The one woman at the office were telling us this morning how 6 guys have been running wild in her neighborhood trying to break in 3 nights in a row etc. She is coloured and the other woman she was mostly talking to is black. She told us that these guys are black and coloured. I dont see a problem referring to someone's skin colour. It is one of your biggest physical features. I wont have a problem with someone referring to me as "that incredibly shaggable white boy"
The black woman in the office also refers to people's skin colour often. But it is not meant in a ugly way, or not that I have heard anyway.