face vs facial expression

face and facial expression both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
face	Yes	No	Yes	No
facial expression	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, face and facial expression are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of face include aspect, expression, look.

As nouns, facial expression is a hypernym of face; that is, facial expression is a word with a broader meaning than face:

Other hypernyms of face include facial gesture.

face (noun)	facial expression (noun)
a vertical surface of a building or cliff	the feelings expressed on a person's face
the side upon which the use of a thing depends (usually the most prominent surface of an object)	a gesture executed with the facial muscles
the striking or working surface of an implement
the general outward appearance of something
status in the eyes of others
impudent aggressiveness
the feelings expressed on a person's face
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
the part of an animal corresponding to the human face
a specific size and style of type within a type family
a contorted facial expression
a surface forming part of the outside of an object
a part of a person that is used to refer to a person

face (verb)	facial expression (verb)
deal with (something unpleasant) head on
present somebody with something, usually to accuse or criticize
oppose, as in hostility or a competition
line the edge (of a garment) with a different material
cover the front or surface of
turn so as to face; turn the face in a certain direction
turn so as to expose the face
be oriented in a certain direction, often with respect to another reference point; be opposite to
be opposite