe and secure (relationship: check, career on a steady incline: check, comfy domestic setup: check), and now you’re stepping back and letting the gears work. Your only task now is to manage everything: Are you happy? If yes, why? If no, why not? This year, stay behind the scenes and establish your most honest core values, and keep chasing your ideal.