Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Percentage of long-term, fixed-rate borrowings converted to variable interest rate instruments using interest rate swaps	74.00%		74.00%		74.00%
Total exposure to floating rate interest rates	82.00%		82.00%		81.00%
Notional amount of interest-rate swap agreements designated as fair value hedges of fixed rate debt	$ 1,725.0		$ 1,725.0
Loss/Gain on fair value hedges recognized in earnings	26.3	65.2	10.4	82.8
Notional amount of interest-rate swap agreements not designated as fair value hedges of fixed rate debt	250.0		250.0
Loss recorded in other expense from interest rate swap agreements not designated as hedges	0	0.1	0	0.1
Notional amounts of foreign currency exchange contracts	405.4		405.4
Gain in interest expense from undesignated foreign currency exchange contracts	4.8	11.7	20.5	12.1
Gain (loss) due to the effect of foreign currency exchange rates on intercompany loans	$ 2.7	$ 12.8	$ 16.9	$ 13.7

Total exposure to floating rate interest rates

Name:	avp_TotalExposureToFloatingRateInterestRates
Namespace Prefix:	avp
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Current period adjustment resulting from gains and losses on intercompany foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term-investment nature, that is, settlement is not planned or anticipated in the foreseeable future. Resulting from the entities to the transaction being consolidated, combined, or accounted for by the equity method in the reporting entity's financial statements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6915805&loc=d3e32211-110900

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 18
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6915805&loc=d3e32157-110900

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 52
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph b
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Section 35
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6939497&loc=d3e30304-110892

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 52
-Paragraph 31
-Subparagraph b
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450520&loc=d3e32583-110901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AdjustmentForLongTermIntercompanyTransactionsGrossOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total amount of gain (loss) derived from fair value hedges recognized in earnings in the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 133
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph a(1)
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnFairValueHedgesRecognizedInEarnings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate impact of foreign currency derivatives on earnings for the period. Includes impact of foreign currency cash flow hedge ineffectiveness and the ineffectiveness of fair value hedging derivatives and full change in fair value of the foreign currency derivatives not designated as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5618551-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5624177-113959

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 133
-Paragraph 45
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 25
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6886632&loc=d3e76258-113986

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnForeignCurrencyDerivativesRecordedInEarningsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of loss recognized in earnings when a hedged firm commitment no longer qualifies as a fair value hedge.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 133
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph a(2)
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 25
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6886632&loc=d3e76258-113986

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossFromHedgedFirmCommitmentNotQualifyingAsFairValueHedge
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate notional amount of foreign currency derivatives to purchase a foreign currency. Notional amount refers to the number of currency units specified in the foreign currency derivative contract.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5580258-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Notional Amount
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6519104

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5579245-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotionalAmountOfForeignCurrencyDerivativePurchaseContracts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate notional amount of all interest rate derivatives not designated as hedging instruments. Notional amount refers to the monetary amount specified in the interest rate derivative contract.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotionalAmountOfInterestRateDerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstruments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate notional amount of all interest rate derivatives designated as hedging instruments in fair value hedges. Notional amount refers to the monetary amount specified in the interest rate derivative contract.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotionalAmountOfInterestRateFairValueHedgeDerivatives
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of an entity's outstanding debt that is designated as a hedged item in cash flow, fair value, or net investment hedge.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PercentageOfDebtHedgedByInterestRateDerivatives
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant