Inner Beauty of the Virgin

High upon her pedestal, the Virgo woman surveys the mere mortals below who wish to make her their own. Her inner light draws others to her, but there’s something untouchable about her that can be intimidating. She’s her own woman, virginal and incorruptible – at least psychologically. She strives for excellence, in herself and others – and she can be impatient with fools. After all, they should know better… shouldn’t they?

But this mask of perfection can hide a sensuality that’s as deep and tumultuous as the sea. Virgo celebrities Beyoncé Knowles, Salma Hayek and Claudia Schiffer have this enticing mix of luminescence and earthiness that makes Virgo women irresistible. Their astrological charts reveal it all.

Beyoncé Knowles (September 4, 1981)
“I like to dress sexy, and I carry myself like a lady,” states recording artist Beyoncé, demonstrating perfectly the two sides of the Virgo woman. But the primary sign in Beyoncé’s chart is beauty-loving Libra. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Libra, along with Mars in Leo, have empowered her creativity from an early age. She competed in singing and dancing contests as a child, and gained stardom as the lead singer of the girl band Destiny’s Child in the late 1990s. But she didn’t stop there. Now a solo recording artist, this talented Virgo is also an actress (most notably in Dreamgirls), record producer, choreographer, video director and clothing designer.

On the inside, Beyoncé is charming, refined and smart. Relationships and sharing are very important to her. After much public speculation about their relationship, Beyoncé and rapper Jay-Z were married in April 2008. They’re a very private couple, which isn’t surprising considering that Beyoncé has Moon in secretive Scorpio. This influence makes her passionate, intense and deeply sensitive.

She has admitted to suffering from years of depression during a tumultuous time in her early 20s. Still, the Scorpio influence gives her tremendous inner strength. Combined with Sun in Virgo, the sign of service, she has the power to transform the lives of others. She is involved in numerous philanthropic causes – including being the co-founder of Survivor Foundation, which provided transitional housing for victims of 2005′ Hurricane Katrina. True to her nature, this artist shares her gifts with the world.

Salma Hayek (September 2, 1966)
Born in Mexico, this voluptuous Virgo is not only an actress and producer, but also an influential spokesperson for the rights of women and immigrants. She has donated money to battered women’s shelters and anti-violence groups, and has worked to improve the health of women in developing countries. With Jupiter in Cancer, the sign of motherhood, Hayek is attuned to the needs of women. And with Saturn in Pisces, part of her karma is tied up in helping those who are less fortunate than she.

A powerhouse in her outer life, Hayek has just as much fire on the inside. Her Moon in Aries indicates an emotional nature that’s headstrong and outspoken. Venus and Mars in Leo give her plenty of passion and creative drive. She’s loyal, warmhearted and romantic – and she needs a strong man she can love and respect, and vice versa. On Valentine’s Day 2009, after a tumultuous courtship, Hayek married FranÁois-Henri Pinault, a businessman and the son of French billionaire FranÁois Pinault. She and her husband have a Virgo daughter, born on September 21, 2007. Perhaps she’ll follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a force for good in the world.

Claudia Schiffer (August 25, 1970)
With her uncanny resemblance to Brigitte Bardot, Schiffer rose to supermodel status in the 1990s, appearing on more than 500 magazine covers. Born in Germany to a wealthy family, she has her Sun in Virgo, and her Moon in Gemini. Both signs are ruled by brainy Mercury, heightening Schiffer’s adaptability and brainpower. The tall beauty had wanted to study law, and had the intention of working at her father’s law firm. But at the age of 17 she was spotted at a nightclub by the head of a modeling agency, and her career took off in another direction.

Like Beyoncé and Hayek, Schiffer has Mars in Leo, giving her a talent for drama and style. She has worked on numerous films, and has appeared as herself many times. She shares Beyoncé’s Venus in Libra, indicating an artistic nature that values equality, beauty and relating to others. After a five-year romance with magician David Copperfield (another Virgo), she married film producer Matthew Vaughn in 2002. The couple has a son and a daughter.

The classic ideal of a woman who is “the perfect lady in the boardroom – but a courtesan in the bedroom” (with the one she loves) – surely describes the Virgo woman. She is the delight of those lucky enough to share her body, mind and heart.