Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Segment Information - Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Segment Information - Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2013
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Contribution Margin                      
Total Contribution Margin                 $ 2,504.6hlf_ContributionsMargin $ 2,364.4hlf_ContributionsMargin $ 1,921.1hlf_ContributionsMargin
Selling, general and administrative expense                 1,991.1us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense 1,629.1us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense 1,259.7us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
Interest expense                 91.7us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt 26.6us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt 16.7us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
Interest income                 12.5us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest 8.0us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest 6.2us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest
Other expense, net                 13.0us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense    
Income before income taxes                 421.3us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest 716.7us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest 650.9us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest
Income taxes                 112.6us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 189.2us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 186.9us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net income 103.3us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 11.3us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 119.5us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 74.6us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 123.5us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 142.0us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 143.1us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 118.9us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 308.7us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 527.5us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 464.0us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
United States [Member]                      
Contribution Margin                      
Total Contribution Margin                 373.1hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_US
367.9hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_US
359.5hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_US
Mexico [Member]                      
Contribution Margin                      
Total Contribution Margin                 251.7hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_MX
251.7hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_MX
205.6hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_MX
South Korea [Member]                      
Contribution Margin                      
Total Contribution Margin                 227.6hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_KR
214.3hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_KR
199.4hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_KR
Others [Member]                      
Contribution Margin                      
Total Contribution Margin                 1,055.6hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= hlf_OtherCountriesMember
1,107.8hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= hlf_OtherCountriesMember
906.5hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= hlf_OtherCountriesMember
Primary Reporting Segment [Member]                      
Contribution Margin                      
Total Contribution Margin                 1,908.0hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= hlf_PrimaryReportingSegmentMember
1,941.7hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= hlf_PrimaryReportingSegmentMember
1,671.0hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= hlf_PrimaryReportingSegmentMember
China [Member]                      
Contribution Margin                      
Total Contribution Margin                 $ 596.6hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_CN
$ 422.7hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_CN
$ 250.1hlf_ContributionsMargin
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_CN