Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities	$ 197,127	$ 196,561
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures, net of proceeds from sale of property and equipment	(64,551)	(44,160)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(16,070)	(43,154)
Net cash used by investing activities	(80,621)	(87,314)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	222,500	1,876,300
Repayments of long-term debt	(148,424)	(1,801,933)
Debt issuance costs		(26,858)
Repurchases of common stock	(407,197)	(200,000)
Proceeds from exercises of stock options	18,722	23,080
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation	11,316	10,647
Net cash used by financing activities	(303,083)	(118,764)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(199)	10
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(186,776)	(9,507)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	240,220	63,481
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	53,444	53,974
Parent
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities	388,316	176,920
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures, net of proceeds from sale of property and equipment	(1)
Net cash used by investing activities	(1)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repurchases of common stock	(407,197)	(200,000)
Proceeds from exercises of stock options	18,722	23,080
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation	160
Net cash used by financing activities	(388,315)	(176,920)
Sally Holdings LLC and Sally Capital Inc.
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities	(230,500)	(49,903)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	222,500	1,876,300
Repayments of long-term debt	(147,000)	(1,799,539)
Debt issuance costs		(26,858)
Net cash used by financing activities	75,500	49,903
Net decrease 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	26,776	29,491
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures, net of proceeds from sale of property and equipment	(40,455)	(29,397)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(15,400)	(10,607)
Net cash used by investing activities	(55,855)	(40,004)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repayments of long-term debt	(62)	(69)
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation	9,669	9,951
Net cash used by financing activities	9,607	9,882
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(19,472)	(631)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	48,582	22,583
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	29,110	21,952
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities	12,535	40,053
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures, net of proceeds from sale of property and equipment	(24,095)	(14,763)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(670)	(32,547)
Net cash used by investing activities	(24,765)	(47,310)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repayments of long-term debt	(1,362)	(2,325)
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation	1,487	696
Net cash used by financing activities	125	(1,629)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(199)	10
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(12,304)	(8,876)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	36,638	40,898
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 24,334	$ 32,022