By the way, if spraying it in the air doesn't appeal, it does come in an oil-like format in a can for applying via a rag.  Probably lasts longer that way.  Perhaps that's how you've been doing it all along?

I use both.  I wipe my guns down with the oil-type after shooting even if not planning to clean them, using either a wool wiper or a folded up rag.

Image below from Mark Freburg - Image Title: Barricade
Image Info: In my opinion this is about the finest rust preventative on the market and I have been wiping down my guns with this for a couple of decades. It used to be called "Sheath" and was renamed "Barricade" a couple years ago. After wiping it on the gun let it sit for a little while and it is absorbed into the pores of the metal, allowing you to handle the gun without any "oily" feel, but the gun is still protected.