Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities	$ 136,167	$ 138,090
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures, net of proceeds from sale of property and equipment	(43,112)	(26,956)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(670)	(43,154)
Net cash used by investing activities	(43,782)	(70,110)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	58,500	929,200
Repayments of long-term debt	(36,947)	(1,010,474)
Repurchases of common stock	(313,349)
Debt issuance costs		(15,191)
Proceeds from exercises of stock options	13,256	20,111
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation	8,294	9,124
Net cash used by financing activities	(270,246)	(67,230)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(103)	579
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(177,964)	1,329
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	240,220	63,481
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	62,256	64,810
Parent
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities	299,933	(20,111)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repurchases of common stock	(313,349)
Proceeds from exercises of stock options	13,256	20,111
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation	160
Net cash used by financing activities	(299,933)	20,111
Sally Holdings LLC and Sally Capital Inc.
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities	(177,500)	94,574
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	58,500	929,200
Repayments of long-term debt	(36,000)	(1,008,583)
Debt issuance costs		(15,191)
Net cash used by financing activities	22,500	(94,574)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(155,000)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	155,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities	(3,000)	31,884
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures, net of proceeds from sale of property and equipment	(23,901)	(17,217)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(10,607)
Net cash used by investing activities	(23,901)	(27,824)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repayments of long-term debt	(41)	(48)
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation	7,234	9,124
Net cash used by financing activities	7,193	9,076
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(19,708)	13,136
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	48,582	22,583
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	28,874	35,719
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities	16,734	31,743
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures, net of proceeds from sale of property and equipment	(19,211)	(9,739)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(670)	(32,547)
Net cash used by investing activities	(19,881)	(42,286)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repayments of long-term debt	(906)	(1,843)
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation	900
Net cash used by financing activities	(6)	(1,843)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(103)	579
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(3,256)	(11,807)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	36,638	40,898
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 33,382	$ 29,091