Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
Percentage of guarantor subsidiaries owned by parent	100.00%
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 53,444	$ 240,220	$ 53,974	$ 63,481
Trade, income taxes and other accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	112,610	125,490
Inventory	780,200	735,356
Prepaid expenses	29,768	29,376
Deferred income tax assets, net	33,592	33,465
Property and equipment, net	222,355	202,661
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	658,756	660,768
Other assets	35,122	38,464
Total assets	1,925,847	2,065,800
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity
Accounts payable	272,411	262,209
Accrued liabilities	150,397	200,267
Income taxes payable	5,838	13,004
Long-term debt	1,690,761	1,617,230
Other liabilities	24,759	24,232
Deferred income tax liabilities, net	76,064	63,943
Total liabilities	2,220,230	2,180,885
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	(294,383)	(115,085)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	1,925,847	2,065,800
Parent
Assets
Trade, income taxes and other accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	9,635	23,734
Prepaid expenses	1,677	1,181
Deferred income tax assets, net	(408)	(408)
Property and equipment, net	1
Investment in subsidiaries	157,284	(30,403)
Total assets	168,189	(5,896)
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity
Accounts payable	4
Due to affiliates	463,980	110,512
Accrued liabilities	202	141
Deferred income tax liabilities, net	(1,614)	(1,464)
Total liabilities	462,572	109,189
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	(294,383)	(115,085)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	168,189	(5,896)
Sally Holdings LLC and Sally Capital Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents		155,000
Due from affiliates		2
Prepaid expenses	80	24
Deferred income tax assets, net	(423)	(423)
Investment in subsidiaries	2,431,639	2,194,771
Other assets	29,075	32,445
Total assets	2,460,371	2,381,819
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity
Due to affiliates	604,633	761,262
Accrued liabilities	11,532	38,171
Income taxes payable	3,416	4,136
Long-term debt	1,684,113	1,609,308
Deferred income tax liabilities, net	(607)	(655)
Total liabilities	2,303,087	2,412,222
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	157,284	(30,403)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	2,460,371	2,381,819
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	29,110	48,582	21,952	22,583
Trade, income taxes and other accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	62,305	63,964
Due from affiliates	1,141,668	934,268
Inventory	585,776	551,017
Prepaid expenses	13,643	12,189
Deferred income tax assets, net	38,804	38,805
Property and equipment, net	150,187	140,238
Investment in subsidiaries	364,033	367,435
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	480,467	475,623
Other assets	1,131	1,069
Total assets	2,867,124	2,633,190
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity
Accounts payable	213,668	202,560
Due to affiliates	2,286	3,637
Accrued liabilities	112,634	134,387
Income taxes payable	1	4,596
Long-term debt	203	265
Other liabilities	22,825	21,060
Deferred income tax liabilities, net	83,868	71,914
Total liabilities	435,485	438,419
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	2,431,639	2,194,771
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	2,867,124	2,633,190
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	24,334	36,638	32,022	40,898
Trade, income taxes and other accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	40,670	37,792
Due from affiliates	2,286	3,637
Inventory	194,424	184,339
Prepaid expenses	14,368	15,982
Deferred income tax assets, net	(4,381)	(4,509)
Property and equipment, net	72,167	62,423
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	178,289	185,145
Other assets	4,916	4,950
Total assets	527,073	526,397
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity
Accounts payable	58,739	59,649
Due to affiliates	73,055	62,496
Accrued liabilities	26,029	27,568
Income taxes payable	2,421	4,272
Long-term debt	6,445	7,657
Other liabilities	1,934	3,172
Deferred income tax liabilities, net	(5,583)	(5,852)
Total liabilities	163,040	158,962
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	364,033	367,435
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	527,073	526,397
Consolidating Eliminations
Assets
Due from affiliates	(1,143,954)	(937,907)
Investment in subsidiaries	(2,952,956)	(2,531,803)
Total assets	(4,096,910)	(3,469,710)
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity
Due to affiliates	(1,143,954)	(937,907)
Total liabilities	(1,143,954)	(937,907)
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	(2,952,956)	(2,531,803)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	$ (4,096,910)	$ (3,469,710)