Originally trained as a dancer, Hughes began her career on the London stage, where she originated the role of Victoria, the White Cat, in the original company of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Cats." The following season, she was a featured dancer in the composer's "Song and Dance." Hughes made her screen debut as a dancer in the mish-mash musical, "The Apple" (1980), but her first role of substance came as a defecting Russian ballerina who crosses paths with Joan Collins in "Nutcracker" (1982).
After establishing herself as a daytime TV star on the most popular soap of all time, Hughes shot a feature film cameo as a soap actress who loses an award to Sally Field in the soap opera satire, "Soapdish" (1991). She also appeared on the big screen in "Aspen Extreme" (1993) as a woman toying with the affections of two guys on the slopes.
Always faring better on the small screen, Hughes returned to television, landing a co-starring role as a non-nonsense waitress on "Jack's Place" (ABC, 1992), alongside Hal Linden and John Dye, as well as the stepmother on 1994-95 season of "Blossom" (NBC). Noting her illustrious "GH" soap opera past, Aaron Spelling tapped her to play a troubled wife in the short-lived primetime soap "Pacific Palisades" (Fox, 1997), then arranged for her return to daytime in a guest role on the Spelling-produced "Sunset Beach" (NBC). Hughes made her way back to daytime TV, landing the role of Dr. Alexandra "Alex" Devane Marirck (1999-2001) on ABC's "All My Children."
In a major career shift, Hughes entered the reality TV world of makeover shows, starting with numerous shows on the Style Network, including the most popular, "How Do I Look?" (2004- ). Juggling her fashion fix shows, she tried her hand at primetime soaps yet again, guest appearing on the supernatural WB program, "Charmed" (1998-2006).