The droplets flow to the bottom of the cable, leaving the top and sides dry. It lubricates on all sides of the cable for the whole run. In long cable pulls, pulling lubricants are subject to water-loss drying. The lubricant must maintain a low coefficient of friction through this drying. If not, the friction coefficient, and tension, will go up during the pull.
Tests show it pulls with the same tension after sitting for a week in the conduit.
Most other lubricants do not, and some show significantly higher tensions as they dry. These properties are not as critical for shorter pulls with heavy cable. The Long Haul Good lubricant application procedures are also important to gain the full benefits of the lubricant in fiber pulling. There are a number of neat ways to lubricate in long pulls. They're both inexpensive and effective.