Business Segments and Geographic Area Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2014 segment	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Business Segments and Geographic Area Information
Number of operating segments									2
Net sales:
Total net sales	$ 944,288,000	$ 949,275,000	$ 919,471,000	$ 940,464,000	$ 906,435,000	$ 912,101,000	$ 898,239,000	$ 905,441,000	$ 3,753,498,000	$ 3,622,216,000	$ 3,523,644,000
Segment operating profit:
Total segment operating profit									506,996,000	520,362,000	499,355,000
Share-based compensation expense									22,107,000	19,201,000	16,852,000
Interest expense									(116,317,000)	(107,695,000)	(138,412,000)
Earnings before provision for income taxes									390,679,000	412,667,000	360,943,000
Identifiable assets:
Total assets	2,029,973,000				1,950,086,000				2,029,973,000	1,950,086,000	2,065,800,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization									79,663,000	72,192,000	64,698,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures									76,814,000	84,879,000	69,086,000
Other information
Net loss on extinguishment of debt										220,000	38,376,000
Data Security Incident
Other information
Charge resulting from loss contingency									2,500,000
United States
Net sales:
Total net sales									3,031,000,000	2,943,959,000	2,885,958,000
Identifiable assets:
Total assets	1,432,671,000				1,356,969,000				1,432,671,000	1,356,969,000	1,325,787,000
Foreign
Net sales:
Total net sales									722,498,000	678,257,000	637,686,000
Identifiable assets:
Total assets	523,213,000				530,190,000				523,213,000	530,190,000	498,595,000
Prior senior notes and term loan
Other information
Net loss on extinguishment of debt											37,800,000
Operating segments
Segment operating profit:
Total segment operating profit									648,626,000	637,510,000	612,219,000
Identifiable assets:
Total assets	1,955,884,000				1,887,159,000				1,955,884,000	1,887,159,000	1,824,382,000
Corporate
Segment operating profit:
Unallocated expenses									(119,523,000)	(97,947,000)	(96,012,000)
Identifiable assets:
Total assets	74,089,000				62,927,000				74,089,000	62,927,000	241,418,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization									11,862,000	10,151,000	7,317,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures									14,521,000	8,570,000	14,951,000
Corporate | Executive management transition plan
Segment operating profit:
Share-based compensation expense									3,500,000
Corporate | Data Security Incident
Segment operating profit:
Unallocated expenses									2,500,000
Sally Beauty Supply
Net sales:
Total net sales									2,308,743,000	2,230,028,000	2,198,468,000
Other information
Charge resulting from loss contingency											10,200,000
Sally Beauty Supply | Operating segments
Segment operating profit:
Total segment operating profit									431,655,000	437,018,000	429,520,000
Identifiable assets:
Total assets	986,210,000				913,395,000				986,210,000	913,395,000	864,598,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization									41,019,000	37,077,000	31,397,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures									43,114,000	60,565,000	42,158,000
Beauty Systems Group
Net sales:
Total net sales									1,444,755,000	1,392,188,000	1,325,176,000
Beauty Systems Group | Operating segments
Segment operating profit:
Total segment operating profit									216,971,000	200,492,000	182,699,000
Identifiable assets:
Total assets	969,674,000				973,764,000				969,674,000	973,764,000	959,784,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Total depreciation and amortization									26,782,000	24,964,000	25,984,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures									$ 19,179,000	$ 15,744,000	$ 11,977,000