Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Basis of Presentation (Details Textual)

v2.4.0.6
Basis of Presentation (Details Textual)
 1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 2 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 2 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2010
VEF
Dec. 31, 2009
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2009
VEF
Dec. 31, 2011
USD ($)
Y
Dec. 31, 2010
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2009
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
VEF
May 10, 2011
Apr. 28, 2011
Dec. 31, 2010
VEF
Dec. 31, 2008
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2010
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
Feb. 28, 2011
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
Feb. 28, 2011
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
VEF
Mar. 31, 2011
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2010
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2009
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2009
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2009
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
VEF
Dec. 31, 2011
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
VEF
Dec. 31, 2010
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
VEF
Jun. 30, 2010
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
VEF
May 31, 2010
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
VEF
Jun. 30, 2010
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
General and Administrative Expense [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
General and Administrative Expense [Member]
USD ($)
Feb. 28, 2011
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
United States [Member]
USD ($)
Feb. 28, 2011
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
United States [Member]
VEF
Basis of Presentation (Textual) [Abstract]                                                          
Conversion resulted net pre-tax loss       $ 11,400,000 $ 7,300,000 $ 7,700,000                           $ 15,100,000                  
SITME can only be used for amount per day                       50,000                                  
SITME can only be used for amount Per Month                       350,000                                  
Period to use denominated bonds                       90 days                                  
Subsidiary's net sales to Company's consolidated net sales, percentage                                   less than 2% less than 2% less than 4 % less than 4 %                
Subsidiary's total assets to Company's consolidated total assets, percentage                                   less than 3% less than 3%                    
Net foreign exchange loss (pre-tax)                             1,300,000     1,200,000                      
Payments to acquire US denominated bonds                                     16,300,000                   86,000,000
Proceeds from sale of US denominated bonds                                                       15,000,000  
Average effective conversion rate                           5.7             5.4                
Intercompany shipment payables settled                                 13,600,000                        
Incremental costs related to the importation of products                                     12,700,000 18,800,000                  
Foreign currency denominated cash and cash equivalents                                 5,900,000     5,900,000                  
Market exchange rate for remeasurement of cash and cash equivalents                                         5.9                
Official exchange rate for translation of cash and cash equivalents                                         2.15                
Cash and cash equivalents   150,801,000   258,775,000 190,550,000 150,801,000         150,847,000           34,200,000     34,200,000   34,800,000 24,600,000            
Part of cash and cash equivalent reduced                                 12,500,000     12,500,000                  
Cash and cash equivalents dominated in domestic currency                                 15,800,000     15,800,000                  
Cash and cash equivalents dominated in foreign currency                                 18,400,000     18,400,000                  
Amount of cash and cash equivalent greater than the amount in domestic currency denominated bank account   9,900,000       9,900,000                     9,900,000     9,900,000                  
SITME rate for remeasurement             5.3     5.3       5.3                   5.3          
Net monetary Bolivar denominated assets and liabilities                                           26,800,000 19,400,000            
Face value of US denominated bonds                         20,000,000                                
Percentage of cumulative inflation rate                                 100.00%     100.00% 100.00%                
Net (post-tax) foreign exchange gain                                                   2,600,000      
Parallel market rate                                                 8.3        
Increase in cash & cash equivalents as result of SITME rate                               5,200,000                          
Outstanding intercompany shipment payable balance                                   100,000 2,600,000                    
Official conversion rate for non-essential items 4.3                                                        
Official conversion rate for essential items 2.6                                                        
Net foreign exchange gain (pre-tax)                                                   4,000,000 5,800,000    
Intercompany dividend payable                                             2,500,000            
Basis of Presentation (Additional Textual) [Abstract]                                                          
Basis of shares approved by shareholders                 Two-for-one stock split                                        
Number of additional shares distributed to Company's shareholders for each share               1                                          
Receivables from credit card company       65,100,000 51,400,000                                                
Depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment       68,900,000 67,700,000 62,200,000                                              
Marketing related intangibles and other intangible assets, net   310,000,000   310,000,000 310,000,000 310,000,000                                              
Goodwill   102,500,000   105,490,000 102,899,000 102,500,000                                              
Increase in goodwill due to acquisitions       2,600,000 400,000                                                
Intangible assets with finite lives   1,700,000   1,700,000 800,000 1,700,000                                              
Amortization expense for finite life intangible assets       600,000 900,000 200,000                                              
Future Amortization Expense for 2012       600,000                                                  
Future Amortization Expense for 2013       400,000                                                  
Future Amortization Expense for 2014       300,000                                                  
Future Amortization Expense for 2015       300,000                                                  
Future Amortization Expense for 2016       100,000                                                  
Warrant outstanding       500,000                                                  
Exercise price of warrants       $ 7.75                                                  
Equity Grants, Outstanding       2,100,000 1,500,000 5,600,000                                              
Period of receiving anticipated returns       12 months                                                  
Amount for exchange foreign currency into domestic currency   $ 19,500,000 105,000,000                                                    
Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their expected lives       5