Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium, and an applying unit that causes powder included in a liquid mixture to be interposed between the recording medium and the image forming unit by applying the liquid mixture to the recording medium, or to the image forming unit which comes into contact with the recording medium, wherein the recording medium includes an image forming layer, an adhesive layer, and a base layer, and the liquid mixture includes the powder reducing adhesion of the adhesive layer and volatile liquid.