A gloss applicator includes a heater member to be heated by a heat source; an endless belt to rotate while being heated by the heater member; a pressure member that presses against the heater member via the endless belt, thereby forming a nip; a cooling unit to cool the endless belt, wherein a recording medium on which a toner image is formed is conveyed into the nip, the recording medium is further conveyed from the nip while being in contact with the endless belt to be cooled by the cooling unit and separated from the endless belt; a temperature sensor configured to detect a surface temperature of the endless belt, disposed between the separating position of the recording medium and a heating position by the heater member; and a cooling controller to control the cooling unit to vary a cooling amount based on a temperature detected by the temperature sensor.