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Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Detail)
Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified |
1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Jan. 31, 2010
VEF
|
Dec. 31, 2012
USD ($)
sqft
|
Dec. 31, 2012
VEF
|
Dec. 31, 2011
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2010
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2009
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2012
Venezuela [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Venezuela [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2012
Buildings [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2012
Land [Member]
USD ($)
|
Jun. 30, 2010
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2012
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2010
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2009
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
USD ($)
|
May 31, 2010
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
|
Jun. 30, 2010
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
General and administrative expense [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2010
CADIVI transactions [Member]
General and administrative expense [Member]
USD ($)
|
Feb. 28, 2011
Bolivars alternative legal exchange mechanism [Member]
USD ($)
|
Mar. 31, 2011
Bolivars alternative legal exchange mechanism [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2012
Bolivars alternative legal exchange mechanism [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Bolivars alternative legal exchange mechanism [Member]
USD ($)
|
Feb. 28, 2011
Bolivars alternative legal exchange mechanism [Member]
United States [Member]
USD ($)
|
Feb. 28, 2011
Bolivars alternative legal exchange mechanism [Member]
United States [Member]
VEF
|
|
| Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency transaction losses | $ 16,700,000 | $ 11,400,000 | $ 7,300,000 | $ 15,100,000 | $ 1,300,000 | $ 4,800,000 | $ 1,200,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | 333,534,000 | 258,775,000 | 190,550,000 | 150,801,000 | 99,200,000 | 34,800,000 | 99,200,000 | 34,800,000 | ||||||||||||||||
| Receivables from credit card company | 81,100,000 | 65,100,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Square footage of facility purchased | 800,000 | 800,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purchase price of facility | 22,200,000 | 18,800,000 | 3,400,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Estimated useful lives of long lived assets | Three to ten years | Three to ten years | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Estimated useful life of buildings | 40 years | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment | 70,900,000 | 68,900,000 | 67,700,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Marketing related intangibles | 310,000,000 | 310,000,000 | 310,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Goodwill | 105,490,000 | 105,490,000 | 102,900,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Increase in goodwill due to acquisitions | 2,600,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their expected lives | 4 years | 4 years | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Intangible assets with finite lives | 1,100,000 | 1,700,000 | 800,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Amortization expense for finite life intangible assets | 600,000 | 600,000 | 900,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Advertising costs | 42,300,000 | 38,400,000 | 30,700,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Equity grants, outstanding | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.1 | 1.5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Period of receiving anticipated returns | 12 months | 12 months | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Percentage of cumulative inflation rate | 100.00% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Incremental costs related to the importation of products | 12,700,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net (post-tax) foreign exchange gain | 2,600,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| SITME rate for remeasurement | 5.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parallel market rate | 8.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Face value of U.S.denominated bonds | 20,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Payments to acquire U.S.denominated bonds | 86,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from sale of U.S. denominated bonds | 15,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average effective conversion rate | 5.7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Currency Exchanged through Alternative Legal Exchange Mechanisms | 6,400,000 | 59,200,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Percent by which alternative legal exchange mechanism was less favorable than SITME | 43.00% | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| SITME rate for re-measurement | 5.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net monetary Bolivar denominated assets and liabilities | $ 82,900,000 | $ 82,900,000 | $ 26,800,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Subsidiary's net sales to Company's consolidated net sales, percentage | 4.00% | 2.00% | 2.00% | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Subsidiary asset as percentage of consolidated assets | 7.00% | 3.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||