Business Segments and Geographic Area Information (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 03, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) segment	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)
Segments
Number of operating segments | segment										2
Net sales:
Total net sales		$ 976,358	$ 998,161	$ 980,067	$ 998,032	$ 964,230	$ 967,890	$ 937,755	$ 964,468	$ 3,952,618	$ 3,834,343	$ 3,753,498
Identifiable assets:
Assets		2,132,063				2,094,351				2,132,063	2,094,351	2,004,319
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization										99,657	89,391	79,663
Capital expenditures:
Capital expenditures										151,220	106,532	76,814
Changes in foreign currency exchange rates
Loss on foreign currency exchange										56,400	(87,300)
Segment operating earnings:
Segment operating earnings										498,297	495,326	506,996
Share-based compensation expense										(12,580)	(16,778)	(22,107)
Interest expense										(144,237)	(116,842)	(116,317)
Earnings before provision for income taxes										354,060	378,484	390,679
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Net loss on extinguishment of debt										33,296
Capital expenditures exclude amounts incurred but not paid										3,800	11,600
Senior notes due Nov. 2019
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Net loss on extinguishment of debt	$ 33,300									33,300
Operating segments
Identifiable assets:
Assets		1,993,428				1,952,321				1,993,428	1,952,321	1,928,884
Segment operating earnings:
Segment operating earnings										664,266	643,544	648,626
Corporate
Identifiable assets:
Assets		138,635				142,030				138,635	142,030	75,435
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization										14,226	15,141	11,862
Capital expenditures:
Capital expenditures										31,607	23,794	14,521
Segment operating earnings:
Unallocated expenses										(153,389)	(131,440)	(119,523)
Sally Beauty Supply
Net sales:
Total net sales										2,364,531	2,329,523	2,308,743
Sally Beauty Supply | Operating segments
Identifiable assets:
Assets		972,441				976,152				972,441	976,152	959,210
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization										55,460	45,572	41,019
Capital expenditures:
Capital expenditures										95,587	65,983	43,114
Segment operating earnings:
Segment operating earnings										409,787	412,393	431,655
Beauty Systems Group
Net sales:
Total net sales										1,588,087	1,504,820	1,444,755
Beauty Systems Group | Operating segments
Identifiable assets:
Assets		1,020,987				976,169				1,020,987	976,169	969,674
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization										29,971	28,678	26,782
Capital expenditures:
Capital expenditures										24,026	16,755	19,179
Segment operating earnings:
Segment operating earnings										254,479	231,151	216,971
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Segment operating earnings:
Share-based compensation expense										(12,600)	(16,800)	(22,100)
Executive management transition plan | Corporate
Segment operating earnings:
Share-based compensation expense												(3,500)
Germany | Restructuring charges | Sally Beauty Supply
Segment operating earnings:
Segment operating earnings											5,300
United States
Net sales:
Total net sales										3,261,648	3,145,894	3,031,000
Identifiable assets:
Assets		1,505,237				1,460,413				1,505,237	1,460,413	1,405,671
Foreign
Net sales:
Total net sales										690,970	688,449	722,498
Identifiable assets:
Assets		488,191				491,908				488,191	491,908	523,213
Corporate | Corporate
Identifiable assets:
Assets		$ 138,635				$ 142,030				138,635	142,030	75,435
Data security incidents
Segment operating earnings:
Insurance recovery											600
Data security incidents | Selling, general and administrative expenses
Segment operating earnings:
Unallocated expenses										$ 14,600	(5,600)	$ (2,500)
Insurance recovery											$ 600