Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
Percentage of guarantor subsidiaries owned by parent	100.00%
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 64,810	$ 63,481	$ 59,102	$ 59,494
Trade accounts and accounts receivable, other, less allowance for doubtful accounts	93,073	95,526
Inventory	689,367	665,246
Prepaid expenses	25,492	26,360
Deferred income tax assets, net	28,588	28,535
Property and equipment, net	187,393	182,489
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	668,814	635,531
Other assets	32,395	31,432
Total assets	1,789,932	1,728,600
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity
Accounts payable	250,265	262,114
Accrued liabilities	167,264	185,509
Income taxes payable	2,865	9,379
Long-term debt	1,356,164	1,413,115
Other liabilities	26,530	26,154
Deferred income tax liabilities, net	56,057	51,311
Total liabilities	1,859,145	1,947,582
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	(69,213)	(218,982)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	1,789,932	1,728,600
Parent
Assets
Trade accounts and accounts receivable, other, less allowance for doubtful accounts	2
Due from affiliates	90,263	59,249
Prepaid expenses	458	1,233
Deferred income tax assets, net	(346)	(346)
Property and equipment, net		1
Investment in subsidiaries	(168,290)	(281,690)
Total assets	(77,913)	(221,553)
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity
Accounts payable	5	2
Accrued liabilities	480	380
Income taxes payable	(7,823)	(1,679)
Deferred income tax liabilities, net	(1,362)	(1,274)
Total liabilities	(8,700)	(2,571)
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	(69,213)	(218,982)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	(77,913)	(221,553)
Sally Holdings LLC and Sally Capital Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents			2,536	20
Due from affiliates	3	3
Prepaid expenses	175	63
Investment in subsidiaries	2,025,964	1,862,684
Other assets	21,869	20,411
Total assets	2,048,011	1,883,161
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity
Due to affiliates	843,310	728,546
Accrued liabilities	22,903	33,165
Income taxes payable	4,534	4,438
Long-term debt	1,346,856	1,401,855
Deferred income tax liabilities, net	(1,302)	(3,153)
Total liabilities	2,216,301	2,164,851
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	(168,290)	(281,690)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	2,048,011	1,883,161
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	35,719	22,583	25,302	32,975
Trade accounts and accounts receivable, other, less allowance for doubtful accounts	59,632	62,749
Due from affiliates	915,055	763,741
Inventory	512,813	505,893
Prepaid expenses	11,146	11,397
Deferred income tax assets, net	31,661	31,661
Property and equipment, net	130,108	130,165
Investment in subsidiaries	343,364	331,346
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	480,457	476,206
Other assets	5,681	5,650
Total assets	2,525,636	2,341,391
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity
Accounts payable	201,952	204,300
Due to affiliates	91,780	62,846
Accrued liabilities	118,614	124,888
Income taxes payable	3,287	2,453
Long-term debt	292	340
Other liabilities	25,132	24,975
Deferred income tax liabilities, net	58,615	58,905
Total liabilities	499,672	478,707
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	2,025,964	1,862,684
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	2,525,636	2,341,391
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	29,091	40,898	31,264	26,499
Trade accounts and accounts receivable, other, less allowance for doubtful accounts	33,439	32,777
Due from affiliates	1,517	3,597
Inventory	176,554	159,353
Prepaid expenses	13,713	13,667
Deferred income tax assets, net	(2,727)	(2,780)
Property and equipment, net	57,285	52,323
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	188,357	159,325
Other assets	4,845	5,371
Total assets	502,074	464,531
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity
Accounts payable	48,308	57,812
Due to affiliates	71,748	35,198
Accrued liabilities	25,267	27,076
Income taxes payable	2,867	4,167
Long-term debt	9,016	10,920
Other liabilities	1,398	1,179
Deferred income tax liabilities, net	106	(3,167)
Total liabilities	158,710	133,185
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	343,364	331,346
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	502,074	464,531
Consolidating Eliminations
Assets
Due from affiliates	(1,006,838)	(826,590)
Investment in subsidiaries	(2,201,038)	(1,912,340)
Total assets	(3,207,876)	(2,738,930)
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity
Due to affiliates	(1,006,838)	(826,590)
Total liabilities	(1,006,838)	(826,590)
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	(2,201,038)	(1,912,340)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	$ (3,207,876)	$ (2,738,930)