Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2009
Mar. 01, 2012
May 10, 2013
May 07, 2010
Aug. 02, 2007
Oct. 31, 2014
Aug. 31, 2014
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                  
Deductible for product liability insurance $ 15,000,000hlf_DeductibleForProductLiabilityInsurance                
Surety bond through insurance company to guarantee payment of tax assessment 21,600,000hlf_SuretyBondThroughInsuranceCompanyToGuaranteePaymentOfTaxAssessment                
Other assets 152,800,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent 63,700,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent              
Terms of settlement agreement Under the terms of the settlement, the Company would (i) pay $15 million into a fund to be distributed to qualified claimants and (ii) accept up to a maximum amount of $2.5 million in product returns from qualified claimants. The court granted preliminary approval of the settlement on December 2, 2014 and conditionally certified a class. The final approval hearing is set for May 11, 2015.                
Escrow account 15,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireOtherProductiveAssets                
Bostick,et al., v. Herbalife Int'l of Am., Inc., et al. [Member]                  
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                  
Payment to qualified claimants (15,000,000)us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmount
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= hlf_BostickvHerbalifeIntlOfAmIncEtalMember
               
Amount of product returns from qualified claimants 2,500,000hlf_MaximumAcceptableAmountInProductReturnsFromQualifiedClaimants
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= hlf_BostickvHerbalifeIntlOfAmIncEtalMember
               
Escrow account 15,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireOtherProductiveAssets
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= hlf_BostickvHerbalifeIntlOfAmIncEtalMember
               
Federal Revenue Office of Brazil [Member]                  
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                  
Tax assessment received relating to withholding/contributions to Company's Members during 2004     3,200,000hlf_TaxAssessmentReceivedRelatingToWithholdingContributionsFromCompanysMembers
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= country_BR
           
Rome Labor Court on behalf of Social Security Authority [Member]                  
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                  
Equivalent amount under order for social contributions, interest and penalties related to payments to Italian Members from 2002 through 2005       6,500,000hlf_EquivalentAmountUnderOrderFromLaborCourtForSocialContributionsInterestPenaltiesRelatedToPayments
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= hlf_RomeLaborCourtOnBehalfOfSocialSecurityAuthorityMember
         
Mexican Tax Administration Service [Member]                  
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                  
Assessment amount from tax administration service         20,000,000hlf_AdministrativeAssessmentAmountFromTaxAdministrationService
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_MexicanTaxAuthorityMember
78,000,000hlf_AdministrativeAssessmentAmountFromTaxAdministrationService
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_MexicanTaxAuthorityMember
     
Other assets 51,100,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_MexicanTaxAuthorityMember
               
Loss related to other assets 0us-gaap_LossContingencyLossInPeriod
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_MexicanTaxAuthorityMember
               
Spanish Tax Authority [Member]                  
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                  
Tax assessment for withholding taxes, interest and penalties related to payments to Spanish Members during 2003-2004 periods             3,900,000hlf_EquivalentAmountUnderAssessmentForWithholdingTaxesInterestAndPenaltiesRelatedToPayment
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_TaxAuthoritySpainMember
   
Indian VAT authorities [Member]                  
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                  
Tax assessment received related to VAT               1,300,000hlf_TaxAssessmentReceivedRelatingToValueAddedTaxes
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_MinistryOfFinanceIndiaMember
6,100,000hlf_TaxAssessmentReceivedRelatingToValueAddedTaxes
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_MinistryOfFinanceIndiaMember
Brazil ICMS-ST [Member]                  
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                  
Other assets 15,700,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= hlf_BrazilianSubsidiariesMember
               
Loss related to other assets $ 0us-gaap_LossContingencyLossInPeriod
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= hlf_BrazilianSubsidiariesMember