Funny, I've known men who had beards and shaved them off, and some who were clean shaven and grew one, and somehow, people still recognized them.  

As for communication, facial expressions are crucial in everyday interactions, they help understand the person's intent, and we as humans rely on them. So much so that dogs have evolved to understand and use them:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/10/19/puppy-dog-eyes-benefit-humans-scientists-find/