Your February horoscope is here, and it’s all about the romance

January, January, January. What an exceptionally long year this past month has been. Tedious for everyone involved and unrelenting in all regards. Between Oprah finally getting her third hand, Kim's surrogate giving birth and all of the memes about Trump's SOTU Address — if we can call it an address — we've hardly had a moment to look up from our phones. But we made it to Feb 1 and we'll never have to relive January 2018 again.

As if we aren't getting enough of a fresh start with the new month and all, by the middle of Feb, a solar eclipse will signal even more new beginnings so there'll be plenty of time to create and then recreate yourself in the coming weeks.

Here's what the stars have in store for you, featuring illustrations by Lucy Turnbull for babe:

Aries

Last month, you were bogged down trying to take care of finances, work and all that boring adult shit but it's finally time for you to secure the bag ? ? ?. Venus is in Aquarius during the first portion of the month which means you'll be in the mood for ~romancing ?. I'll say it again: If you're planning on scheduling any dates in February, do it in the first week or so. You'll be feeling your most flirty and confident which means your skin will look amazing, plus you'll have the energy to go out.

By the middle of the month you'll be feelingly slight more reclusive, but not because you're anti-social, just because you're confident and comfortable with how a certain something is panning out, and won't feel the need to go out and prove your happiness. This would be a good time for you to focus on self care. Stock up on sheet masks, visit your parents or cook dinner at home. By the time March rolls around, January will feel lightyears away, and you'll have a newfound sense of self-worth. I suggest booking a few cocktail dates ?, buying a new outfit because you deserve it ? and finding a new signature scent ?. Doesn't if feel good doing things for yourself for a change?

Taurus

From now until February 18, you need to sprint full force ahead. I know it sounds tiring, but with Aquarius in your 10th house, you're practically capable of the impossible. If there's something you want or something you feel has been taken from you, this might be your only shot to get it.

On February 18, the sun will move into Pisces leaving you more sociable and eager to go out ?. This would be a good time for you to get close to a crush. A late Valentine's Day date, perhaps ❤️? Mid-February, there'll also be a second eclipse allowing you to clear the slate on the past few weeks and look forward with a new sense of clarity and purpose. You'll feel the weight of the past few weeks slide off of you, and you'll be glad you pushed through them the way you did. You've never been great at work-life balance and January was no exception, but this will be a good month for you to turn that around. Say yes to plans, but only when you're feeling healthy and energetic. Otherwise, carve out a bit more time to sleep. I suggest lavender candles ? , a few long hot showers ? and a whole lot of water ?. Your body needs you right now.

Gemini

You asked for intrigue, and you got it! Between now and February 10th, you're aaaaall anybody can talk about because you're so damn hard to pin down ? . There's an air of mystery around you and it has more than one person interested. Come Feb 18th, there will be a shift in your pull and it will move from your personal life to your professional life. People will want to work with you, ideas will be flowing more naturally than ever before and you'll feel caffeinated to the gods even when you aren't. We call this time GET ? SHIT ? DONE ? .

An eclipse on February 15th means new beginnings, and all that Shit You Got Done means you'll have the money to enjoy yourself. Go out for brunch with your friends, splurge on a pair of shoes you wouldn't usually buy or get yourself some gels ?. You're going to be feeling powerful so you'll want to look the part, too. Have you ever felt better than when you're wearing matching underwear? This is a good time for you to begin doing things you want to do regularly, like going to the gym, eating better or cutting out alcohol. Things won't be able to tempt you as easily, and neither will people ?. We'll call it the Feb fuckboy cleanse.

Cancer

This month is about putting systems in place for yourself and then forcing yourself to keep to them ? . You have this problem with saying you're going to do things something . . . and then not doing it. Don't worry, it's not just you, but you are particularly bad about it. From now until the eclipse on the 15th decide what it is you think you can benefit from, and then make realistic plans for yourself ?. Nothing is going to change drastically, but the little things will add up ✅.

On the 15th, you can leave behind some old wounds you've been carrying once and for all. As one of the most emotional signs, you hold on to everything, but that can be really toxic. It's not your job to carry other people's issues with you just because you both cared about each other at one point in time. Throw out some old clothes or belongings while you're at it, because there's something about reminders — even small ones — that are triggering AF to you. It's not your fault you're such a sensitive blob ? ? ?. This month I suggest making harsh plans, telling everyone you know about them, and then forcing them to force you to stick to them. We both know you can't do it alone ? .

Leo

Ah, just in time for Valentine's Day ?! This month is all about romantic connections for you. It's not necessarily that you're going to lose yourself in a relationship, but you'll learn from it at least. The thing about love is when it's real, it actually has everything to do with giving and nothing to do with taking ?. It's tiring caring about other people all the time, but you walk away from it feeling whole. Come February 18th, you are going to be able to use this new, positive feeling to catalyze change in almost every aspect of your life. You'll practically be glowing ?!

Anything you want to get done (or need to get done) should be taken care of now. You'll be luckier than usual so even if you're not necessarily right, you'll win arguments anyway. By the end of Feb, the deeper connections you began making in the beginning of the month will start taking root, and you'll no longer feel like you ned to work so hard for them. You'll be able to breathe and enjoy the good side of falling for someone, the bit where you enjoy being in one another's company without getting tired of it ?‍❤️‍?.. Just because you can find yourself in someone else does't mean there's anything missing from you. This month I suggest buying yourself more flowers ?, trying out a juice cleanse ? and ordering a new vibrator — whether it's for just you or both of you.

Virgo

The end of January was nothing short of a rollercoaster so sit down, drink some water and make sure you're eating enough ?. We don't want you to pass out! Seriously you probably feel like you're spiraling out of control right now, but everything is going to stop spinning soon. Relax ? . There are good things ahead, and you won't experience anything like your last few weeks for a while now.

With the Sun in your sixth house until the 18th, this is a good time for you to work on grounding yourself ?. I don't mean grounding in the boring, do-a-bunch-of-work-and-don't-go-out way, I mean it in the treat-yourself way. When was the last time you took a hot bath or gave yourself a guilt-free night off? Fuck it, take a sick day just because you feel like it! I promise the world will keep turning. OK, onto important things. Venus is in your relationship house from the 10th onward which means you'll have basically an entire month of good luck with your crush ? ? ?. Just make sure to be clear about what you want. You seem to always think people can read your mind. This month, I suggest peppermint lotion, a few new rings, and some fresh face serums. This is a time for freshening up ?.

Libra

Yesterday's eclipse absolutely kicked the wind out of you and you're probably still feeling kind of weird. Don't rush yourself. It might take a few days before you feel completely comfortable coming out of your shell again, but that's normal. As someone who never allows time for yourself to heal, a few days probably sounds like a few months. But lie down, close your eyes and breathe ?. None of the things you're stressing about actually matter in the grand scheme of things. Actually, even on a smaller scale they're really not that major.

An eclipse on the 15th will have you back at the center of the universe, so you'll need the next week or so to save up energy anyway ⭐ ⭐ ⭐. If you're going to plan a Valentine's date, I suggest doing so the weekend following the actual day because by then you'll be buzzing about going out ❤️. The end of the month is all about spoiling yourself even when it seems ridiculous. Everyone else is doing it, so why the hell shouldn't you? I suggest going to a movie alone ?, spending on some new brow products and treating yourself to some dark chocolate or red wine ?. You'll be in the mood for bitter this month, with everything else sweet going on ?.

Scorpio

This month is about getting rid of things you don't need so you can make space for what's new. Whether that's a new job, a new apartment, some new friends or a new crush ?, your calendar is going to be packed up, down and side-to-side. Just remember to make some time for yourself. Even if that means going to sleep ? earlier on week days or going for a walk now and then to clear your head, do not underestimate the power of solitude this month. Come the 15th you're going to feel like you've smacked straight into a wall without even realizing you'd been running.

Things will slow down and personal and romantic issues will find themselves at the forefront. At this point you may be feeling more sensitive than the chatty self you'd been leading up to then, so make sure to be clear with your friends or partner about how you're feeling. Take it easy on V Day this year and don't stretch yourself to go out just because everybody else is. You'll be feeling way better by the weekend, actually wanting to go out and be chatty with people ?. By the end of the month you'll feel more secure in matters of the heart and won't need a day to prove it to anybody. This month, I suggest buying a bunch of fashion magazines to flip through, spending on some new bralettes ? and trying out a few new restaurants ?.

Sagittarius

Unlike everyone else, yesterday's eclipse was actually great for you ?. It found you exploring new ideas, thinking on your feet and excited to take on the coming month. What's better? All of that energy is going to move forward with you in the next few weeks. This is a time for making big plans that you'll actually end up following through. Just don't go after more than you're sure you'll be able to handle when the energy dies down little archer — you know yourself better than anyone. As far as V Day is concerned, you can just about forget it. Instead, focus evenly on romance over the course of the month and your relationships will end up taking care of themselves. On the 15th there will be an eclipse that'll leave you feeling more open and sensitive than before ?.

You'll want to talk through big philosophical ideas with someone, or tell them all about your childhood. Just make sure you trust them first. The more someone knows about you, the easier it is for them to use that information against you. Not everybody is as forthcoming as you are, and the way you open up to them in these coming weeks may shock them. Give people time to get used to absorbing your energy. They'll end up coming to you. This month I suggest rising early on weekends ☀️, taking advantage of the light and scheduling some time alone.

Capricorn

Money, money, money ? ? ?. The next few weeks are all about cash for you and if you play your cards right, they could be quite lucrative. Even if you're not making more, you've definitely gotten better with saving. Now you can use that money on something better than a gin and tonic, like a flight to another country ✈️ where you can drink a gin and tonic. All you have to do is refrain from gambling or going out majorly until the 18th. Come Feb 18, your chatty side will take over and lead you to conversations about your relationships ❤️.

You may have a hard time focusing, but the ideas will be flowing just as fast as the words. Take advantage of this by going on dates, messaging your crush or finding out from a friend how they feel about you. Never one for spontaneity, this might be the last time in a while you're feeling that spontaneous. Take advantage of it, bit the bullet, and make the first move. Asking for what you want is key right now. Just don't make any final decisions when you finally get it. You'll want to sit on it for a while. This month I suggest some good music and whiskey — you'll need a little liquid courage.

Aquarius

February is all about . . . YOU. January had you dealing with a lot of issues surrounding other people, so now it's time to carve out a few weeks to care for yourself. Nobody else is going to do it for you, even though you're the type of person who would do it for them. Book a weekend away from it all ✈️. I cannot stress this enough. You've been running on no sleep, no food and whole lot of caffeine energy ☕️ and if you don't hit the breaks now, you're going to crash.

The eclipse at the end of January may have shaken up some of your partnerships as well, but none of it is permanent. The best thing you can do for yourself now is spend some time breaking down what it is you've been doing for you, and what is is you've been doing for other people. You can't make every single person happy, especially while trying to care for yourself at the same time. By February 15th, there will be a second eclipse acting as a fresh start for you ?. You'll have a few weeks of R & R behind you, and you'll be eager to go out to bars and spend time with the people you love. Respond "Attending" to events on Facebook after this point, but don't stress about anything before the 15th. You don't owe your presence to anyone. This month I suggest getting away, going to dinner with some old friends and reflecting on why you're where you are in the first place. There is so much good karma around you.

Pisces

Repeat after me: This month you will not allow your anxieties to control you. It's hard, I know, but you let them get the better of you in January and you're feeling physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted from it all ?. I'm surprised you're still able to stand upright. There is so much to do this month, and with responsibilities, naturally, so come anxieties. But you had a lot to do last month and you will have a lot to do in the months ahead, and you cannot allow yourself to accept that it will always be this hard. Organize yourself, tell someone else able your plans so you have to promise to keep to them and work on taking to strangers more often. It sounds crazy, but it's good practice for becoming more comfortable in your own skin.

I know it feels like everyone is always staring ? at you, but I promise it's not because they're judging. They're simply intrigued. As one of the most psychic signs, you're just more sensitive about it all. You have so much to teach other people and with a packed schedule it'll prove hard, but find the time. Go out on a date, tell someone else about yourself and then leave and never look back if you want to. Get used to telling others your story, because there are a lot of people who want to hear it. By the end of the month you'll be feeling for confident in yourself and you relationship than you ever thought you could ❤️.

@carolinephinney